Are Union Kingpins Really Motivated By The Welfare Of The Laborers?
@AJ1952Chats (2331)
Anderson, Indiana
January 5, 2009 8:55pm CST
Are union kingpins really motivated by the welfare of the laborers?
In my opinion, the main reason that the auto industry here in the USA (especially the Big Three of Ford, GM, and Chrysler) is having so many problems is because the UAW has continually encouraged its members to strike for higher wages and pricier benefits to the point of killing the goose that once laid golden eggs.
Frankly, I'm suspicious of its motives.
The local union leaders are, likely, misinformed but well-intentioned. On up the ladder quite a ways, this is likely so.
But I have a sneaky suspicion that, among the top kingpins, you're not going to find people who are truly looking out for the best interests of the laborers.
Instead, I think they're cutting sweetheart deals elsewhere.
With whom?
Here are some possibilities...
Could be with people in foreign lands who are the competition. Those who would like to see the Big Three go *totally* down the toilet so that they would have a larger market base--and could even have the monopoly on automaking eventually that would put them in the position to charge as much as they darn well please.
Could be some kind of dictatorship along the lines of communists who would benefit from a weakened USA so that (1) They could take it over and/or (2) Make the USA too weak to go to bat for other countries to keep them from being conquered by said dictatorship. Otherwords, somebody might want world power and is paying the union kingpins to help to bring it about.
Finally, it could be coming from enemy countries who would like to see us collapse without their firing a shot just because they simply can't stand us.
Any thoughts?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
6 Jan 09
The only reason that your Big 3 are going down the toilet is because the rise in oil price... followed by the financial crisis.
People are simply not going to buy a big car when they cannot afford the fuel to drive it around. And when there is a financial crisis... people simply don't buy a new car. It becomes their less important item.
The Big 3 should have restructured their way of making cars 20 years ago. Big cars are on their way out... that we like it or not. The future is about small cars and medium cars using diesel... just like they have been doing for a long time in Europe. The French never had the luxury of cheap fuel. Most of their cars run on diesel.
There is no big conspiracy like you put it. There is far too much patriotism in America for selling out to anyone.
The extent of the Unions making deals is only at government level. They usually support one political party because that party offer them a deal under the table.
The role of the unions is to get their workers a fair day pay for a fair day work. Wages increase are related to inflation. I doubt that there is one factory worker in this world who is over paid.
1 person likes this
@AJ1952Chats (2331)
• Anderson, Indiana
6 Jan 09
Not all Americans are patriotic. Some of them would promote a one-world government if their pay for bringing it about were good enough.
Union bosses that would accept pay under the table from our country's elected officials would be only a step away from accepting money under the table from a communist government.
Nobody is overpaid as long as they do the job right because people in all lines of work are priceless. However, there's the case of being real and knowing that the labor you do might be priceless but that the company hiring you can only pay you so much.
Here are a couple of songs that talk about priceless jobs and the priceless people who perform them...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38b3RVg7Jpo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2PCxFNtvTs
You couldn't pay them enough to keep them from being underpaid, if it's all paid in money and perks, but there's a certain kind of pay you get from the feeling of being part of the whole and doing your part to keep it all together.
Unions, on the other hand, seem to promote division by trying to disguise it as unity.
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
6 Jan 09
First... this talk about communism is old hat.
Communism did die with the fall of the Berlin wall.
Second... nobody is indispensable.
Your work only become priceless when you are the only one who can do it. Or at least there are very few who can do it. That's how you earn the big bucks.
Deals under the table are made everyday at every level... and that don't mean that people are willing to sell their country to China.
As a blue collar worker... you have two choices in life.
1) Be exploited by the company which gives you a job.
2) Or live your life on food coupons.
Solution... Get an education and get a white collar job.
Life is what you make out of it. Blame yourself first.
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
6 Jan 09
China will become a major threat to the US very rapidly in the next decade. And they certainely don't need the Unions in the US to do it.
It is their 1.5 billion people providing cheap labor which is doing it.
China is now doing what Japan did in the 1970's.
But... give it 10 or 20 years... and China will go the same way than Japan when its labor force is not so cheap anymore.
And don't forget about India... who is following closely in the foot steps of China. It is the big sleeper that few people talk about.
If the US wants to get its act together... it should stop spending half of its money on World Order and chasing invisible terrorists in the Middle East. Or at least... if you want to have a war... stop fooling around and do the job properly like Israel does. Go in... remove the problem... and get out.
As for the unions...
I don't know about your system in the US...
But the Unions in Australia have been regulated by the law and the government for the last 25 years. There are actually few of them left. This came about when the Unions were calling strikes after strikes in the 70's and hurting the economy.
1 person likes this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
7 Jan 09
Hi AJ1952Chats! Although I am not familiar with your labor unions, I think that it is somehow similar with what is going on here in our country. Most of the labor union leaders are well intentioned yet there are some who have hidden motives. I have seen some who have enriched themselves and some used their influence so they can migrate in other affluent countries. Maybe your suspicions are correct since this is not the best time for laborers or employees to be seeking higher wages. We should all be thinking first on how to make our businesses and companies strong and running so as not to be greatly affected with the world crisis. If these companies will collapse, the employees/laborers will the ones who will be surely be greatly affected. Just my thoughts dear friend.
Take care always.
lovelots..faith210
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@AJ1952Chats (2331)
• Anderson, Indiana
7 Jan 09
I think you've hit the nail right on the head when you say that the focus should be on keeping the companies running, which benefits both labor and management/owners as well as having far-reaching effects of contributing to an overall sound economy.
Thanks for coming over and sharing your great thoughts!
1 person likes this
@AJ1952Chats (2331)
• Anderson, Indiana
8 Jan 09
You're welcome re: my nice remarks! You deserve them! You have a nice day, too!
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
7 Jan 09
I don't think any union leader is any more interested in the people as is an big shot official in government any where, it is a game of power, influence, money, and prestige.
1 person likes this
@AJ1952Chats (2331)
• Anderson, Indiana
7 Jan 09
I think that there are sincere union leaders, but I agree about those at the top who know what the agenda's all about. They're on nobody's side but their own, more than likely--either that or else on the side of those who would like to see America collapse.
