As the automakers beg for money...

[Jim S]

This was sent ot me by a friend. As the automakers beg for money, part of the problem may lie in the last sentence in the video.

Maybe before we give the UAW and the auto makers another boat full of tax payers money, we should force them to break the stranglehold of the UAW (via Chapter 11) and do THIS here in the US.


This is a video of a new Ford plant in Brazil.
One look at this and you will be able to tell why there will probably never be another one built in the USA.
It will also point out why more assembly plants will go offshore.


http://info.detnews.com/video/index.cfm?id=1189 (http://info.detnews.com/video/index.cfm?id=1189)

and.. pay attention to the last few words. It says a lot!

[magnummrk]

Hmmmmm.....Intresting.

I know I am asking for it,but what does a union do for the average worker? I have never been in a union so I have no idea what the benifits are for being in one.

[kat hunter]

Hmmmmm.....Intresting.

I know I am asking for it,but what does a union do for the average worker? I have never been in a union so I have no idea what the benifits are for being in one.

Wages and some amount of job protection.

And I guess I should mention that if it was not for unions we would all be stuck making very little money, as was the case that led to the rise of the unions. Even non union workers have benefited from increasing wages led by union gains.

[budman]

Wages and some amount of job protection.

And I guess I should mention that if it was not for unions we would all be stuck making very little money, as was the case that led to the rise of the unions. Even non union workers have benefited from increasing wages led by union gains.

Oh, please. Back in the 1920's and 30's maybe. They could not care less about the business end, only "pay me" and I don't care if it bankrupts the company (gee, this look familiar?). I can tell you that when I worked at an aircraft manufacturer that was a huge union shop that the nonunion labor sure didn't benefit. In the case of the big 3 what are the unions doing? Are they saying "we have an agreement so you will continue to pay us this amount and guarantee this many jobs" or are they saying "you know we can cut some fat and dead weight to help out"? I am asking that in all seriousness.

[Diny]

The biggest accomplishment by unions is labor conditions. Things used to be pretty unhealthy before them.

[1buddyc]

That same manufacturing situation exists here in San Antonio at the Toyota Tundra Factory, only not all under one roof. Most all of the Tundra Suppliers have have built facilities on the same property as the actual Tundra factory.

[kat hunter]

The biggest accomplishment by unions is labor conditions. Things used to be pretty unhealthy before them.


Forgot to mention that one, your right, that probably was the biggest contribution.

Was watching a special about the sandhogs (tunnel and bridge piling workers) in New York the other day. I forget the exact death rate, but it was something like 18 people a month. :eek2::eek2:

[blackcat]

I thought that was OSHA's job...........:?:

[kat hunter]

http://willyloman.wordpress.com/2008/11/16/gmford-bailout-deal-is-union-busting-and-corporate-welfare/

another interesting read here, talks a little about the emerging middle class.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/story.aspx?guid={afb633de-8665-47c7-af85-253a4a73e26a}

[kat hunter]

Damn, it's amazing what you can find by doing a little searching.

Imagine that, ford underpaying workers in Brazil.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6674/is_200303/ai_n26662359

3-day strike settled at Ford plant in Brazil.(News)(Brief Article)

Automotive News (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6674), March, 2003 (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6674/is_200303)


Workers at Ford Motor Co.'s plant in the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia returned to work last week after a wage pact at a regional labor court ended a three-day strike.
Workers were protesting a discrepancy between Ford's wages and prevailing local wages. Ford agreed to give workers an 8.1 percent wage increase, plus reductions of automatic salary debits for transport and meals.
Aurino Pedreira do Nascimento Filho, president of the Bahian Metalworkers Union, said the strike at the 4,700-worker Camacari plant halted production of nearly 2,000 Fiestas and EcoSports.

[blackcat]

Actaully they're not asking for 25 billion. They already have a 25 billion dollar loan that's been approved. They're asking for another 25 billion. So...... the total would be 50 billion unless I've got my math on wrong!

[Diny]

Actaully they're not asking for 25 billion. They already have a 25 billion dollar loan that's been approved. They're asking for another 25 billion. So...... the total would be 50 billion unless I've got my math on wrong!

But what the hell are they gonna do with the money? Unless we exclude the enthusiast crowd (Corvette, Viper, Cadillac V-Series, Challenger, Pontiac G8 and Mustang), they simply can't compete with foreign cars.

[blackcat]

I would agree......... Seems to be a waste of money unless they change something 10 years ago!

But what the hell are they gonna do with the money? Unless we exclude the enthusiast crowd (Corvette, Viper, Cadillac V-Series, Challenger, Pontiac G8 and Mustang), they simply can't compete with foreign cars.

[attyedhall]

THE LEGACY COSTS ARE AND WILL CONTINUE TO KILL THE BIG THREE. SAD TRUTH IS THAT THEIR BUSINESS MODEL IS PROBABLY DOOMED. 25 BILLION WILL LIKELY ONLY POSTPONE THE INEVITABLE.

SAME THING HAPPENED IN BIG STEEL 25YEARS AGO. THEY CONVINCED CONGRESS THAT THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THEM VIABLE WAS TO ENACT STEEP TARRIFFS ON FOREIGN STEEL. ONCE ENACTED, THE BIG STEEL COMPANIES SIMPLY RAISED THEIR PRICES. ONLY WHEN THE TARRIFFS WERE ENDED DID THE STEEL INDUSTRY GO THROUGH THE PAINFULL PROCESS OF RESTRUCTURING. IN GARY INDIANA, NOT TOO FAR FROM WHERE I LIVE, THERE USED TO BE 40,000 EMPLOYED IN THE STEEL MILLS. TODAY, THERE IS LESS THAT 10,000 AND THEY PRODUCE MORE STEEL THAN THEY DID WITH 40,000 AND ITS OF A BETTER QUALITY. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT COMPETITION IS GOOD FOR CONSUMERS, AND IN THE LONG RUN, IF LEFT ALONE BY GOVERNMENT, IS USUALLY GOOD FOR THE INDUSTRY. THE US AUTO MAKERS CANNOT COMPETE ON A GLOBAL SCALE WHEN SADDLED WITH ARTIFICIAL LABOR COSTS. ITS A NEW WORLD OUT THERE AND UNTIL THE POLITICIANS QUIT TRYING TO FIX THAT WHICH CANNOT BE FIXED, THE BEST THAT CAN BE HOPED FOR IS MORE OF THE SAME.


AS RECENTLY AS 1976, WE HAD A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN (JIMMY CARTER)THAT WAS PREMISED IN PART ON "SAVING THE SMALL FAMILY FARM". ANOTHER BUSINESS MODEL THAT WAS FUNDAMENTALLY DOOMED IN THAT IT WAS BASED ON INEFFICIENCY WHEN COMPARED TO THE ECONOMIES OF SCALE FOR A MORE PRODUCTIVE MODEL.

I IMAGINE THAT SOMEWHERE BACK AROUND THE TURN OF THE LAST CENTURY, THERE WERE POLITICIANS OUT THERE CAMPAIGNING ON THE IDEA OF STOPPING THE HORSELESS CARRIAGES, IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP THE JOBS OF THE COMPANIES THAT MADE BUGGY WHIPS.........

THIS RANT IS OFFICIALLY OVER AND YOU MAY NOW RETURN TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES.....:roll::roll::roll:

[Dreamcast18]

why give it to the auto makers?

25B should be used as a federal 'car-loan' bank...giving the loans to consumers to buy cars.