The Detroit News is reporting that the United Auto Workers union is hosting a town hall meeting for workers at Toyota's manufacturing plant in Kentucky this Saturday. Not an organization known to mince words, the UAW has labeled the meeting's topic as "The Human cost of Toyota's Success". A press release issued about the meeting states that workers will talk about on-the-job injuries, the use of temps, and concerns about conditions at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky. In attendance will be UAW Vice President Terry Thurman.As far as we know, the UAW has not managed to establish a credible presence at any automotive assembly plant in the U.S. owned by a foreign automaker. The union would certainly have us believe that the town hall meeting will be attended by a number of disgruntled Toyota employees ready to take action against their employer in a more organized way. Indeed, Thurman states "Our union is firmly and fully committed to helping these workers gain justice."
Problem is, we've never heard of these gross injustices being perpetrated against workers employed by foreign automakers. Perhaps that's because these workers have never had an organized voice before, but it could also be because their jobs are no worse or better than those under the umbrella of the UAW at domestic automakers. Truly, we really don't know which is the case and are very interested in what the workers at Toyota's assembly plant in Kentucky have to say. [Source: The Detroit News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
DavidW @ Mar 29th 2007 5:06PM
Once a useful orginization, the UAW has ruined every US car maker and are now trying to exploit employees of companies like Toyota. I have a feeling if they try to do to these foreign companies what they did to the domestic makers the foreign companies will pack up their toys and go home. Who could blame them?
Steve @ Mar 29th 2007 5:12PM
Unlike the big 2.5 Toyota is free to fire people as it see’s fit so if you want to join the UAW you can also find a pink slip in your locker. Next.
Justin @ Mar 29th 2007 5:18PM
Let the Foreign Companies pack up their toys and go home that would be great...
sw @ Mar 29th 2007 5:26PM
3. Let the Foreign Companies pack up their toys and go home that would be great...
Not for the people and families of those people that are now out of a job and can't find any work due to massive layoffs by the big 3. Just because the vehicles won't be built here doesn't mean they won't be bought here.
I have a car too @ Mar 29th 2007 5:26PM
Members of UAW should be treated as cancer cells within the automakers’ body: detected and remove quickly. Failure of fast identification may result in uncontrollable proliferation, prolonged suffering, and, as the end result, death of the organization.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Mar 29th 2007 5:26PM
The NUMMI plant in Fremont, CA that makes Toyotas is a UAW plant.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NUMMI
It works fine there, probably because it is so far from Flint, MI that the UAW doesn't come by and screw things up.
NUMMI has a properly functioning JCR (job classification reduction) agreement in place, so they don't have the regular UAW problem of needing 13 people to do the work of 1.
Max @ Mar 29th 2007 5:29PM
It makes sense that the UAW is trying to recruit new workers...they lost a large percentage of their members to layoffs and buyouts this past year. The UAW needs fresh meat and another car company to run into the ground.
I can't imagine anyone at Toyota would want to join the UAW considering Toyota's employees made more money than union workers last year. The UAW certainly can't promise them job security. I am sure Toyota will do everything possible to avoid a unionization.
hashiryu @ Mar 29th 2007 5:29PM
^^What Steve said
Lithous @ Mar 29th 2007 5:38PM
"I have a feeling if they try to do to these foreign companies what they did to the domestic makers the foreign companies will pack up their toys and go home. Who could blame them?"
Interesting statement. So could you tell all the import fanboys that since the UAW IS doing what you imply to the domestics now that they shouldn't be mad when the U.S. domestics move out production? I mean, what is good for the goose... If it is justified for the foreign companies to leave once touched by the UAW then I guess those that agree with you can say *nothing* about any jobs moved outside the country by the U.S. domestics. Actually, there hasn't been a lot of moving jobs outside the country by GM (some, like VUE production), mostly plant closings. But hey, they deal with the UAW so it is justrified, right?
But DavidW, you forget that the Japanese deal with unions at home, surely they would love an opportunity to show their far superior management ways of dealing with the U.S. unions. Heck, Toyota already has half a factory (half by ownership percentage) that is unionized so one would think that between their existing union experiences (at home and abroad) that they know how well they could handle the U.S. unions and just be more than ready to have their employees join right up. Heck, encouraging them.
Please note: sarcasm was used in the making of these statements.
CaliberSRT4 @ Mar 29th 2007 5:38PM
No UAW means no GM, Ford, or Chrysler Group...everyone would be out of a job and forced to go to imports.
Cly @ Mar 29th 2007 5:40PM
^^ What Max said.
We should send the UAW to Iraq. It's about time they stand up for the people in this country. Isn't that what they're trying to market here?
Tal @ Mar 29th 2007 5:48PM
#8 You have hit the nail on its head.
Bam!!! Fu....g Bam!!
Toyota workers would be fools to allow unionization of their plant(s). Unions have virtually outlived their reasons for being.Greed is now thereason....gives the union bosses a reason for being in the positions of power.
Look at the additional costs added to a Big 3 automobile just to pay the exorbitant medical plans they continue to pay for. Take care of workers and retirees but not to the extent the unions have been able to negotiate.
Unionize Toyota and we will get the same downgraded products now produced by GM DC and F. They could be so much better.
Bob @ Mar 29th 2007 5:50PM
#1 has it right. The unions once served a valuable purpose when the workers had no rights and any issues were easily concealed by the employer. If they stuck to that function they would still be useful component of the auto industry. Instead they have evolved into the parasite we have today and the only people they seem to be interested in protecting are the union leaders.
The chances of the unions going back to their roots are nonexistant and their continued existance in their current form is nothing but a massive drain on the industry. Hopefully this Toyota effort will be another note in their swan song.
As for those singing the imports must die tune, perhaps it would be useful to stop and think of what will happen if the unions don't learn to work with the remaining American manufacturers. If the big 2.5 continue to slide they will eventually disappear or morph into an off-shore owned variant. Adn you can bet there will be zero union presence in those shops. Keep sucking them dry boys, but you had better drink fast.
John Bryans Fontaine @ Mar 29th 2007 5:54PM
Anti-Union Freedom-loathers DavidW and I have a car too fail to realize that some of the desirable American cars, including Corvette, Mustang and the Ford GT are or were made by the UAW.
Unions also produce the cars of Mercedes, Porsche, Aston Martin, as well as Ferrari.
Exidement99 @ Jul 12th 2007 4:26PM
Funny you should name all of those vehicles. What are the price tags compared to what the average person buys??? Unions SUCK!!!!!
Barney @ Mar 29th 2007 6:08PM
It's obvious that with DC, Ford and GM not hesitating to lay off UAW members and with early retirement packages, the UAW membership is decreasing. The UAW is frantic to restore their membership volume. Hopefully it has gone beyond the old days when unions would sabotage non-union business's.
Josh Oliver @ Mar 29th 2007 6:21PM
Nummi is a joint venture of GM and Toyota in which the Union has a strong presence.
Punany @ Mar 29th 2007 6:37PM
#2) Hey, it's a competitive world, people gets fired.
Live with it!!!
GOKARTN @ Mar 29th 2007 6:56PM
Yeah #3, good idea. The people employed would at those places would love to have their jobs shipped to China or Mexico.
I know that when a job posting opens up at places like BMW an Honda, there are a 1000 applications for every opening. I'm sure for every jackass that wants to work for a union, there are 999 people ready to take their job. It sounds like a couple of dimwits at the Toyota plant need a little reminder.
gearhead748 @ Mar 29th 2007 7:29PM
Having worked in both union and non-union plants, I can assure you that latter is much better. A union can only hinder the advancement of the Toyota plant, in no way can I see it helping.