UAW chief flames Bush for failure to help automakers
Ron Gettelfinger, president of the United Auto Workers union, took a shot at President Bush Tuesday for his failure to put forward a national industrial policy addressing issues affecting U.S. automakers, ranging from out of control health care costs to Asian monetary policies.Speaking at the Reuters Auto Summit in Detroit, Gettelfinger said it was "humiliating" that Bush found time to meet with TV "American Idol" Clay Aiken, but has put off meeting with auto industry executives until after the November election, going on to accuse Bush of "...walking away from the industry that does more for our economy than any other."
[Source: Reuters]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Vinny 2:51PM (9/12/2006)
In response, Bush acknowledged his failure and said, " Today I am helping the auto industry the best way I know how!" He promptly outlawed the UAW.
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Brian 2:48PM (9/12/2006)
Maybe unions are the problem?
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Jackass 2:54PM (9/12/2006)
George W. has done MORE for the UAW and American car companies than most:
He has helped preserve freedom.
Freedom to win...or the freedom to fall flat on your face.
The choice of which route to take is not GW's, the choice belongs to the automakers themselves.
The choice is YOURS, GM AND FORD, and Mr. UAW. If that isn't enough, then nothing is, you ungrateful ba$tards.
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SoloTwo 2:58PM (9/12/2006)
Anyone else feel the need to punch Ron in the head?
How can someone be so ignorant. Perhaps he just enjoys single handedly bringing down the US Automakers.
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menice 2:59PM (9/12/2006)
MR. Ron, you fools dug your own grave. no doubt Bush is a tool but it aint his fault your overmanaged and spiraling out of control. If he did what was best for the Auto makers and country you'd be welcoming people at wal-mart by next week.
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_O ^ O_ 3:04PM (9/12/2006)
note to uaw: STFU!
p.s. stfu
p.s.s. lol
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AZMike 3:10PM (9/12/2006)
Boy,
we've got a bunch of rocket-scientist posters here. folks, it's 2006, not 1966.
in case you didn't know, the UAW works very closely with manufacturers, not against them. you might want to compare the UAW wages here with unions in Germany; they make $45.00-$60.00 per hour there. the average here is less than half of that.
back in 1982, when Chrysler was in trouble, Lee Iacocca went to the rank-and-file UAW membership and offered them shares in Chrysler stock if they would forgo a pay raise. by 1985, most were millionaires.
as Ron mentioned, there are more auto industry-related jobs in this country than any other.
just wanted to confuse the issue with some actual facts. by the way, I'm self-employed, and not a union member.
Mike
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_O ^ O_ 3:15PM (9/12/2006)
Ron isnt worried about 'American' automakers; Toyota builds cars in AMERICA with AMERICANS (they get paid very well thanks) .. they are as American as GM.
Ron is all about the UAW and their fat paycheques, benefits, and pensions. Thats all he cares about Thats his job.
So, STFU Ron and the focking UAW. You guys can burn in hell.
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# 6 is too funny 3:20PM (9/12/2006)
#6 you are too funny
pure comedy!
lol
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STFU 3:21PM (9/12/2006)
you know.. I don't see how it's the unions fault here.
The union doesn't set the cost of health care!!!
over in japan the autoworkers are all union!!!
over in china... In order for a car company to do business there they almost end up giving away all their secrets.. Look at all the knock off cars in china that look close to the orignal.. What does the U.S. do?? ushers in the asians, all imports. While the big 3 fend them off??? The big three aren't asking for a bail out you stupid import loving piss ants!!!!
They just want help in controling cost of health care and areas like that. You know other companies non auto related are having the same concerns.. When a worker has to pay $410 to insure just his wife and himself!!!! that is a problem. Mr. Bush hasn't done squat for this country... Those who belive otherwise...
please open your eyes.. It really isn't that hard to just ask the people on the streets.. the everyday working person... They will tell you That this economy sucks!!!! Republican and democrat...
So bash the union all you want... But this time it isn't the unions fault. It is the man in the oval office and the congress where the blame lies.
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Jackass 3:27PM (9/12/2006)
Whenever I hear the word "blame", I automatically think "loser!!!".
Keep it up, people, you're doing Wonderful! :D
Losers.
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menice 3:33PM (9/12/2006)
#10, i pay almostthat for health care for my family at my non-union job.
should i cry because bush isn't here talking to my boss?
besides if healthcare is your only standing point your missing the boat. no one is paid better then these union heads, and they always want more. i understand your upset about Bushes leniency on imports, like i said he is a tool, but the uaw shares a big responsablity in the downfall of the BIG3.
Unions have not been the downfall of asian co's that I know of, because they are not money grubbing whores like Ron.
there should be only one union... those to overthrow Bush. (then ron)
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TheOne442 4:49PM (9/12/2006)
Let me check.....just a minute.....Yep it free market still, and it's nobodys fault. It's called a business cycle, things change, business fluctuates, people are hired and fired, grow up.
If your into socialism move some where else.
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rwdmtparkingonly 3:50PM (9/12/2006)
It's a tragic story that would be fit for a Lifetime movie of the week; this once promising cheerleader (http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/images/blbushcheerleader.htm) has become a dirty old whore. Bush, like no president before him, puts the special interests of large financial backers over national interests and national security. GM can't even sell its trucks to the military without using AM General's lobbying connections (http://www.amgeneral.com/vehicles.php/amSid/90f35adde9a9e39dda852e95bb7a4087).
Automaking is one of the largest sources of quality manufacturing jobs in the country, at least until Bush succeeds in having fast food jobs reclassified as manufacturing jobs (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/02/20/politics/main601336.shtml). He bends over for the military industrial complex and big oil; he can at least sit down with the automakers.
Unions and the Democratic Party represent WORKERS, Bill Clinton reformed welfare because the Democrats represent those that want to work but require education and healthcare to advance, not those who don’t want to work. Bush has done nothing to advance the reforms Clinton made, and has simply instated welfare for the rich. The reason the automakers really scare the hell out of Bush is that they want national health care so that they can compete on an even level with Germany and Japan, automakers don’t want government handouts or subsidies like Bush’s oil friends get.
The US already has national healthcare for those over 65 (Medicare), and it's much MORE EFFICIENT than private insurance. About 2 to 3 percent of the money that goes through Medicare is consumed in overhead, while 12-15 percent is consumed in overhead with private insurance (http://www.kucinich.us/floor_speeches/hl_sm_bus_fair_act26jul.php?print=y). Why not expand Medicare to everyone? Because Republicans own the companies that do the private insurance, and for their support Bush lets them put this overhead tax on health care. Sitting in an office and getting paid six figures to screw people on their insurance is the Republican’s welfare, and they will fight hard to keep it.
Republicans are a small minority on your economic policies, and the American People are waking up to the wag the dog Iraq scam (please, Saddam is such an evil dictator that Rumsfeld posed for pictures with him in the 80s, Iraq was a secular force against militant Islam). Republicans better hope that the religious right keeps caring more about gay marriage than they do about QUALITY jobs, standard of living, and the environment.
Anyone that thinks they can sit back and piss on unions because they have some middle management job is an idiot, India has 1 billion people getting top quality engineering and IT training, and you’re next to get squeezed.
By the way, Japan, Germany and Korea all have incredibly strong unions. Managers in office buildings caused the problems that the domestic automakers now have (UAW never made anyone build front wheel drive cars with shitty interiors), not workers in factories.
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menice 3:56PM (9/12/2006)
^dont mess with rwdmtparkingonly.
he knows his stuff.
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Jackass 4:00PM (9/12/2006)
rwdmtparkingolny,
So why don't you come out and state what you want:
A free handout.
3 simple words, yet you wish to write an 800 word essay on GW.
You're pathetic dude. Go stand out on a street corner with a cardboard sign:
"Loser wishing for a handout. And God Bless."
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Jeff the Baptist 4:01PM (9/12/2006)
What a load of crap. UAW plans essentially entail the federal government bailing them out by enacting socialized medicine and absorbing their untenable pension costs into federal retirement programs. He wants to make his problems into everyone's problems. All he will do is grow them into major national issues.
Oh and the weak dollar (which is a result of the Bush administration's economic and monetary policies) has been endorsed by people like Bob Lutz, as "keeping the auto industry afloat." But we never hear about that.
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Bob_Ericson 4:03PM (9/12/2006)
Seems Mr. Gettelfinger has abandon the old saw about Union "Labor" being the best. One can only wonder if his business wisdom matches his past contributions to US automakers success.
Kindda like asking the fox what his recommendations are for henhouse security.
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Jeff 4:05PM (9/12/2006)
"The US already has national healthcare for those over 65 (Medicare), and it's much MORE EFFICIENT than private insurance."
HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!
My mother works in a doctor's office and deals with Medicare every day. It is anything but efficient.
I DO NOT want the government taking care of my health care needs.
I agree that the system needs change, but government sponsored health care is not the way.
I am far from rich, and the economy is doing fine where I stand. Of course, my wife and I paid for my college education and I made a better life for myself.
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DriftPunch 4:10PM (9/12/2006)
The UAWs desire to flush its healthcare liability to the taxpayers is laughable. Of course, they only want it for themselves, because 'they' are such an asset to the economy. So they pay 4-5k a year for it, so do most other employed people. They think it will be free if it was nationalized? Hardly, that 4-5k will look more like 7-9, and will be taken out of their paychecks like other entitlement funding.
Special interest politics, same as it ever was...
Of course Bush likes imports, it's how low/middle class people live like kings in this country. Many consumer goods are cheaper today than they were when I was a boy 30 years ago, and that's NOT considering inflation corrections. Almost ALL are cheaper when considering inflation. The reason for this is cheap foreign labor, and honed logistical networks. Bottom line, even though they say they don't, most want the volume of cheap goods Wal Mart sells. Any politican who gets up and says "Goods need to be more expensive" will take it where the sun don't shine...
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