UAW Willing To Help GM And Chrysler As Long As Wages Aren't Cut

The UAW needs to understand that having lower wages is far better than being entirely out of work.

Remove the Union. Keep the Auto Worker. Renegotiate.

"Remove the Union. Keep the Auto Worker. Renegotiate"

- Not that easy. The only way that GM or any of the Big 3 can get rid of the union is to form another company with a completely different name. And even then It would be hard because the current Company would have to go out of business. Right now the big 3 cannot afford to get rid of the unions.

Agreed. But it seems that only extreme measures seem to work with the UAW, so perhaps 'out of work' may be the only option by which to rattle some cages. On the other hand, reality seems to be subjective in the case of Mr. Gettelfinger.

Don't forget some of this is probably posturing on their part. They have always used strong arm tactics to get what they want, which is part of the problem.

They may be better served by carefully wording their responses, they always seem hostile to the public (and congress).

If Congress thinks the UAW won't play by the new rules then they may yank the rug out from underneath them.

"they always seem hostile to the public (and congress)."

That is exactly how nearly all of Mr. Gettelfinger's public releases have appears recently. Lashing out, attacking, or crossing ones arms and 'refusing to play with the other children'.

If it meant keeping my job, I would roll up my sleeves and work harder and take a pay cut. We're all in this together.

Hey Cappy, what is the ONE thing you must have in order to negotiate? (I'll give you a hint... the big three have it, and the UAW don't) If you fail to properly answer this question, I know who the dipshit is.

Cappy, I can respond directly:

My employer, like many, many others is going through tough economic times. As an employer of both union, non-union, and quasi union staff (quasi=non-union, but given the same benefits) we have been searching various options to attempt to NOT lay off any of our over 10,000 employees. On a sliding scale we (employees by majority) have approved various cost-cutting measures, including up to (1) zero basis COLA for the next fiscal year and (2) a 3% paycut to all staff.

Both were highly approved as a better alternative than seeing valued staff walk out the door. So, I can say, absolutely, I have said "Please, cut my pay.". Better for the company, better for the employees, and better for our customers than seeing qualified, valued staff walk out the door, making things harder on everyone else left behind to provide the same level of productivity and service with less staff to do it with.

Grow up, son. The real world is where you have to look at the big picture, not just your own selfish desires, cappy.

I wonder if the auto execs call him "Middlefinger" when he's not around. I would since thats what he keeps giving everyone when they ask him to help out.

I would rather take a pay cut than be out of work, especially in this environment. How many of you here have one spouse out of a job, or will be out of a job this year, already? The UAW is one of the many problems the automakers are facing. But the UAW is a major problem that needs to be addressed before the Big Three can move forward. They really need to get rid of the UAW if they are going to survive. We, the tax payers, can't be held hostage by the UAW everytime when we are in economic hardship, and everybody is making sacrifices except for the UAW.

1UAW, your union has nothing to do with my wages either. I have a college education and I'm working on my graduate degree. That is what my wages are based on.

UAW1: There you go again running your finger tips. You don't know crap!! Your so full of yourself, you wouldn't know the truth if it bit you in the a#@. "All non-built foreign cars are union made....". That's completely wrong. Honda plant in Ohio does not support the union in that plant; Nissan plant in TN does not support the union in that plant; Toyota plant in KY does not support the union in that plant; Mitsubishi in IL plant does not support the union. MB & BMW down south their plants don't have unions.

The only reason these "blow hards" don't want their wages cut so we all can continue to pay for the retirees and benefits benefits. Crappy product lines, poor management decisions and the constant strikes/greed of the UAW has put the Big 3 in the situation they are currently in.

Well 1UAW. Its kind of pathetic that you are trying to draw attention away from GM and Chrysler. If you havent noticed the Number 1 selling brand is Toyota now. Union or not Japan is doing something right. VW should be neck and neck with GM or pass it by the end of 2009.

I hate to say this, but in general I agree with 1UAW...................

First, there is nothing unskilled about assembling a car in this day and age. Maybe 40 years ago that criticism was true, but it no longer holds water today. Today's cars are quite complex and highly dependent on electronics systems. How much does your company pay an entry level IT guy? I bet its over $20/hr. So why should an auto tech make less?....

Second, no company can balance its finances on the backs of its workers. Not the automotive industry nor any other (including financial services)...............................................................

Third, ALL wages are relative in the US, so a loss of wages at any level in any sector will eventually ripple into other non-related skill sets and industries....................................................

Fourth, if you think that any company can achieve the same results with cheaper workers than it currently has, then you're kidding yourself. Don't think for a second that the Big 3 haven't tried! But even they found that you get what you pay for. At $14/hr they get $14/hr workers which results in poor quality. And each error made by a $14/hr worker costs over $50 to fix. Therefore, its actually cheaper to pay someone who is skilled $28/hr to keep errors and re-work costs to a minimum.

No one else is claiming that unions are the problem here. We all are saying that the UAW is the problem here, and that needs to be addressed. When you add up wages and benefits, they are getting on average around $75 an hour. That's lunacy. I'm in the healthcare business, and my life and my employees life is in danger every day. My employees are well-trained, and I guarantee you that you can't come off the streets and do what they do. I can also guarantee you that my employees can go and assemble cars for the UAW at $25 per hour with some training and will do better than 90% of you who are making $75 per hour. Anyone here can. The UAW needs to be abolished. It needs to go in order to bring the salaries and wages and compensations down to a more normal and appropriate level.

Yeah i agree with investor also when GM and Chrysler go under they will be taking an involuntary pay cut its called unemployed.

A friend of mine used to work for GM and his job was to start three bolts that hold the rear wiper motor to the hatch. Three bolts! I think any of us on this site are smart enough to do that job without any skilled training.
Unions have outlasted their usefulness and if the Big 3 could bone up their HR department and hire some hard working people who take pride in their job, they might actually make a decent product.

GM should file for bankruptcy, then get rid of the lazy workers and restructure, renegotiate with the onion workers (no, that wasn't a mistype either)! The Union is a HUGE part of the reason that GM is in the shape that it's in now! Another is the FAT Cats at the top who just keep getting fatter! Just my opinion!

When you get layed off and STILL make 95% of your pay, that's just WRONG (unless you're the worker)! What motivation is that to work?

Heck, I read that GM spent OVER a billion dollars on Viagra last year! I guess that's so they could stick it to the company! :)

the union is the problem with the auto industry. you can fire ANYONE in managment for cause but not union slackers. and they are NOT partners in any way with management. the detroit 3 should file for bankruptcy and then eliminate the current management leadership. that way they could reformulate with lower costs and new vision and maybe have a chance. otherwise they will continue to suck down tax dollars and fail anyway. get rid of some of those fat lazy overpaid 'workers' and get some people with a sense of urgency. maybe then they will comeback.