UAW must look out for companies, too

Waterbury Republican-American via A.P. ^ | February 19, 2011 | Tom Krisher

[Graybeard58]

DETROIT — The United Auto Workers' mission used to be simple — fight Detroit's automakers for better pay and job security.

Things got more complex when the government bailed out General Motors and Chrysler two years ago, in a deal that left the union with big chunks of stock in both companies. Now the UAW has to be both owner and worker advocate, essentially sitting on both sides of the bargaining table.

The tricky dual role is causing problems for union leaders, and in particular UAW president Bob King, as they prepare for contract talks later this year.

"That conflict of interest, I think, should probably be illegal," says Nick Waun, who works at a GM plant in Ohio and says King should put workers first.

In 2009, when GM and Chrysler nearly collapsed, the companies were allowed to use stock rather than cash to pay into UAW trust funds that cover health care costs for about 800,000 retirees. With bankruptcy looming for the automakers, the union was faced with taking the stock or risking getting nothing.

The trusts now own about 13 percent of GM stock, which is publicly traded, and 65 percent of Chrysler, which is privately owned but could go public later this year. The trusts can sell the stock to help pay bills.

King, 64, contends union members will benefit if the companies' stock prices go up. He has tried to position the union as a business partner rather than an adversary of Detroit's car companies.

Angry union members say he's more concerned about profits than winning back raises and benefits surrendered by the union the last six years. And if enough of them doubt his motives, they could reject any contract he brings back from the negotiating table and force up labor costs

[OrthodoxKirkPresbyterian]

The unions did do a lot of good a long time ago

[Old Retired Army Guy]

Time for the UAW to advocate closing US Plants in the rust belt and move to Right to Work States and overseas.

[Mr. Jeeves]

"That conflict of interest, I think, should probably be illegal," says Nick Waun, who works at a GM plant in Ohio and says King should put workers first.

Snort! But that is just what King is finally being forced to do - protect the workers' long-term interests by ensuring the health of the company. Waun likes the old way - lots of goodies for the older workers at the expense of the younger ones.

[JPG]

Well, fancy that. The UAW now has to be concerned with GM making a profit...what a novel idea.

[Eva]

Things got more complex when the government bailed out General Motors and Chrysler two years ago, in a deal that left the union with big chunks of stock in both companies. Now the UAW has to be both owner and worker advocate, essentially sitting on both sides of the bargaining table.

This situation is no different for the public sector union, the SEIU. The Democrats and the union control both sides of the table against the tax payers.

[Steely Tom]

Why not just give the workers everything they want, including the pot- and prostitute-trailers in the company parking lot for lunch breaks, and simply raise the average cost of each car to a million dollars, and get Obama to order every American to buy one. So simple.

[FrankR]

UAW - Undermining American Workers

[bill1952]

Chrysler cannot go public as far as I understand it, at least not on the S&P.

---

Chrysler Group LLC emerged from a Chapter 11 reorganization and announced a plan for a partnership with Italian automaker Fiat.
Fiat holds a 25% stake in the new company, with an option to increase its stake to 35%, and up to 51%, if it meets financial and developmental goals for the company.
Fiat’s stake cannot go beyond 49% until the government has been paid back in full

---

This clearly shows that when the government is repaid, Fiat may control this company and that precludes being traded on an American stock exchange.

[FrankR]

Differences between the UAW and the KKK:

1.

[gakrak]

“That conflict of interest, I think, should probably be illegal,” says Nick Waun, who works at a GM plant in Ohio and says King should put workers first.”
Ya gotta love this, put the workers first, put the company out of business and the workers get nothing. YES They did it to themselves, greed —Amen. RIP unions.

[LibLieSlayer]

Just outlaw unions... their leadership are all devout communist activists and their sheeple membership laps up their socialist pablum like ice cream... they are nothing more than organized criminal enterprises.

LLS

[Fred Hayek]

“That conflict of interest, I think, should probably be illegal,” says Nick Waun, who works at a GM plant in Ohio and says King should put workers first.

Well, Nick, maybe part of that includes making GM profitable and viable, so that there would be jobs at GM in the future. That includes your job, Nick.
But what the hey, fleece GM some more, and GM can just get more money from Obama’s Stash.

[JPG]

Many years ago, comedian Steve Martin came up with something along the same lines...he’d do one more show, million dollars a ticket...GOODBYE.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Rare is the intelligent parasite that becomes symbiotic and cares about the health of the host. Unions just suck until the host is a husk. It happened at the auto companies and it’s happening in the public sector.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Graybeard58.

[truthguy]

Well, fancy that. The UAW now has to be concerned with GM making a profit...what a novel idea.

Hopefully the job losses that have occurred will wake people up to the fact that Unions cannot function as they have in the past. Unions came about at a time when American Manufacturing didn't fact tough competition from Europe and Asia. They were pretty much able to extract concessions from their employers by pushing costs over onto the American Consumer who really didn't have a choice.

Things have changed. Just look around you on the highway or look at the shelves at your local store. Not much is made in USA anymore at least at the consumer level. Unions have had a huge part in "killing the goose". I'm surprised it took them so long to see the light. The only real powerful unions left are public employee unions. They don't have to face foreign competition and thus have been able to have a reign of terror over the American Public by threatening to shut down public services and the like. Witness the workers in NYC who had a slowdown in snow removal.

[edpc]

The United Auto Workers' mission used to be simple — fight Detroit's automakers for better pay and job security get paid more to work less and turn out an inferior product.

I've spent enough time in auto plants in places like Sandusky, OH, Grand Rapids, MI, and Milan, MI to see it.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

You are right!!! But....today’s labor unions in the USA are headed by radical Socialists and Communists backed up by the chief Communist, POTUS Barack Hussein Obama!!!

[SteamShovel]

The UAW now has to be concerned with GM making a profit.

I think this gives the UAW at Ford a conflict of interest.....

.....UAW out of Ford..NOW!