Donald Trump was sure to ruffle some feathers when he suggested Detroit's automakers should move factories out of Michigan to find lower wages, rather than building plants in Mexico. United Auto Workers President Dennis Williams is now firing back against the Republican presidential hopeful in an interview with The Detroit News. Williams feels the strategy would only take advantage of workers.
"His comments about he's going to make America great one day and then talking about diminishing people's wages, to find less pay for them, is contradictory and he is an enemy – in my mind – of the middle class," the UAW president said to The Detroit News. The union leader believes that a lower income isn't a way to sustain a robust middle class that can put their spending money back into the economy.
Williams and Trump actually agree that work shouldn't be moved out of the country. The presidential candidate threatened a 35-percent tax on Ford for the vehicles and parts that it makes in Mexico. For what it's worth, the Blue Oval is just one of several automakers bringing vehicles into the US from South of the Border. Trump also suggested sanctions against Japan unless the country opened up the market to greater auto imports.
Trump's idea to abandon Michigan comes just as the UAW is negotiating with the Big Three on a new contract, and the group is pushing for higher wages. Under the current agreement, union workers have average hourly labor rates, including benefits, of $58 at General Motors, $57 at Ford, and $48 at FCA. Comparatively, those at non-union auto factories in the US make an hourly average with benefits between $65 at Mercedes-Benz and $38 at Volkswagen.
"His comments about he's going to make America great one day and then talking about diminishing people's wages, to find less pay for them, is contradictory and he is an enemy – in my mind – of the middle class," the UAW president said to The Detroit News. The union leader believes that a lower income isn't a way to sustain a robust middle class that can put their spending money back into the economy.
Williams and Trump actually agree that work shouldn't be moved out of the country. The presidential candidate threatened a 35-percent tax on Ford for the vehicles and parts that it makes in Mexico. For what it's worth, the Blue Oval is just one of several automakers bringing vehicles into the US from South of the Border. Trump also suggested sanctions against Japan unless the country opened up the market to greater auto imports.
Trump's idea to abandon Michigan comes just as the UAW is negotiating with the Big Three on a new contract, and the group is pushing for higher wages. Under the current agreement, union workers have average hourly labor rates, including benefits, of $58 at General Motors, $57 at Ford, and $48 at FCA. Comparatively, those at non-union auto factories in the US make an hourly average with benefits between $65 at Mercedes-Benz and $38 at Volkswagen.
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