When I was growing up in Peterborough Ontario getting a job at the GM plant in Oshawa was a ticket to a better life. If you worked the GM assembly line you were paid far more than if you worked any other line, the main one in Peterborough being the line at the CGE plant. The wages GM workers got were almost beyond belief. The rest of us looked on in astonishment.
As I matured, I watched the evolution of union demands. First, they wanted a top wage for working. Then, when lay-offs hit, they wanted a top-wage for not working. Then, they wanted early retirement with continued benefits. It appeared to me the ultimate goal of the UAW was for its members to be paid an infinite amount of money for doing nothing.
It appears I was not alone. I came across this quote in today's National Post article by Mitt Romney: "But as Walter Reuther, the former head of the United Automobile Workers, (UAW) said to my father, “Getting more and more pay for less and less work is a dead-end street.”
A dead-end street indeed.
I chose a university degree and never did work at GM. But I watched the escalating union demands with fascination.
Now, the unions say they don't want to contribute to the bailout, because they don't see themselves as a cause the problem.
Message to the UAW: neither do the tax-payers who paid more than they should have for cars for a lifetime.
Looks like it's win-win.
PS. We have owned GM and Ford vehicles. Now, we happily drive a Toyota, for all the usual reasons.
And that's the way the non-union-made Ball bounces.
7 comments:
Great.. Thanks for supporting us here in Oshawa. Glad you were able to make some money at GM as a student. Enjoy your import !! Next time why not try a Canadian built Impala
The UAW and CAW member have made a free-will choice for every demand made by the Union leaders , and this mean the CAW memebers have an issue with those who promised that all those Demands would last forever.
BTW
As a tax payer , I really thought that when my money went to bail-out Oshawa and Oakville during the Bad-Times....these CAW member would insist paying back to the Tax payers some of the Profits during the Good-Times.
BUT NO.......gimme gimme gimme became the mantra for Buzz-saw hardgrove , you members wanted bail-outs and Profit-Sharing sa if it was YOUR money.
Here's a thought , why don't all you CAW workers offer to buy GM so you can set the Salaries and benefits packages .
This way , you will have no excuse for puting the blame on Governments or the Auto Corp CEO's. It's a win/win deal because you get the profits as a Bonus cheque and during the bad Times the Union seniority system can hand out the lay-offs to the new workers that you will have deal with face to face.
The last time I bought a CAW car was right before you guys fought for the RIGHT to dress like slobs while at work , why you ask.....Because if you don't give a $hit about yourself or how you look in public then how the hell can I know that you give a $hit about the car your building for me.
I hope you enjoyed all that freedom to show us how low of an opinion of yourself that you had , and if you doubt me....just ask yourself that if your sister came home with a guy that was a slob and ranted about how everyone else owes him a living....would you encourage her to marry the guy or dump-him really fast.
Mike -- I never worked at GM, never said I did. The car I drive now is not an import -- it was made in Cambridge, Ontario. I'm supporting Canadian workers and Canadian businesses.
If you don't think GM workers are over-paid, then you presumably believe that you will have little problem walking out of GM and finding a similar-paying job down the street.
When past recessions hit, I was prepared as a small businessman to take deep cuts in fees and "do whatever it takes" to stay in business and feed my family. I assume and expect you are willing to do the same.
Mike, I wish you and all GM workers well.
Re : Anonymous
What is your problem!!! Better get back on your meds ! I have no idea what the hell your ranting on about with regards to how we dress ? Most workers in the body shop wear coveralls thats because its A BODYSHOP !! You weld and grind metal there. You have no clue what your talking about. May i ask what line of work you do ?
Please don't forget the huge amount of tax's we pay and the amount of money that is raised for charity. Here in Oshawa GM and the CAW raised enough money to help build the new Hospital and the new Cancer wing. I'm proud to be a GM employee and proud of the fact we help build a world class hospital for the people of Durham and the surrounding area's including Peterborough.
And for the record i'm a conservative.
Mike, I know you're but one voice but how can you condone the actions of your union, especially under the inspired leadership of Buzz Hargrove? Have you read his Manifesto The Eye of the Storm?
FYI, I own four vehicles, all built by the Big Three... Does that make it okay for me to complain? :)
Mac
You have every right to complain , i would never say you can't. I too have complaints with the CAW and some of the decisions they make. Do i agree with everything they say or do ! .. No way. Do i agree with everything the Conservatives do or say ! Again No way. I'm a forth generation GM employee so i will always support the company and its products. I'm more then willing to make concessions if it will help save the company but like you said i'm one voice. From what i can see the Liberals/NDP want to defeat the goverment and pump huge amounts of cash to the auto companys ! So now what will all of the "No bail out types" say about their beloved Liberals & NDP !! Either way money will be loaned to the big three to save jobs and to gather votes. Its just the way it is. Ps thanks for supporting the domestic automotive groups. Have a great weekend.
Mike, I've yet to meet a CAW member who will admit they supported the kind of radical philosophy which Hargrove espoused yet Hargrove remained firmly at the helm until he chose to retire. Can you explain this conundrum?
Have a great weekend. I'm hoping to spend part of it wrenching on my 73 Vette.
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