http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/ Autoblog Comments for Striking UAW and American Axle will sit down and talk today http://www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/Mar 6th 2008 7:28AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/Mar 12th 2008 6:07PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/
Boo for UAW supporters!!!]]>Mar 6th 2008 8:54AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/Mar 6th 2008 1:50PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/
My companies are a great place to work because I always like to keep the moral high and appreciate everyone's unique and individual. Of course when someone becomes a dead weight and refuses to shape up, even after numerous attempts and chances, I will cut that person loose without hesitation before it brings down the moral and the company. I've been a successful business person for the last 3 years and pass the opportunity down to my employees so they profit as well.]]>Mar 6th 2008 2:18PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/
These workers that demand all this crazy stuff seem to not understand that there is a job market out there. And if they do not like whats going on, go find a new job! It's not really that hard. Do they expect that once they sign on to work, its going to be a never ending gravy train? Times change, economies fluctuate, and in the seeming recession we have started into they think that everything is going to hum along as before? There are tons of arguments on why the UAW is asinine and a complete drain on GM.

In the end the only thing that matters is that you walked out on your job just because you want to see if you can squeeze some more money that you don't deserve out of your employer. I have no respect for that. ]]>Mar 6th 2008 9:05AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/Maybe when they send your job overseas or higher someone younger willing to be paid less than you so the CEO can get his/her big bonus...
Go to www.executivepaywatch.com and find out just how much your CEO/CFO made last year and see how you feel about these strikers!]]>Mar 6th 2008 9:43AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/
As a business owner if you have dead weights that refuse to change their ways, participate, being an asset to the company and contributing to helping the company grow you drop them like a bad habbit, regardless if they have 2 mortgages, going to lose their home...etc. If that was a concern to them it should be a motivating factor in them improving themselves to become better. If the company the employers are working at wants to reduce their pay in order to help rebuild the company's finances then they can either suck it up and deal with it or find another job. it's just that simple.

Thank goodness my businesses do not support or are involved in unions. The thing I hate the most is someone forcing me to keep a dead weight in the company just so they can pay their expenses. I don't work that way.

]]>Mar 6th 2008 10:24AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/Mar 6th 2008 10:27AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/
If your skills are worth the pay you receive now, then you should be able to find a company willing to pay that, if not, maybe you were being overpaid for your skills. No company wants that. I don't really see how "fairness" makes an entry into this situation.

You know how the US killed it once thriving steel industry? Unions fighting for "fair" wages while their jobs went overseas to cheaper labor. Now most of the World gets their steel from Japan and the US steel industry is virtually non-existent. ]]>Mar 7th 2008 1:26AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/
He brings home around 50 grand/year BEFORE taxes. He is not asking for more. He just wants to be able to keep his home. His income would go down to around 30 grand/year if this cut went into effect. We DON'T live above our means. I cut coupons and shop sales. We DON'T have two homes, we have two cars and one is all paid for (and 11 years old). We have next to nothing on our credit CARD (yes, ONE) We get by with a little into savings. If his wages would be reduced that much, we would make to much to get help, but not make enough to save anything for emergencies and we could lose our home.

And, we would NEVER be able to afford a new car. Talk about not being able to afford the product you are helping to make. Gees, people, regardless of your job or education level, think about what you would do if your boss came in and said, 'um, sorry, you're losing half your pay and we're taking some of your healthcare benefits away.' Yes, you'd look for a new job, but you'd be hard pressed to find one, even at a reduced wage.

I am just hoping they get a contract signed, because I am sure AAM will close their plant in two years like they said and move it all to MExico (where they make less than taxi cab drivers down there). Then he can go back to school on NAFTA's dime - since this started it all anyway. (Oh, and Dick Dauch said if Mexicans aren't willing to work for their pittance, he will find somewhere CHEAPER).

When he does move it there (which is inevitable) he needs to change the name to CENTRAL American Axle & Manufacturing, cause it won't be USA anymore.

DD = Death to the Middle Class!]]>Mar 6th 2008 10:48AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/
The $70/hr figure comes from the entire cost of the employee, not just what they bring home. Factor in the cost of health care benefits, life insurance benefits, insurance to insure that employee against work place injuries, etc. etc. and that's where the $70/hr comes from.]]>Mar 6th 2008 3:34PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/Mar 6th 2008 11:42AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/
That's been my contention all along - as soon as GM starts getting heat and their inventories at a more manageble level, they will prod AAM to 'talk'. Well, with almost 20,000 people out of work, GM is probably hearing it from someone. So back to the table AAM goes - with as few concessions as possible.]]>Mar 6th 2008 12:38PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/Mar 6th 2008 1:00PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/Mar 6th 2008 6:14PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/Skilled Trades-$32.13 an hour. Company wants them to go to $20.50 an hour the union countered with $27.00.
Production jobs pay between $17.50 and $28.15 an hour. The company wants them to go to $11.50 and $14.50 an hour, the union countered with $14.56 and $21.00 an hour.
Who is being unfair?
Ya know it really doesn't matter because eventually all jobs will be going to Mexico or China. And even if all unions crumbled and everyone made say, $10.00 an hour like you propose, would vehicle prices come down? Probably not. ]]>Mar 7th 2008 1:03AMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/ I'm a former AAM employee who got the boot from the "idling" of the Buffalo plant. Thanks for keeping everything in perspective here. Just accepted a job for 15 bucks an hour, and have to pay into my health care, life insurance, and 401 pension, not to mention paying for gas that will be $400/gal before summer. How dare those poor souls at AAM ask for a decent way of life, when the corporate goons sit on their pensions, stock options and golden parachutes? Let dopes like tanooki and john and hooligan believe that raping the autoworkers will save the manufacturing base in the US. They'll still pay ever-increasing prices for autos, gas, and everyday commodities (like food). Even the telemarketing business is being offshored for the sake of corporate greed. Dickless Dauch ain't gonna stop at 11.50 per hour, especially when he can pay his Asian workers 11.50 per week. Wake up and stop your dreaming, you jealous, bitter jerks. NAFTA and our economic policies have got to go. Hold out UAW!]]>Mar 7th 2008 1:34PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/
I can't just go and force my employer to pay me more because gas went up a little bit. Honestly, I prefer it that way. At least I know there will be other jobs to take its place if I don't like it. When you force an employer to pay more than they can afford, guess what, you eventually lose those jobs period.

I truly don't mean to be brutal, but your union's actions are the very reason those jobs are moving away from Detroit and the traditional manufacturing centers to the South and without unions. It's also a prime reason why the US auto industry is having to work so hard to compete with imports, past promises made to unions decades ago that continue on.

Regarding the lavish pay and bonuses paid to executives. That's a cop-out honestly. I agree that some do get far more than they should, but even if you paid them nothing and split it amongst all the workers, it's not like you pay would increase all that much. ]]>Mar 7th 2008 8:07PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/striking-uaw-and-american-axle-will-sit-down-and-talk-today/Mar 9th 2008 7:54AM