UAW wants unions to be represented in boards of GM, Ford, Chrysler

this is how it works in Audi BMW, VW, and most all European car companies so this is not new nor ground breaking.

Unbelievable. Hasn't the UAW done enough for the US auto industry? Apparently they won't be satisfied until they've either completely killed their host organism or have been handed ownership of the remaining US auto companies by their bought-and-paid-for politicians in DC.

Open a book and some research. unions are the norm of the auto industry like or not and having a member on the board is how the European unions have been operating for years. I just laugh at all the stupid ignorant anti union crap on this site everyone has an opinion, a myriad of cliches they read elsewhere but NO facts or true information.

In Medieval times, Europeans became knights and lords and military rulers largely by birth-right. They were decimated by the nomadic horsemen known as the "Yellow Hoards," or the Mongol Empire. The Mongols, on the other hand, attained rank purely by demonstrated skills -- a lowly stable boy who was a killer archer (pun intended) could rise to lofty heights.

It seems the UAW has not learned anything from history. The UAW wants to be represented on The Board, whilst having no enterprise management skills other than perhaps driving multi-billion dollar companies into the ground. Can't they see the folly of their ways? They would have to hate and distrust themselves because they themselves were "suits." ;-) In Medieval terms, this would be like a stable boy, whose greatest skill is mucking out the stables, demanding to be an advisor to the king, and voting on kingdom policy.

like i said no "true" facts just opinions.

Ok uaw_lax here is a fact. The cost of health care for union members was the single largest cost component in a car causing a signicant
competitive disadvantage to the big three leading to insolvency. The
unions inflexibility ended up eating its host. When the industry went thru its restructuring it was the bond holders not the unions that took the greatest hit because politicians buy votes.

Pugproud Thanks for being the only one on here with a brain and debatable facts. You would have been correct 5 years ago but in 2007 the UAW health care benefits where drastically cut and the major cost of health care the 400,000 or so retires is out of the corporations hands and being handled by the UAW within a program called VEBA just google it and you will see the actual truth.

Keep pushing UAW. Soon enough manufacturers will just move to full automation and even more minimal labor. Then once the machines have paid for themselves, they can worry about paying all those ridiculous pensions.

See that's the thing once the technology comes around where a machine can turn and manipulate parts/tools in the same fashion as a man and make decisions on the fly if a part is usable or noncomforming. When that time comes NO one will have a job my friend and trust me that day when you are going down that walmart isle looking for help and no one is there to help (and hopefully you have a job to buy something) so be careful what you wish for.

uaw_lax says "See that's the thing once the technology comes around..."

Buggy whip manufacturers went out of business. So did wagon wheel manufacturers. Ditto with sock darning services. Spittoon makers, same. We can even look back over 100,000 years at the expert craftsmen who once made flint axes, and note that there are none around today. And what do we see? A sea of ex-flint axe makers all out of business? Nope!

The world slowly adapts to its circumstances. Where there was once a world in which the globe's entire auto supply was created in America, we now see a world in which the majority is created elsewhere, and arguably done "better." There was a time where the US economy was labor-based, as was the rest of the world. Today, the transition to an Information Age is well under way, with manual labor being farmed out to those who can do it cheaper and better, sometimes replaced in whole or in part by machines who work tirelessly and never need pot breaks.

The world is changing. Those who embrace change, change themselves, making radical improvements to products, processes, and even their own thinking. The UAW, on the other hand, is using brute force to ensure that things don't change substantially. Their job is to ensure jobs for laborers, and to extort as much as they can from their employer host, even to the extent of driving their host to an early grave. Not too smart for a parasite.

Nature's way is evolution: Adapt and prosper, or become extinct. The UAW's way is to prevent progress, and to blame "management" for everything they don't like.

Why waste your time on the blow hard "UAW(EX)_LAX". If you go back through his previoous blogs, he NEVER has anything negative to say about unions. That's because he belongs with the pot smoking kronies. When you try to give him "facts", he ALWAYS comments "there are no facts".

Well - (Ex)LAX here's some facts. I had a brother who worked 32 years at the Ford Motor Company's Sterling Heights, MI plant. He makes jacka@@ comments like you. The reason: He could NOT walk 30 feet to get more parts, because there was a "specialized" person that was required to move the parts bin. Union demands for health insurance, COLA increases and other demands are why car companies do NOT want the dinasour unions back.

Next you'll be trying to tell us why those port smoking, drinking union guys we all seen on TV, should have pot dispensing vending machine in their break rooms. You have to be the winner of AutoSpies' Idiot Award with your pro-union crap.

Dude cola has been dead for over 5 years.

"but in 2007 the UAW health care benefits where drastically cut and the major cost of health care the 400,000". Bloggers as I noted before UAW-(EX)LAX makes crap up as he goes. I just called my UAW (jacka@@) brother. Health care cost were scaled back but many of those scale back health care cost were given right back to union workers in different forms (example: Discretionary bonuses; increase in hourly wages; buyout plans for UAW workers). You don't know crap. I call my (moronic) brother and he just laughed when I told him: "Some fellow said you don't get COLA raises anymore". He dropped the phone from laughing and said, call it want you want nowadays, but I get annual COLA increases regardless. Whether it's from his extended years of service (32) or called something else, UAW workers aren't going broke. I'm going to continue to call out your inaccuracies or false statements because you don't have the gumption or ability to be anything but "PRO-Union"; even at the unions expense of nearly destroying an auto company.

your the worst liar ever......

http://www.1853chairman.com/2009/02/19/uaw-to-give-up-cola-and-bonuses/

Great read...

Hey UAW_(EX)LAX - Each Union and PLANT is handled differently. You're an arrogant jacka@@. That link means crap. I think you need to re-read the previous post again. If you carefully read what I posted, I noted that COLA was reduced, BUT given back to UAW workers in several other monetary factors. Example: Discretionary bonuses; increase in hourly wages for those with senority; buyout plans for UAW workers.My brother and his plant members were offered 3 different OPTIONAL buyout packages for HIS PLANT.

Option 1:Take $40K lump sum, plus FULL health insurance w/ COLA increases for their co-pays; plus a guaranteed monthly pension.

Option 2: Take $85K for lump sum; plus FULL health insurance w/ COLA increases for their co-pays; no monthly pension.

Option 3: Take $135K for lump sum; No health insurance; NO monthly pension.

Each facotry workers was given a packet and CD to review. They had 90 days to make their decision. If you didn't take one of these buyout options at the only time offered, you could continue to work. However, if a layoff came, you would NOT be offered a serverance package of this proportion again. Your lack of inside information for what really went on in EACH separate UAW plant, makes you look more ignorant then what the rest of us already knew.

No they are not we have a NATIONAL agreement. So please stop lying.

gkearns56... You always have a new name to call me this demonstrates your ethics,understanding and character.

Because you're a jacka@@ that "thinks" they know EVERYTHING. You don't work at the plant my brother works at. It's not a "national" agreement because it depends on their plant; what product they are producing (should they need to hire or layoff); what agreement was previously negotiated for that specific plant when the contract last expired. Why do you think the BIG 3 select or focus on certain plants they want to strike. It's when the contract for those union memers is going to expire. . But you're such a bevis you KNOW EACH PLANTS product, UAW policies/rules, etc. You keep smoking that wacky tobacco like your other UAW kronies, you may end up un-employed like them (or on the news again). Like I said, WHat a beavis abd butt head. The UAW members should have voted you as head union boss. Gosh - your ignorance continues to grow. But you know EVERYTHING regardless of what plant it is or what contract was in place before it's up for renewal again - NOT!!!