When I first joined this site, I posted some very controversial viewpoints involving domestic and imported automobiles. Needless to say, my viewpoints were not recieved very well, some said that I was thick headed and brash for saying that the number of imported vehicles needs to be drastically reduced if we (The United States) plan on harvesting a healthy economy. Now, that job growth expectation has not nearly reached its projected numbers, and labor unions fight for lack luster contracts because no such thing exists over seas, I wonder if popular opinion has begun to shift? Do we (The U.S.) need to put a restriction on certain products such as automobiles? In hopes that our own american economy may embrace our own auto industry? I do not think I am the only one to say that something needs to be done, and soon if we plan on keeping these contracts in the U.S. We just lost the Hummer to Mexico, GM plans to manufacture this along side the Tahoe and the Yukon now, what is next? This should not be necessary, however the gradual, steady increase of imported vehicles has made it very difficult for domestic auto companies to "cost effectively" mass produce all of their product line within the countires boundaries. What a shame... The U.S. needs to rally around our business, and support the companies that fuel this great nation before the damage is irreversible. By the way, have you checked GM's, Fords stock values in comparrison to the imports? It's getting scary...

What do you think??????????? I want to know where the "majority" currently stands on these matters.

Charlie

 

The real issue with the economy is our country is spending all its attention on the middle east with lots of US $$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$ going that way. The efforts of war (that were not in) drain the resources of the work force due to the consumer watching there $$$ and not spending.
The auto companys are killing the econmey {sp?] with all the zero percent finance crap which kills the resale value of the used car market. Just go look at how thats effecting the investment you put into your transportation!!!

Drop the import kick and open your mind were screwing ourselfs from the inside not the outside.

you asked

 

Its the unions that are running jobs out of the country.

A group that strives to protect the jobs of drunken, lazy employees, andd guaranteeing them outragous wages for the lackluster performance.

I know there are other issues that are driving away jobs, but if I were running a corporation, i'd send the jobs to asia to.

 

All i gotta say when i was working at DTS i did less work and more b.s.ing than when i hired in at AAM. i have never been worked harder in my life and you say drunken , fat , lazy autoworker, i say lean mean worken machine.
p.s. going on strike is something everyone needs to experience at least once in their life.
p.s.s. look at the paper lately AAM has just signed a "lifetime" contract with an asian auto maker. FAT, LAZY DRUNKEN AUTOWORKER, YEH THATS ME.

 

Touch a nerve?

I didnt say everyone in the union is a "Fat lazy drunken autoworker" If you are going to pretend you dont know what I am talking about, you are either incredibly naive, or just refusing to admit the truth. The UAW is one of the biggest "you cant fire that guy, he was only selling drugs on the job" unions there are. Maybe if the guys like you would stop letting the unions protect the true ******* workers, everyone would be better off.

 

I think Eric was refering to UAW workers that work (if thats what you call it) in ford,GM and DC plants. Supplier plants dont put up with the crap that goes on @ the big three and YES you do work at a supplier plant. The big 3 workers wont budge on their wages so another AMERICAN can have a job here in the US so the automakers have to go elsewhere to cut cost and get a part that is more than likely to be of better quality. UAW workers get away with a lot of BS if they pulled that crap at a non union shop they would be out on their A$$.I am reffering to drinking,drug use lazyness and poor quality,theft etc.. But the union protects them!!!!!! The union IS KILLING things for the non union american worker today. The union has wayyyyy overstepped its purpose from its original purpose. Unions were started during the industral revolution to protect the safety of workers back when it was common for a couple workers per day to lose their lives. Back then the government did not have OSHA. So whats the purpose of the union today? To protect the guy who goes to the plant punches in and leaves for 10 hours? The guy who drinks on the job? Or gets high on the clock?How bout the guy that shoots the $hit all day? What about the guy with sticky fingers? I could go on but i think i have said enough to get the point across. Steven

 

As the drug dealers would say "pimpin ain't eazzzy."
nerve,, not a nerve just a comment. you have your thoughts i have mine.
p.s. go to your local library and see what the unions fought for way backin the 50's,60's,70's, you might just learn something about Henry Ford and slave labor practices.

 

I know about it. But was that the unions fight?Seems more like the AFLCIO should have took that one. I grew up in dearborn where they taught us the city of inkster got its name cause thats where HF kept his inkys that worked at his plants he made inkster because he did not want them in dearborn and he never treated them as equals. Interesting bit of history. Steven

 

I work at livonia trans for ford and I also took a buyout from g.m. in 92 ( 7 yrs ) and I worked as a mechanic for two years between that time. And after almost ten years at ford Im here to tell you that if your worthless and lazy you wont be in a plant , so dont go union bashing thinking that thats the cause of any economic issue because labor costs arent whats hurting car companies.

So the day you spend 12 hrs on the line doing the same thing every 50 seconds or so day in and day out come on back and give me an educated opinion. And yes there are people that arent worth a damn in the plant but if you go to any place of work guess what , youll find someone there that everyone else says they arent worth a damn. If youve lived in this state for any amount of time you know someone that is in a uaw plant and if it wasnt for that union they perhaps couldnt make that kind of money somewhere else, but Id be willing to bet those unions helped the parents of half of the people that read this board raise thier families. So dont go blaming the uaw.

 

I'm with Charlie and Eric on this one.... Scott no disrespect but unions suck. Not for you of course. And not saying you're the typical union stereotype either. I know you work hard and get what you deserve but 80% of the union workforce are what Eric said.

 

My Dad is a retired GM UAW skilled trades person and I am an engineer that has worked in UAW facilities so I've seen both sides.

Here's the bullet points of what I believe:
* If it weren't for the UAW, I would not have had the things I had growing up.
* If it weren't for the UAW, I would not make the generous wage I make today even though I've never been a member.
* The average assembly line worker (90%) actually works quite hard and have a job I don't envy and wouldn't want to do.
* The average UAW skilled trades person doesn't work very much.
* The UAW was a brilliant idea in the beginning to help provide a safe, secure, good paying work environment.
* In the past 20 years, the UAW has pushed way to hard and for the wrong things and has helped accelerate the downfall of the American auto industry by insuring plant overcapacity and protecting employees that should not be protected.
* The philosophy of the UAW has started to change, especially with the last round of contracts, which is encouraging.
* If there was no UAW, chances are most of us would be making a lot less money.

As for the original post, don't you realize that the world is transitioning to a global economy? You do know that your beloved F-body was built in Quebec, Canada and provided relatively few U.S. jobs other than design, right? Additionally, a large portion of foreign name plates are now built in the U.S. by American workers that, while they don't make the exorbitant wages of the UAW, they still typically make a better than average wage for their region.

 

Go ahead and stand up for your right to work where you can get dogged all day say burger king or a nice oil change shop. By the way my lazy union *** made 86 grand last year. Just because you dont work there and you feel that by stating all(80) percent of those people are worthless, dont bother the unemployment office when they start hiring at flat rock. Stand by your convictions.


After reading 94 ragtops post I would have to say I agree with much of what he said. Granted some things that go on in these plants(small percentage) are not what most people even working there would condone, but the rules and guidlines have gotten much more enforced since the new contract.

 

If every working person were treated equally this whole union thing wouldn't be a problem. Its almost like affirmative action. You union guys are getting special treatment. Why is it in 1960 you could save up your money for a year or two and pay cash and buy a new car, but enter the unions and now you have to save up for a year ot two just to get a down payment. If it weren't for unions the cost of operating wouldn't be so high for the automakers and cars would still be affordable to the average person.

 

Well I gotta contradict myself here... Cars would still be expensive but the profit margin would be much bigger and the big wigs would be even richer.

Arrrrgh... forget it i'm getting a freaking headache from all this crapl

 

WOW.....
I gotta comment on this.
95% of people with union jobs at auto plants
BUST THEIR *** EVERYDAY. They trade good pay and benefits
for wrists, shoulders, backs, etc. I say most wouldn't last ONE
day.
5% of the people have their time in and take advantage of
the system. OUR problem is not the union ( although it certainly could use some revisions) it's
our leaders not working in the best interests of everyone,
it's american's who don't support their own.

That's all I have to say.
I support our auto company by driving a Made in USA
vehicle.