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UAW leader: Workers will make no more concessions
The Napa Valley Register / The Associated Press ^ | November 15, 2008 | Mark Williams

Posted on 11/15/2008 2:52:01 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Even as Detroit's Big Three teeter on collapse, United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger said Saturday that workers will not make any more concessions and that getting the automakers back on their feet means figuring out a way to turn around the slumping economy.

"The focus has to be on the economy as a whole as opposed to a UAW contract," Gettelfinger told reporters on a conference call, noting the labor costs now make up 8 percent to 10 percent of the cost of a vehicle. "We have made dramatic, dramatic changes and the UAW was applauded for that," he said.

Instead, Gettelfinger blamed the problems the auto industry is suffering from on things beyond its control _ the housing slump, the credit crunch that has made financing a vehicle tough and the 1.2 million jobs that have been lost in the past year. "We're here not because of what the auto industry has done," he said. "We're here because of what has happened to the economy."

Gettelfinger also called on Congress to act quickly on a bailout plan for the auto industry, saying action is necessary before President-elect Barack Obama takes office in January. He said if one automaker were to file for bankruptcy, the others may follow. He said the automakers would find it difficult to restructure under bankruptcy laws and instead could end up out of business. "Would you buy a car from a bankrupt automaker?" he asked.

(Excerpt) Read more at napavalleyregister.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: Michigan; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: 110th; 111th; aflcio; afscme; automakers; bailout; bho2008; cardcheck; chicagomob; chrysler; congress; democrats; detroit; economy; environmentalists; financialcrisis; ford; gm; hoffa; honda; michigan; nissan; obama; pelosi; reid; seiu; taxes; teamsters; toyota; uaw; unions; wallstreet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
The Center for Automotive Research, which receives funding from the auto industry, has warned that the collapse of the Big Three could set off a catastrophic chain reaction in the economy, eliminating up to 3 million jobs and more than $150 billion in tax revenue over the next three years.

Crash, baby, crash!

21 posted on 11/15/2008 3:01:51 PM PST by CE2949BB (Fight.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"Would you buy a car from a bankrupt automaker?" he asked.

Apparently the American public is will to fly on bankrupt airlines, besides no one was buying the Big 3's products when they weren't bankrupt.

22 posted on 11/15/2008 3:01:56 PM PST by Last Dakotan
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
These blood sucking unions and the Big 3 have already gotten $25,000,000,000 from the energy department. They are going to get this gigantic amount any day as a loan. Looks like that money has already been sucked into the black hole of incompetence and greed.

UAW chief urges $25 bln in U.S. auto health care support (Union bailout-payback for $400,000,000)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2127523/posts

Who's your DADDY Obama??

Youtube The One on Card Check

Why Doesn't Toyota USA Need A Bailout?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2130909/posts


The DIMS are going to play the unions as a bunch of chumps. And they are, they should have never spent their money getting these guys elected. The millions of dollars should have gone to their union members for retraining and to float them until they obtained other jobs.
23 posted on 11/15/2008 3:02:22 PM PST by Fred (The Democrat Party is the Nadir of Nihilism and BO is a WHINING marxist)
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To: Travis McGee

Well, then it’s clear you’re not ready to assume the Presidency, because America has chosen for that office someone who CAN see why.


24 posted on 11/15/2008 3:03:05 PM PST by coloradan (The US has become a banana republic, except without the bananas - or the republic.)
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To: truthguy
Following up on my last post, if Goettlinger is correct (10% is labor cost), our materials costs are too high.

That's what's hard to believe since those "materials" are usually made in the US or China at the lowest possible cost.

It just isn't possible for Korean cars to be put together and put on the market at 25% less than American cars it being the case that Korea's automotive industry if not its total economy is thoroughly integrated with both the American and Chinese economies.

Somebody's trying to trick us!~

25 posted on 11/15/2008 3:04:08 PM PST by muawiyah
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To: raybbr

**Where did you get that figure? (72)

That’s absurd.**

Came from the UAW ... total cost to employ 1 person for 1 hour... paycheck, health ins etc, retirement,compliance with federal and state regulations.

This has been explained on at least 6 radio shows.


26 posted on 11/15/2008 3:04:48 PM PST by gwilhelm56 (HITLER offered Hope and Change!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Remember Eastern Airlines?

Jimmy Breslin and the Machinist Union had the same attitude.

result, Eastern Airlines died, all the Machinists lost their Jobs.

This just shows the bailout should be contigent on a ch 11 reorganization which purges this UAW moron.


27 posted on 11/15/2008 3:05:35 PM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Fred

HOW MUCH does the HEAD of the UAW Make???


28 posted on 11/15/2008 3:06:34 PM PST by gwilhelm56 (HITLER offered Hope and Change!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Not a good idea to bluff when the other guy knows you’ve got bupkes.


29 posted on 11/15/2008 3:07:49 PM PST by sono (What happens when the Kool Aid wears off?)
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To: Travis McGee

The leadership of the UAW has continued for almost all of its existance to support the democratic party, to promote democrats over Republicans, and to promote and support liberals over conservatives. They worked like blazes to get a democratic controlled Congress in 2006. They financed democrats running at every level, from mayors to President-Elect (spit) Obama. Well, now they got the democrats in charge like they wanted, and now they’re getting—and will really be getting—a democratic economy.

Sucks to be them.

Here in Alabama, we’re making Hondas, Hyundais, Kias Mercedes, and Toyotas. All union free and florishing.


30 posted on 11/15/2008 3:09:52 PM PST by Alas Babylon!
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To: Alas Babylon!

We just picked up an Alabama made Honda Odyssey. Screw Detroit.


31 posted on 11/15/2008 3:13:28 PM PST by wtc911 ("How you gonna get back down that hill?")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Good.... Then it’s their own greed that did them in.


32 posted on 11/15/2008 3:16:57 PM PST by Brilliant
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To: Alas Babylon!

That’s why I thought the Big 3 should have dumped the unions and headed South a long time ago.

The best selling car in America is no longer a GM, Ford or Chrysler product. It is the Toyota Camry made in Georgetown, KY. You would think the Big 3 would get a clue.

Socialism will always fail.


33 posted on 11/15/2008 3:17:05 PM PST by WildcatClan (The Marxist will reycle the Clintonistas and call it "change".)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I love ultimatums. I hope they enjoy eating roots and berries.


34 posted on 11/15/2008 3:17:18 PM PST by gotribe (obama just sucks - your wealth away)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

F’ them. Try unemployment and starvation, @holes.

It’s these jerks that basically forced business owners to pay off enough elected officials to ram NAFTA through and not enforce our borders so they could get reasonable labor rates.


35 posted on 11/15/2008 3:19:49 PM PST by Rockitz (NObama 2008- Strange we ain't believin')
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I'd willingly buy a car from a bankrupt car company. I will not buy a car from a union car company.
36 posted on 11/15/2008 3:27:51 PM PST by JasonC
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To: Knute

“Rebuild the industry without the (union) legacy costs”

Excellent idea.....all that union money can go into the workers ‘pockets and into better autos.


37 posted on 11/15/2008 3:28:54 PM PST by SumProVita ("Cogito ergo sum pro vita." .....updated Descartes)
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To: Rockitz

Exactly, screw the concessions anyway - let them go out of business and then we won’t have to worry about them anymore.


38 posted on 11/15/2008 3:29:50 PM PST by phothus
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
No more concessions?

Then shut em down.

Be without a job.

We don't want the bill for YOUR SELFISHNESS.

39 posted on 11/15/2008 3:30:21 PM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
This guy isn't the brightest bulb on the tree evidently, is he?

Drawing that kind of line in the sand in the current economic atmosphere is ridiculous.

It would be like going to a relative for a loan and bragging about how my lifestyle is better than theirs...and I don't intend to change it. BUT...I will be back in a few months for another loan.

I hope if any bail out for the auto industry happens...it happens after Jan 20. Let it be a Dem boodoggle.

40 posted on 11/15/2008 3:32:04 PM PST by berdie
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