The Briefing Room
General Category => Economy/Business => Topic started by: libertybele on September 14, 2023, 06:35:57 pm
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UAW prepares to strike as contract talks hit deadline
Staff at three of America's biggest carmakers are poised to strike in an unprecedented co-ordinated action.
With current labour contracts set to expire on Thursday night, the United Autoworkers Union said the companies had not put forward acceptable offers.
The fight threatens to trigger higher prices for buyers and major disruption for the firms: GM, Ford and Stellantis.
The UAW said the likely strike would start on Friday at a small number of sites - with the potential to expand.
"We are seeing movement from the companies, but they're still not willing to agree on the kinds of raises that will make up for inflation on top of decades of falling wages," UAW president Shawn Fain said on Wednesday in an update to workers.
The union had sought a 40% pay increase for its roughly 140,000 members over four years, noting a comparable rise in pay for company leaders.
Other demands included:
a four-day working week
the return of automatic pay increases tied to inflation
stricter limits on how long workers can be considered "temporary" staff who do not receive union benefits
Talks between the two sides, which kicked off in July, were tense from the start, with Mr Fain forgoing the symbolic handshake with executives that has traditionally launched negotiations. Last month, 97% of members voted to authorise a strike.
As of Wednesday,the three companies have upped their initial proposals, with Ford offering a 20% hike in pay over the contract term, GM offering 18%, and Stellantis, the owner of Jeep and Chrysler, 17.5%, Mr Fain said.
Workers said the companies could afford to be more generous, after years of record profits.
"In my opinion we are owed this," said Paul Raczka, who works in a Stellantis factory in Michigan making Jeep Grand Cherokees.
Paul Raczka.................
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66803278
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40% pay increase - Are you $h!tt!ng me?
a four-day working week - Are we talking 32 hour work weeks or (4) 10 hour days?
the return of automatic pay increases tied to inflation - Nope.
stricter limits on how long workers can be considered "temporary" staff who do not receive union benefits - Reasonable
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Let them strike.
No longer matters.
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The big 3 anticipated this and not only recovered from the 'chip shortage' they have managed to fill all their overflow lots to capacity with new cars/trucks when few people can afford a new car or truck with bidenomics raging. I'd postulate that they have a 4-6 month supply.
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40% pay increase - Are you $h!tt!ng me?
a four-day working week - Are we talking 32 hour work weeks or (4) 10 hour days?
the return of automatic pay increases tied to inflation - Nope.
stricter limits on how long workers can be considered "temporary" staff who do not receive union benefits - Reasonable
I agree with you, but they'll eventually get their way with we the consumer paying the higher prices.
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They are hell bent on making sure soon you aren't going to be able to buy a new car for under a $100K.
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Wonder how long the average UAW worker can afford to stay on strike? The strike fund ain't as deep as it once was back in the olden days.
IIRC Honda, Toyota, Nissan and a few others are Union Free so there is that option for cars.
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They are hell bent on making sure soon you aren't going to be able to buy a new car for under a $100K.
Yup.
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And they're on strike: https://nypost.com/2023/09/14/detroit-automakers-and-auto-workers-remain-far-from-a-deal-as-end-of-day-strike-deadline-approaches/
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They are hell bent on making sure soon you aren't going to be able to buy a new car for under a $100K.
The market for used vehicles will soar.
Working a 32-hour week for 40-hour pay just makes perfect sense. I think we've seen how this goes at McDonald's, where hamburger flippers make $15-20 per hour, and the prices just keep going up.
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The United Auto Workers union is on strike against General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, the first time in its history that it has struck all three of America’s unionized automakers at the same time.
Workers on Friday walked out of three plants – one each from the Big Three automakers – in Missouri, Michigan and Ohio. Picketers were met with cheers from sign-waving union members.
The UAW referred to its targeted strike of three plants as a “Stand Up Strike,” which it called a strategic “new approach” to walking off the job.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/15/business/auto-workers-strike/index.html
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I see a boom in the market for assembly line robots, and a bunch of new start-ups developing AI for assembling cars.
These fools are going to price themselves right out of their jobs soon enough.
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These fools are going to price themselves right out of their jobs soon enough.
It's the union way.
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It's the union way.
It certainly is. Back in the 1960s, my FiL had a pretty decent job as an assembler with an aircraft factory on L.I.; however, the union got greedy, and it wasn't long before the company closed up shop and moved elsewhere. My FiL ended up driving school buses for the rest of his life. That job was also union, but even so, the pay and benefits from that job were a long way short of what he had been getting at the aircraft factory.
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It's the union way.
"Look for the Union Label".
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CNN’s Tapper to Ford CEO Farley: You Have Given Yourself Huge Raises, Why Can’t Workers Share in the Profits?
Thursday on CNN’s “The Lead,” anchor Jake Tapper asked Ford CEO Jim Farley why, after CEOs got large raises, they can’t “share the profits” with the workers to avoid a strike.
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2023/09/14/cnns-tapper-to-ford-ceo-farley-you-have-given-yourself-huge-raises-why-cant-workers-share-in-the-profits/
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This is not the America of 1950s where there are jobs around the corner for those without Masters Degrees.
If the union workers want to share in the profits, they can buy the company's stock or stock options, if offered.
Executive inflation is an issue that needs to be taken on by Boards, shareholders, and feduciary fund managers.
Robots don't strike. Some states don't have unions. Other countries would love to the auto industry relocate to them.
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I love the idiocy of the UAW. Do they really think they will garner public support asking to be paid for 40 hours while doing 32 hours of work..... while passing the cost on to the consumer. I hope they lose their asses on this one.
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Joe Biden is scheduled to address the strike later today. His remarks with shall include, lots of mumbling, anger, a few whispering statements and he'll close with a personal story about the time he worked on a GM assembly line building 67 Corvettes.
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From reply 10 above:
"Workers on Friday walked out of three plants – one each from the Big Three automakers – in Missouri, Michigan and Ohio. Picketers were met with cheers from sign-waving union members.
The UAW referred to its targeted strike of three plants as a “Stand Up Strike,” which it called a strategic “new approach” to walking off the job."
Wait a minute.
Does this mean that "the strike" (against each of the automakers) is at ONLY ONE LOCATION?
If so, what's going on at the other assembly and fabrication plants?
Business as usual?
The "traditional" way the UAW conducted strikes was at ONE of "the big three" automakers, at all that [one] company's plants.
But something else seems to be going on here.
I'm guessing this is really a "for show" strike and not a REAL strike (in which the entire company would be shut down)...?
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My question also @Fishrrman (I did a brief search this morning, to no avail) to figure out what they were producing at these 3 plants they Striked, worthless cars no one was buying anyway? :shrug:
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The market for used vehicles will soar.
The market for non-union American made autos (VW, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, etc.) will also soar
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The market for non-union American made autos (VW, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, etc.) will also soar
I gave up on GM and Ford years ago. Might still look at Ram or Jeep. But I like Toyota because they are not giving up on ICE engines.
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I gave up on GM and Ford years ago. Might still look at Ram or Jeep. But I like Toyota because they are not giving up on ICE engines.
If the dipshits at Ford prefer not to make ICE F-150's, I can definitinely live with a Tundra.
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Tundra's are built 40 miles south of me in SanTonio, non-union shop.
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I love the idiocy of the UAW. Do they really think they will garner public support asking to be paid for 40 hours while doing 32 hours of work..... while passing the cost on to the consumer. I hope they lose their asses on this one.
@catfish1957
They are union workers,living and working in a union city. Thinking is NOT required. "Monkey see,monkey do!" pretty much describes their daily routines.
Frankly,I couldn't do their jobs. Doing the same thing,over and over like some sort of "flesh robot" would cause me to lose my grip. I am NOT "making fun" of them because the truth is industry NEEDS people with that mindset to be successful. Face it,factory work is based on repetition,and where would we be without factories and factory workers?
It WOULD probably be possible for me to work at some sort of "one-off" repairs or modifications to correct things "gone wrong" for whatever reason.
Assuming of course that jobs like that even exist in most established factories,which I doubt.
I tend to get bored easily,and when I get bored,I tend to look for way to amuse myself. NOT good attributes for factory workers.
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This can be a huge win-win. Workers strike seeking impossible terms. Corporations unable to meet those terms. Union strike funds getting emptied, after which Unions are finally willing to cut a deal. And in the end, the demise of corporations still willing to put up with unions.
There's a reason why foreign auto companies are kicking American car company asses on US soil. And there's also a reason why UAW membership is one-fourth of what it was 40 years ago.
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There's a reason why foreign auto companies are kicking American car company asses on US soil. And there's also a reason why UAW membership is one-fourth of what it was 40 years ago.
I read that UAW membership peaked in 1979 at 1.5 million members. Of course the liberals blame "right to Work states" and "union Busting" laws for the erosion of membership. But then, libs always fail to adapt.
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The market for non-union American made autos (VW, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, etc.) will also soar
@Hoodat
I have heard whispers this is already happening.
I was in a serious transportation "bind" when the engine went bad in my 03 Ranger went bad. Had/have a minimum of 3 out of state doctor appointments a week,and my only other ride is my 06 GMC 3/4 ton diesel pu with an 8 foot bed and extended cab. NOT something you want to drive in city traffic everyday unless you just don't know any better. Damn thing is almost wider AND longer than most parking spots these days,and I have trouble walking 50 feet.
Didn't want to,but was forced to buy a new car,so on my "day off from the doctors" I went compact car shopping. Stopped at the local Honda dealer first. Salesman tells me "We don't have any new ones on the lot,but we are supposed to have 22 coming in sometime this month,and if you want,I can put your name on a list in case a buyer backs out."
Uhhh,no.
Went to the Nissan dealer next. Most of what he had in stock were small SUV's that I couldn't get in and out of without banging my head on a door jamb. He had a couple of 2 or 3 year old used cars I could have bought,but I wasn't interested in buying a used car. Already had a couple of used trucks.
The Ford dealer was next,and I didn't even get out of my truck because the smallest thing he had on his lot was a F-350 commercial truck.
Yeah,I COULD have ordered "the perfect car" if I had of had the luxury of time to wait for it to be built and delivered,but I needed something NOW.
I was tired,so I went home and looked on the web for other dealers in the nearest town,and the Toyota dealer had my dream truck. White,extended cab,NOT super cab,2wd pu with a tan interior,ac,auto trans,4 cylinder engine,etc,etc,etc. It was the ONLY new truck he had in stock,and since it was after 9 PM by then,I told myself I was going to be there early the next morning and buy it. I was there when they opened at 9 AM,and the truck was gone. They had sold it the night before,just before closing time.
So I tried getting in and out of the tiny crap they had in stock,with no luck at all. Steep windshield curves made me keep bumping my head. I told the saleswoman I was going somewhere else to find something,and she remembered the sales manager was driving a new white Camry with everything I wanted,including a inline 4 cylinder engine (I freaking HATE V-6's).
I could get in and out of it without bumping my head,it rode and drove good,and the only thing I didn't like about it was the black upholstery,which wasn't too bad in this case because it was cloth,not leather or vinyl.
So I bought it. Had to pay full retail to get it,but they did give me a 500 dollar cash back veteran credit.
I do a LOT of semi-long distance local driving (75-150 mile round trips 3 to 4 times a week) for doctor appointments,so gas mileage was important to me. Which is one reason I wanted a 4 cylinder.
I was EXPECTING to MAYBE get 35 MPG on the open road,and the damn thing gets between 42 and 53 mpg,depending on traffic conditions. Yeah,up to 53 MPH so far,and that is NOT a typo!
I was getting 45 or so MPG max running on unleaded regular gas,but decided to try premium gas to see what happened. That was when my gas mileage jump up past 50 MPG for the first time,so now I just automatically fill it with premium. I figure the improved gas mileage to be solid proof that my engine is operating more efficiently on Premium gas,so it makes sense to me that it will last longer and run smoother on Premium,so that is all I buy,even though Toyota recommends regular gas.
And,with the 6 speed auto transmission,the damn thing will FLY on the rare occasions when I punch in passing gear.
BTW,for those of you wondering why I didn't buy a rebuilt engine for my Ranger,the cheapest I could find a new long block was 2300 bucks,and then I would have to pay to have the bad engine pulled,the accessories like the AC pulled off it it and put in the new engine,and then paid to have the new engine put in. Meanwhile,I would have been battling city traffic with my 4x4 long bed truck,and getting stressed.
I DO love 400 dollar trucks though,so it is still in my yard in case I hear of someone totaling their Ranger and the engine hasn't been damaged.
Have no idea what I would do with the Toyota,but I DEARLY love having old,beat-up "driver" pu's that you can park anywhere and leave the key in the switch,and nobody even wants to steal it. MY kinda truck!
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Do the accessories such as phone chargers, radio, heat, air-conditioning, etc., on an EV all run on that same main battery that powers the movement of the vehicle?
Or, does it have an alternate battery that recharges off an alternator like 'normal' cars? LOL!
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I was right in my post above.
Source:
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/pro-union-biden-faces-the-worst-labor-dispute-of-his-presidency-5492292
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For the first time in its 88-year history, thousands of U.S. auto workers simultaneously walked off the job at Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis after their four-year contracts expired at 11:59 p.m. EST on Sept. 14. Roughly 13,000 UAW-represented workers began picketing at a Ford Ranger factory in Wayne, Michigan, a General Motors Chevy Colorado Pickup assembly plant in Wentzville, Missouri, and a Stellantis Jeep facility in Toledo, Ohio.
Rather than engage in a nationwide strike, UAW is participating in a so-called stand-up strike.
"For the first time in our history, we will strike all three of the ‘Big Three’ at once," said UAW President Shawn Fain in a Facebook Live video. "We are using a new strategy, the ‘stand-up’ strike. We will call on select facilities, locals, or units to stand up and go on strike.”
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This is a "show strike" -- kabuki theater.
I doubt a work stoppage at a single plant hurts any of these three companies that much.
Same for the union -- the "union coffers" aren't going to be "depleted" because they're not paying strike benefits at a high rate.
Let them walk the picket lines for as long as they wish.
It's only ONE plant for each company.
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I was right in my post above.
Source:
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/pro-union-biden-faces-the-worst-labor-dispute-of-his-presidency-5492292
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For the first time in its 88-year history, thousands of U.S. auto workers simultaneously walked off the job at Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis after their four-year contracts expired at 11:59 p.m. EST on Sept. 14. Roughly 13,000 UAW-represented workers began picketing at a Ford Ranger factory in Wayne, Michigan, a General Motors Chevy Colorado Pickup assembly plant in Wentzville, Missouri, and a Stellantis Jeep facility in Toledo, Ohio.
Rather than engage in a nationwide strike, UAW is participating in a so-called stand-up strike.
"For the first time in our history, we will strike all three of the ‘Big Three’ at once," said UAW President Shawn Fain in a Facebook Live video. "We are using a new strategy, the ‘stand-up’ strike. We will call on select facilities, locals, or units to stand up and go on strike.”
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This is a "show strike" -- kabuki theater.
I doubt a work stoppage at a single plant hurts any of these three companies that much.
Same for the union -- the "union coffers" aren't going to be "depleted" because they're not paying strike benefits at a high rate.
Let them walk the picket lines for as long as they wish.
It's only ONE plant for each company.
The Stamping Plants normally furlough line workers while they update the dies on the presses. Happens sometime during the Summer if I'm not mistaken.
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Trump hits opponents at leadership summit: 'Getting desperate to stop our movement'
Jack Birle
John Binder15 Sep 20234,662
4:34
Former President Donald Trump is warning America’s auto workers that President Joe Biden’s green energy agenda will outsource their jobs to China as the United Auto Workers (UAW) goes on strike against General Motors (GM), Ford, and Stellantis.
As Breitbart News Economics Editor John Carney details, nearly 13,000 UAW members have started striking against three automakers as contract negotiations have yet to deliver assurances that Biden’s rapid push for Electric Vehicles (EVs) will not jeopardize their wages and jobs.
“The Biden administration has been pushing policies to electrify most new vehicles within a decade or so,” Carney writes. “That rush toward electric vehicles will mean a rapid decline in payrolls for autoworkers—even as the automakers enjoy Inflation Reduction Act subsidies.”
Trump, in an interview with CNBC, aligned himself with auto workers and warned them that the Biden administration, paired with UAW leadership, is not only not stopping China from gaining economic dominance over the EV industry but actively working to hand the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) full control of EV supply chains.
“The auto workers are being sold down the river by their leadership, and their leadership should endorse Trump,” the Republican presidential frontrunner added.
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Trump specifically criticized UAW president Shawn Fain. “I think he’s not doing a good job in representing his union, because he’s not going to have a union in three years from now. Those jobs are all going to be gone, because all of those electric cars are going to be made in China. That’s what’s happening,” Trump said.
more
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/09/15/trump-defends-auto-workers-against-bidens-green-agenda-youre-being-sold-down-the-river-to-china/
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