U.A.W. Facing Tough Choices, Leader Warns

[Omaha Steve]

Full story
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/12/automobiles/12UAW.html?ex=1150776000&en=6c62cd212671cc62&ei=5043&partner=EXCITE


By MICHELINE MAYNARD
Published: June 12, 2006

LAS VEGAS, June 11 — The president of the United Automobile Workers union told his members in a strikingly blunt report released Sunday that they cannot ride out the automobile industry crisis and should be prepared to make tradition-breaking decisions to help rescue the industry.
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Carlos Osorio/Associated Press



Ron Gettelfinger told auto workers to expect more hard times.
Related
www.uaw.org

In the report, to be given to members at the union's convention, which opens here on Monday, the union president, Ron Gettelfinger, pointed to many causes of the industry's grave malaise, including "bad management" and declining auto sales.

But Mr. Gettelfinger acknowledged that the union's health care benefits helped create a ballooning health cost crisis that had become "unsustainable" in the face of the auto companies' declining sales. This, he said, was a reason why the U.A.W. agreed to substantial health care concessions last year.

[xchrom]

1. help manufacturing regain a competitive edge and

promote socialized medicine.

health care for all.

[AngryAmish]

8. Socialized medicine is the only way to go

Foreign made autos have a built in advantage in tat they do not have to fund legacy healthcare (and current healthcare). Now a lot of "foreign" cars are made in the US now but they have fewer pension and healthcare obligations.

[ottomattic]

11. help manufacturing regain a competitive edge

Posted by xchrom
"promote socialized medicine.
health care for all."


Do you really think UAW members will give up what are considered the best employer provided health insurance benefits in America for any government run plan?

The big three UAW members don't vote to give up benefits, They may vote to alter the program but NEVER vote to eliminate that program.





 

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. UAW boss: The worst is upon us

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006606120424

snip-
LAS VEGAS -- UAW President Ron Gettelfinger, in a bluntly worded report to members on the eve of the union's convention, said the automotive sector faces challenges unlike any other in the union's 71-year history.

snip-

Gettelfinger said that the challenges facing members from the former Big Three, which represent about 40% of UAW membership, are greater than Chrysler's narrow escape from bankruptcy, the recession of the early 1980s, GM's record 1992 loss and various rounds of plant closures in the past.

Gettelfinger said, "The challenges we face aren't the kind that can be ridden out. They're structural challenges, and they require new and farsighted solutions."
-snip

snip-

For those reasons, Gettelfinger said he took the difficult decision last year to negotiate with General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. on health care concessions and to agree to co-payments and deductibles for retirees.

-snip


Goodbye Detroit...

[rodeodance]

3. the workers have to pay for the terrible CEO decisions made the auto

companies (such as NOT making fuel effiecent cars).

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. For buying the plans and shelving them years ago...

The job banks will go in the next round. We're all sitting here, holding our breath, waiting to see what will happen with Delphi. I get sick driving by the plants now.

[Comadreja]

5. And their brilliant decision to smash the EV1

electric cars as reported on NOW.

[cyberpj]

6. self delete - wrong post

[cyberpj]

7. UAW should consider joining other unions and morphing into a UWU -

United Workers Union and start taking on big business from the service sector up - where it hurts most.

Can't they see the future staring them in the face?

Maybe then we could even get the Democratic Party back on the side of the people.

[Virginia Dare]

9. Can anybody find me a silver lining in all of this?

God, this is depressing. One more nail in the coffin. We will not be able to just pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and start all over again.

We are headed towards a major economic and social upheaval here folks, this is not good.

[xchrom]

10. there is a concerted effort to drive manufacturing

from the u.s.

that's what is pathetic.

our economy will become specialized for the most part -- and that carries a host of problems because it makes us much, much more susceptible to global up and downs.

[Heidi]

12. Kick. (nt)

[NVMojo]

13. UAW chief warns of changes ahead, rails against Bush

LAS VEGAS (AP) - There were veiled warnings of more concessions to Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp., but many United Auto Workers members at the union's 34th convention say national elections will have a far greater effect on them than anything they lose at the bargaining table.

UAW President Ron Gettelfinger told about 1,300 delegates in Las Vegas on Monday that it's time for a different relationship with the domestic automakers because they are facing difficult times.

"Like it or not, these challenges aren't the kind that can be ridden out," he said. "They demand new and farsighted solutions - and we must be an integral part of developing these solutions."

But he also railed against the Bush administration for what he called failed trade policies and anti-union stances that have hurt the UAW and the American auto industry.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2006/jun/13/061310803.html

[Trillo]

14. Interesting. Sounds like wages and benefits are on the way down

for all except a few:

But Gettelfinger said Delphi is using the bankruptcy process "as a perverted business strategy" to enrich executives, lawyers and financial advisers.

Prices are on the rise, wages and compensation are going down, and even the unions are at a loss. Brilliant. Thanks BushCo.

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. Time for a good nationwide strike to make Bush & the RW squirm.

[larrysh]

17. We need to be careful what we asked for......

It's not out of the realm of possiblity that the Big 3 might someday
replace union workers with "migrants". They could pay them $10.00 an
hour, few (if any) benefits (maybe just a very basic medical plan),
no retirement, no profit-sharing, no contributory 401K. Shoot, they could bring them up from Mexico by the truckload and put them up in company "barracks". Those jobs aren't so skilled that a Mexican who has worked in a Toyota or VW factory in Mexico couldn't work here.

[TheCowsCameHome]

18. Welcome to DU, larrysh!

How long are we going to take these beatings from big business................?

[jseankil]

16. If Ford and GM both went on nationwide strikes the economy would halt. /nm

nm

[Sadie5]

19. Use Migrants you say

Hate to break it to you but Mexico has been building parts for GM and Ford for some time. Getelfinger is right about Bushco causing most of the problems with his trade deals.