United Automobile Workers of America (UAW)

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  • sixfivesixfive Member Posts: 45
    Oh ok. The lower costs of living and the access to the hardest working and best workers in america had nothing to do with it. It was all a mind $&%^ and you just figured it out! Good for you.

    And how is that the UAW has to convince these folks in AL, GA that they have such a bad wage at 14-40 an hour? Is that so bad? I guess not since they had a choice to work there!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe if they are lucky you'll strip them of thier job altogether and thousands can fight for a service job at Denny's.

    What's that Cindi Lauper song about true colors???

    Your views are probably more suited for the anti-religion left wing elitist message boards. You know where if someone lives in the south or a small town then it's cool to just broadly generalize them as a non-relavent bunch of idiots.

    Excuse me, I think I'm going to go brainwash the staff and have them start doing my personal chores and clean my office. Maybe even my car! My Japanese car made by morons in the south. LOL

    O wait we live in the northeast and these folks are too smart for that...they have smarts others in the south aren't never gonna git.

    What's that word for vinegar and water in a squeeze bottle???
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    The JAW workers more/less have guaranteed employment and make more in wages and benefits than the UAW, workers as do the Europeans !!!

    When we think of Japanese manufacturing, we imagine giant state-of-the art plants with robots & shiny floors, but most of Japan's industrial base is made up of little family-owned factories that employ a couple of dozen workers each.

    Many - probably most - of the parts in a typical Japanese car (I'm talking here about cars built in Japan - not Japanese cars built in North American plants) come from these little mom & pop shops. Their workers are non-union & don't have any more job security than their American counterparts.

    When times are bad & people stop buying new cars, the big Japanese manufacturers cut back on their contracts with these little shops, which then lay off their workers. Only the small number of workers lucky enough to work directly for the big names (Toyota, Honda, etc.) enjoy "guaranteed employment".

    In other words, the big guys contract out unemployment.
  • grbeckgrbeck Member Posts: 2,358
    rockylee: How ignorant is your typical american that they talk about area's they claim to have knowledge about when their only facts are based on a yellow journalist slob ???

    As opposed to believing the nonsense that is printed in Solidarity, taught at UAW camps, or spewed forth by UAW hacks...opps, I mean "economists."

    rockylee: The Japanese United Autoworker (JAW) make the wages and benefits that the UAW, receive look like a joke !!!

    Meaningless unless we also know the cost of living in Japan, which is generally higher than in the U.S.

    rockylee: The transplants should of never been allowed to come here in the first place !!!

    Yes, the true path to economic success for any country is discouraging foreign investment.

    After all, a car company might set up a factory in Ohio or Kentucky and use non-union labor to produce a product that is superior to what the home team is producing, and lots of Americans may decide to buy it.

    We couldn't have that happen, now could we!

    rockylee: I'm against any foreign entity owning a piece of property of the United States, because #1 it's a national security risk !!!

    Those Civics, Accords and Camrys rolling off the assembly line do endanger the livelihood of Americans.

    If they make their living repairing cars, that is.

    rockylee: They build the plants in the ignorant parts of the south where they could manipulate peoples minds into believing they were getting a fair shake !!!

    That anyone still believes that in 2008 is truly frightening...
  • sixfivesixfive Member Posts: 45
    prepare to be frightened...these times bring em all out from woodwork
  • tlongtlong Member Posts: 5,194
    A sidebar lists the average hourly rates which is what you were questioning. It's only about a year old.
  • tlongtlong Member Posts: 5,194
    The Big 3 are getting a bargain !!!

    So they should be highly competitive, right?

    They build the plants in the ignorant parts of the south

    ...and those ignorant people build cars that are better received than the Detroit 3's offerings!

    Most of your transplants when they retire will end up on medicare

    Almost all of us will end up on Medicare who don't have gilded retirement benefits.

    At least the UAW, retirees aren't sucking off the system

    They will be if MY taxes are used to fund THEIR retirement benefits via a bailout by the US government.

    CEO's in Japan, only make 10-15 times their worker bee's... Here in the U.S. you are entitled 500 times + because you went to Yale, or Harvard !!!

    Agree with you here, where is the GM board of directors? They are in charge. Why does Wagoner "not see what would be achieved" in requiring him to leave the company?!!! If I was at my job for fourteen years and I failed miserably to have contingencies for foreseeable problems that many of my competitors did, I'd be out on the street.

    Blame the UAW, because they make too much money !!!

    That's definitely a big part of it.

    Why don't you blame yourself for voting in these pseudo-capitalist fools who believe in FREE TRADE

    So we shouldn't be able to sell to other countries? GM should quit China since that's free trade. Boeing shouldn't sell airliners to other countries (most of their business), because that's free trade. In fact, if we can't trade then we won't have enough oil to power all those Detroit 3 vehicles anyway.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Thank you, I get tired of refuting all his inaccurate statements. He was brought up with a silver UAW spoon in his mouth and thought he was entitled to the same gravy train his family rode for so long. I happen to be one of those that worked a Union job for 46 years and have a decent not great but decent retirement. I Don't get any special health care plan. I pay a supplemental onto Medicare, which I paid into my whole career or whenever they started taking it out.

    I don't think it has sunk in yet that those he voted in back in 2006 have done NOTHING to help the working man. Things started down hill from that election and have only gotten worse.

    I hear the same old rant about over paid CEOs. Well it started a long time ago and really got bad during the Dot.com bubble of the 1990s. I think we are in for a long R or D. Any attempt to cut off trade will kill a few more jobs.

    The UAW will have to make some HUGE concessions to revive the dying General, even with a big Federal injection of cash.
  • cooterbfdcooterbfd Member Posts: 2,770
    "So we shouldn't be able to sell to other countries? GM should quit China since that's free trade. Boeing shouldn't sell airliners to other countries (most of their business), because that's free trade. In fact, if we can't trade then we won't have enough oil to power all those Detroit 3 vehicles anyway. "

    I don't think Rocky really believes they shouldn't sell here, It's just that for as long as I can remember we have had a serious trade deficit. Now, some of that is good, as it means that we are consuming more than we can make on our own. But when we see good paying jobs go overseas just to "maximize profits", or when our exports are stifled by unfair trade practices (when I was in Rome in 2001, a CAN of Coke was between $3-4!!!!!! How can that be possible????) It's wrong. In China, GM does really well. But why are they required to partner up with a Chinese auto mfr??? Would we require this??? No, we wouldn't. It's these types of things that frustrate us.

    BTW, Cramer isn't the only one saying not to root for a failure:

    http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081112/AUTO01/811120396/1148- /&source=nletter-business
  • cooterbfdcooterbfd Member Posts: 2,770
    "I don't think it has sunk in yet that those he voted in back in 2006 have done NOTHING to help the working man. Things started down hill from that election and have only gotten worse."

    Right you are with that one. I thought their might've been an impeachment over Iraq, and the Dems just rubbing it in, trying to make the Republicans lives miserable, but all they did was sit on their hands. I mean absolutely NOTHING in any regard!!!! Maybe that was their plan, to lay low, and it worked, as they got the White House.

    But not w/o alot of bloodletting.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    It's wrong. In China, GM does really well. But why are they required to partner up with a Chinese auto mfr?

    How about Japan. They have never allowed foreign control of a company in Japan. Do we even have any automakers in Japan as we do in China? I don't think that we are getting the whole story. Much of the off shoring is to avoid regulations that are nearly impossible to implement. Depending on the state we have some fairly tough taxes to contend with. That is why it may be more advantageous to build a factory in Texas than Michigan or CA or China.
  • dtownfbdtownfb Member Posts: 2,918
    Here's a link to an article by Cal Thomas where blames the UAW for GM's owes. I'm not a fan of the UAW or unions but I don't agree his assessment.

    http://www.middletownjournal.com/o/content/oh/story/opinions/editorial/2008/11/1- 3/swg111308thomas.html
  • cooterbfdcooterbfd Member Posts: 2,770
    That's a good point about Japan (Rocky's bloods a boilin now). GM has no factories there, let alone much export business. But, could you imagine us doing that to Toyota??? For all the complaining I've heard about lousy Big 3 products, our companies are treated poorly in other countries, as compared with how we treat their companies.
  • cooterbfdcooterbfd Member Posts: 2,770
    Consider the source. I'll bet he's OK with the CEO of AIG getting big bucks though.
  • alpine1alpine1 Member Posts: 51
    Tell me what a Kia, worker will have when he retires outside of a broken 401K and social security ??? What in the hell are you going to buy on $14 an hour in Georgia ???

    The following link to the Kia website indicates the starting wages are $14 an hour, and increase to $27 an hour. There were 43,000+ applicants!!! Kia must have confidence that the public will purchase their cars.

    https://www.kiajobsingeorgia.com/faqs.php#2
  • tlongtlong Member Posts: 5,194
    Kia must have confidence that the public will purchase their cars.

    More so than GM does lol ;)
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Change comes at great expense as we are realizing at the present times in the U.S.

    If you think any auto company here will support a strong union as in the past, good luck. Either Blue or Red policies, the businesses can not afford it. Fair wages are going to be very different in this global economy one way or the other.

    When things get out of balance, circumstances inevitably bring excess or deficiency back in line. You enjoy the good times and be prepared for the bad. Continuous change can be managed if it is expected to continue. Ignore that fact and expect to be surprised again and again.

    BTW, why didn't we bail out Circuit City??

    Regards,
    OW
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    BTW, why didn't we bail out Circuit City??

    'Cause everything in there is made in China?
  • dallasdude1dallasdude1 Member Posts: 1,151
    So anyone who works with thier minds and not thier hands do not add value.

    Thats the mantra which the Toyota's and Honda's of the world would have us believe. These are the darlings of the American business schools and not something I just made up. Take up that argument with those whom idolize the Toyota's and Honda's of the world and detest the UAW/Big Three.

    Some idiots may have misunderstood the risks they were buying, but most of the real issues are on wall street - the bank for the banks.

    Deregulation allowed these banks to act as brokerages houses. Any student of economics knows that prior a bank and or insurance company was a sure bet. Its absurd and preposterous to bankrupt these industries because of their ability to create money and actuarial charts. However, we now stand corrected as greed in the banking sector led to the lobbying to deregulate. Let them liquidate as any other business does in a capitalist society. A bail out seems like money from the taxpayers going into the banking system, therefore the taxpayers own the banks. Its socialism otherwise and UN-American.

    I think some basic understanding of the banks and thier interactivity with COMMERCIAL real estate borrowers is in order for you. Don't confuse the subprime mess with commercial real estate markets. Commercial real estate is actually affected by the subprime mess in the same way you are by limiting transaction capital flow. Everyone is suffering.

    You assume that if you deposit $100 in a savings account, they loan $100. Wrong, they are required to maintain a reserve requirement which is about 20% and therefore they lend your $100 deposit out 5 times. So they loan out $500. If you buy something with the loaned money , it works its way back into the banking system. Suppose you buy a car, the auto dealer deposits the money in a bank. This is called the creation of money by the national banking system. I'm well aware of the macro economics, money, and banking. I'm what they call an economist and not someone that just got an MBA add on to their other degree.
  • circlewcirclew Member Posts: 8,666
    Oh, OK....except AMERICANS work there! Same argument, different choice.

    I don't have a problem with helping people but when a failed company goes bankrupt and it's OK and another is failing and it's a sin to let it go, where is the sanity?

    Take a look at AIG...

    WASHINGTON - Rep. Elijah E. Cummings called yesterday for the resignation of American International Group's top executive after news reports of another resort hotel event involving employees from the giant insurance firm.

    Cummings has emerged as a prominent critic of AIG, which received a revised, $152 billion federal bailout package this week. The Maryland congressman was responding to a report by an Arizona television station that AIG executives participated in a recent training session for financial planners at a Phoenix resort.

    INSANE! Where is Crazy Eddie? Why he's working for the U.S. Treasury for the last couple of months!

    Be prepared to see bleeding stories from the bailout of US auto after they get their bailout loot!

    image

    Regards,
    OW
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Crazy Eddie? Man, this is getting deep. :D

    I wonder what Cal Worthington would do?

    Whoa - his sales are down by about 55 percent. Go See Cal.
  • cooterbfdcooterbfd Member Posts: 2,770
    He reminds me of the car salesman dad in the origional Willie Wonka
  • dallasdude1dallasdude1 Member Posts: 1,151
    You may have lost money on an investment but if you own most REIT stocks, teh income is still there as are the dividends. Don't take my word looka the yields! And the rents are still coming in from 98% of the tenants. Your oversimplifying again.

    Buffet is loaning his billions to utilities and not to RIT's. They need capital and he has brokered a 10% return to his preferred stock in these utilities. I would be doing good if I could get 5% on my own.

    You may have lost money on an investment but if you own most REIT stocks, teh income is still there as are the dividends. Don't take my word looka the yields!

    I advise high net worth folks among others. At the beginning of the year I put them in cash. Its an ethical and fiduciary responsibility. If this Xmas is what I'm thinking its going to be, those retailers will be downsizing. The vacancy rate will rise and thus rents will go down if anything to lure businesses. To forecast anything but a downward spiral is just wishful thinking. People that live off churning/commissions would like volume rather than results on others investments. Again this is real money and not monopoly money. People's retirements, children's college tuition, and folks futures. If you lose 50% this year, you will have to gain 100% just to get back to where you were.
  • dallasdude1dallasdude1 Member Posts: 1,151
    Move the plants to Alabama where people are willing to work without ruining their own bed. No bailouts please.

    Sonata and Benz aren't enough? I'm all for Forrest Gump!
    Roll TIDE
  • dallasdude1dallasdude1 Member Posts: 1,151
    The JAW workers more/less have guaranteed employment and make more in wages and benefits than the UAW, workers as do the Europeans !!!

    Thats true that Germany and Japan (if you factor in Japan's national health plan into the workers pay) compensate their workers far better than the UAW counterpart. Therefore, one can only conclude that management at these UAW plants are indolent duffers. Since we do in fact compensate our CEO's more than theirs.
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    And my point was that was before this two-tier wage scale was implemented over a year ago !!!

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    My point is these rural area's in the south aren't where the best and brightest minds in the south come from. They have a short-sighted view of the world and sheer ignorance by most of them is apparent. A corrections officer in Texas, makes a 1/3 of what one does here working for the state.. Had a few friends doing that living at home still because their was no way in hell they could afford to move out. My buddy got promoted to Lt. after being their for years and made half of what I did !!! I love how the right talks about education but don't fund it !!! Perhaps this is why most of the south ranks at the bottom in education !!! Do you think that is just a coincidence ??? When you watch coaches, band directors, have sexual relations with minors and get a peck on the wrist their is something wrong with the system.

    I think I've pretty much proven my point and while it's just one mans opinion who's lived in both cultures I feel I have enough experiences to do a comparison.

    I also will make note that I'm not anti-religion but I don't have to go around being a faux bible carrying christian to promote my religious views. I watched people sin on friday and saturday and on Sunday, they go get baptised and preach to you !!! I have a very low tolerance for fake people !!! We have a few of em' around here !!!

    You can go ahead and make fun of my comments but their is a lot of meat to what I'm saying. The japanese did a study back in the 1960's to find places in america where the people weren't as "educated" and could be manipulated using religion nad would fall for the corporate "team concept" ...Having members of my family and friends in the corporate world this is a fact based practice. Why advantages does a worker have being non-union besides lower pay generally and less benefits ??? If the place pays well and doesn't have a union it's only because they are riding the coat-tails of union shops and have to be competitive to keep unions out !!!

    I rest my case !!!

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    When we think of Japanese manufacturing, we imagine giant state-of-the art plants with robots & shiny floors, but most of Japan's industrial base is made up of little family-owned factories that employ a couple of dozen workers each

    Well that is the case here. Many small mom and pa shops here in Michigan, are suppliers to the Big 3 due to outsourcing another area I'm strongly against !!! The beancounters outsource to cut cost and they put companies up against each other to cut each others throat to earn the contract and what usually ends up suffering is the quality of the part. I think most would agree capitalism and the free-market might lower costs but it in many cases lowers quality as well and will yield a long-term perception by the consumer who buys the product with these parts in it when it fails. GM's past mistakes are only partial to todays problems. The bottom line is a american worker can't compete with a slave in China !!!

    The Japanese major manufacturers like Toyota, which are all JAW, workers have it made. The cost of living is relavent with the wages they receive. They have benefits that todays UAW, workers could only dream about !!! The Europeans, have it better yet !!!

    The bottom line is those workers yes face similar problems that us American's do with cut backs, etc. However, they don't lose their healthcare, and can retrain for some other field at the expense of the government. A Kia, worker who loses their job will likely be working at Denny's. However the cost of introducing those shoddy cars has cost the big 3 big !!! They can get away in the rural south with paying 414 an/hr. because their is no other good jobs and will follow their masters orders to maintain that job. The end result is they will end up living off the government for health benefits because Kia, is too cheap to offer a retiree healthcare package. The good mises liberatarian, would not want the tax payer picking up the healthcare tab one would think ??? :confuse: I believe in the free-market as long as it's regulated to benefit american business and workers. I have no problem with Ford, GM, Chrysler, fighting it out for the american consumer on a level playing fieled. Perhaps if EFCA, is passed we might get to see how loyal these transplants are to their workers !!! I guarantee you if the UAW, got close to unionizing a place like Honda, well Honda, would announce they would close the plant in an attempt to scare the workers. It's a employers market thanks to the globalist who've taken apart piece by piece our once great balanced country. Obama's power is limited but just maybe their is a glimmer of hope with him at the reigns. Bush, wanting to pass the South American, trade deal in these troubling times is beyond crazy !!! Is this guy really sane ??? :sick:

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    As opposed to believing the nonsense that is printed in Solidarity, taught at UAW camps, or spewed forth by UAW hacks...opps, I mean "economists."

    Well at least these hacks are doing something to save good paying jobs !!! What are your pseudo-capitalist, globailist doing to improve america's situation ??? those hacks are proud americans and are fighting for workers rights and support the closing down of free-trade to save a base of people with a disposable income to keep the economy rolling. If Joe-Six-Pack, loses his job then that means 12 others will follow !!! We are seeing evidence of restuarants, stores, gas stations, real estate, suppliers, etc. that all leeached off these great companies face similar situations. Without the host, the parasites will die !! :mad:

    Meaningless unless we also know the cost of living in Japan, which is generally higher than in the U.S.

    As I said earlier it's all relavent. Toyota sponsors stores, schools, entertainment, healthcare clinics, for JAW workers. I've posted this stuff a couple years ago !!! Do some research !!! ;)

    Yes, the true path to economic success for any country is discouraging foreign investment.

    Well Europe and Japan, discourage foreign investment !!! Try importing a car into China !!! Hell, try importing a car into Japan, and see how much it costs !!! :mad: Free-Trade, is only free for one side !!! I bet these other leaders in these other countries look at us as idiots !! I sure in the hell would !!! We do nothing to protect our businesses and workers from competition. Japan, subsidized their industry so they could under cut american corporations and implemented trade barriers and the like on american imports !!! Expain to me how that is free-trade ??? :confuse:

    We couldn't have that happen, now could we!

    Superior to what ??? To the minds of the sheep who read Pol Pot Reports ??? ;)

    Those Civics, Accords and Camrys rolling off the assembly line do endanger the livelihood of Americans.

    Yeah you are right because the Japanese, have purchased the automobile media outlets !!! The statistics show quite the opposite of what you are saying. Are going to try to convince me that a Camry is made better than a Malibu ???? :confuse: You can't be serious ???

    If they make their living repairing cars, that is.

    You know beter than that but that is the perception folks have. As imidazol97, has pointed out on numerous occassions that GM, cars have as few problems as Toyota's !!! :confuse:

    That anyone still believes that in 2008 is truly frightening...

    What's frightening is we have so many ignorant people in this country. They let one issue consume their way of thinking even if it effects their wallet and way of life !!! ;)

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    prepare to be frightened...these times bring em all out from woodwork

    I agree 100% with you !!! I've witnessed a few new posters here on the forums that like to parrot very biased media sources instead of doing some sound investigation to see the other side. ;)

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    So they should be highly competitive, right?

    Well they would be if it wasn't for the currency manipulation. Toyota & Honda, still import 50% of their cars thus making currency manipulation a crucial issues that needs to be resolved.

    ...and those ignorant people build cars that are better received than the Detroit 3's offerings!

    Well when you hide your recalls like they did in the 1990's it's hard to overcome such a long period of perception. I see things changing !!! To bad our economy is bad !!! :cry:

    Almost all of us will end up on Medicare who don't have gilded retirement benefits.

    Well if we close the doors on free-trade and pass a content law just maybe we can go back to the days with employer paid retirement plans but we need to crack down on insurance premiums and negotiate with pharmaceutical companies !!!

    They will be if MY taxes are used to fund THEIR retirement benefits via a bailout by the US government.

    Well who's fault is that ??? Look at the right-wing, mises loving, pseudo-capitalist, globalist, neocons, for your finger of blame !!! The greedy want it all !!! They aren't happy with a nice profit and like a fat hog they want more !!! Our capitalistic society breeds greed !!! Why make $5 billion and take care of your people when I can go to China, and make $10 billion using slave labor ??? When I'm on a business trip I can buy a child to spend the night with !!!!! :mad: :sick: :mad: :sick:

    Agree with you here, where is the GM board of directors? They are in charge. Why does Wagoner "not see what would be achieved" in requiring him to leave the company?!!! If I was at my job for fourteen years and I failed miserably to have contingencies for foreseeable problems that many of my competitors did, I'd be out on the street.

    Agree, but he is only part of the problem. they could have it worse like having Mualley or that guy from Chrysler !! Jim Press, should probably be CEO of Chrysler, even though he's a over-paid suit !!! Wagoner, took a gamble and lost !!! He should of known that Bush, is a oil man and that he would allow the oil prices to rocket upwards without any restraint !!! He chose to invest in Trucks & SUV's when he should of spent that money on developing more fuel efficient cars. Perhaps if these fuel prices stay low he will get some sort of return on his investment. However the economy and puting people back to work with better paying jobs willhave to happen !!! I think if we can provide a sense of stability and job security then the people who do have money would spend it. The problem is their is less and less people currently with disposable income !!!

    That's definitely a big part of it.

    Toyota, pays their workers more...well they did a few years ago when they cut each employee a $10,000 bonus which equaled to about $30 an/hr. If you factor in all the new hires GM, has hired I bet you even if you factored in benefits Toyota, pays their workers more !!! ;) .....Go check out my post in the GM, forum. $14 an/hr. starting wage and they can top out at $16 and change !!! If $14-16 an/hr., is too much to pay then we got some serious out of whack cost of living here in the U.S. Those MSRP's on cars should be cut back by 50%. Food should be cut by 50%...Gas has recently been !!! ;)

    So we shouldn't be able to sell to other countries?

    No but we should treat them like they do our exports with Tariffs and Trade Barriers, and fix the currency manipulation issues to favor us !!!

    GM should quit China since that's free trade.

    Free for whom ??? Free for them !!! they can dump on our market but by gawd you better forget about exporting to them !!! China tariffs our imports and has trade barriers in place so that if you want to sell a car in China, you got to build it there !!!

    Boeing shouldn't sell airliners to other countries (most of their business), because that's free trade.

    From what I'm aware of the planes are tariffed like a car unless such countries do to not having a competitor at home to protect waves such a tariff....;) I as I said have no problem being trading partners with 1st world countries. I feel that our government is doing nothing to protect our businesses and workers !!! That's why i get fired up when Bush, talks about free trade with South America, Korea.

    In fact, if we can't trade then we won't have enough oil to power all those Detroit 3 vehicles anyway.

    Oil has been a dated energy source but since the cartel has such influence in Washington, it's going to be hard to get any real energy legislation passed !!!

    BioDiesel made from cow, chicken, turkey, pig, carcasses, Ethanol made from non-corn based green plants i.e. milo/maze, Ethanol made from tires and garbage. Cold-Fusion, Hydrogen, Natural Gas, Solar, Elexctric, thus who needs oil ??? Invest the damn money and get us off of oil !!! T. Boone Pickens, says it can be done and I believe him !!! ;)

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    I would bet that your Teamster Pension, is a lot more than my father's thus it makes your healthcare expenses seem like chump change. My uncles Teamster, pension is a lot bigger than my fathers and it doesn't go down once he reaches social security !!! So who's kids had a silver spoon ??? I think your kids are the ones who have it made their Gary !!! You made a lot more money as a Teamster, union member than my father thus you had the gravy train ??? ;);)

    The employers new if they didn't give in that Hoffa, would send in his mobster cronies to take em' out !!! :P :P :P :P

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    I don't think Rocky really believes they shouldn't sell here, It's just that for as long as I can remember we have had a serious trade deficit. Now, some of that is good, as it means that we are consuming more than we can make on our own. But when we see good paying jobs go overseas just to "maximize profits", or when our exports are stifled by unfair trade practices (when I was in Rome in 2001, a CAN of Coke was between $3-4!!!!!! How can that be possible????) It's wrong. In China, GM does really well. But why are they required to partner up with a Chinese auto mfr??? Would we require this??? No, we wouldn't. It's these types of things that frustrate us.

    You hit the nail on the head their pal !!!! :):):):):)

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    January 20th 2009 you will see positive change !!! ;)

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    I know you and I, are on opposite sides of the aisle regarding unions but wanted to say thanks for not believing his ignorance !!! :) If you believe is numbers which I don't FYI the new UAW workers are making $26.35 an hour less than Toyota workers in wages and benefits !!!

    The wages and benefits of somebody like my UAW GM/Delphi father two years ago was roughly $60-65 an/hr. but my father like many UAW employees saved GM/Delphi, millions of dollars a year from their suggestions.........

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    Nahhh not boilin' because I can't respect a yellow belly journalist that is trying to slander to sell himself !!! ;) That doesn't mean I wouldn't pass on the opportunity to meet him in a dark alley to take a couple of cheap pokes at him !!!-grin :) Ha Ha Ha !!! :P :P :P :P

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    Competitive Compensation

    Hourly:

    ◦Production Team Member:
    Start - $14.90/hr., Top-Out $23.50/hr.
    ◦Maintenance/Die Maintenance Team Member:
    Start – $20.80/hr., Top-Out $27.00/hr.
    ◦Rotating Shift Premium: $1.00/hr.
    ◦Bonus Program
    ◦Overtime Pay
    Salaried:

    ◦Base Pay
    ◦Annual Merit Increase Consideration
    ◦Discretionary Bonus Program
    ◦Overtime Pay (to eligible team members)
    Health & Welfare Benefits, Programs, and Services

    ◦Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental & Vision
    ◦Basic & Dependent Life
    ◦Accidental Death and Dismemberment
    ◦Short/Long-term Disability
    ◦401(k) Savings Retirement Plan
    ◦Health/Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
    ◦Paid Time Off (2 weeks+)
    ◦Paid Holidays (annual average of 14)
    ◦Basic Skills Education, Training, & Development
    ◦Tuition Reimbursement Program
    ◦Employee Assistance Program
    ◦Group Auto & Home Insurance (discount rates)
    ◦Team Wear (company-paid clothing)
    ◦Vehicle Purchase Program (Kia product discounts)
    ◦Safety Glasses and Shoes
    ◦Occupational Health Center (24-hour)
    ◦Team Member Service Awards
    ◦24-Hour Fire, Police & Security Protection (onsite)
    ◦Banking Center (onsite)
    ◦Full Cafeteria Service

    Way better than what Honda, pays not quite as good as Toyota, though !!! Hey I will admit it's better than what I originally heard !!! I don't have a problem with them building here just that they don't use enough american suppliers for parts !!! :sick: What's the domestic content in a Kia, ??? 5% last year when I checked !!! :cry:

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    I ask you this...How is Kia, able to pay that much and still make a profit on those tinaments ??? They are VCR's on wheels still despite the major improvements. Hyundai, however makes a quality automobile !!! Marsha7, would be very proud if he was still around to see those wages and benefits and would be railing me to move to Georgia !!! :P :P :P :P Ha Ha Ha Ha !!!

    On a positive note though I have a 2nd interview tomorrow 12-7 EST. for a entry-level management job for a major company !!! :) I'm not getting my hopes up too high though !!! I had a interviewand test yesterday (tuesday) and am playing the waiting game with that one.

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    dallasdude1, I wished more Texans, thought like you pal !!! ;););););)

    -Rocky
  • tlongtlong Member Posts: 5,194
    Kia, is too cheap to offer a retiree healthcare package.

    Very few companies in this country offer retiree health packages. Perhaps you have a silver spoon in your mouth? ;)
  • tlongtlong Member Posts: 5,194
    I ask you this...How is Kia, able to pay that much and still make a profit on those tinaments ???

    They don't have the huge bloated cost structure of GM. They also don't have 8 divisions and they don't rebadge the same CUV under four nameplates!

    I have a 2nd interview tomorrow 12-7 EST. for a entry-level management job for a major company !!!

    Seriously, good luck! If you can land that job in this economy it is a major accomplishment!
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,709
    apparently you haven't been reading your automotive news very much, at least concerning Kia. They have improved their quality immensely in the past 7 years and now are 12th in initial quality. Yes, that puts them above several automakers in quality.

    To say they are VCR's on wheels is putting your head in the sand. They are state-of-the-art and have been for years, bud. Pull your head out and smell the lower-priced gasoline, rockford.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • 62vetteefp62vetteefp Member Posts: 6,043
    "They have improved their quality immensely in the past 7 years and now are 12th in initial quality. Yes, that puts them above several automakers in quality. "

    Actually 18th but it is quite impressive and just below average.

    http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2008063

    For long term reliability they are 35th (3rd from last). But it does look like their latest models are doing much better. Great improvements.

    http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2008115

    Of course then again all the makes are pretty much about the same for quality today. The best is about 1.5 problems per car and the average is about 2.
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    Well I think that is one benefit most folks had back in the day that we've lost due to greedy insurance and pharmaceutical companies !!!! We need to get back to the days of employer paid healthcare and our government needs to make the plans affordable "not for profit" for employers so we can get people off of medicare !!! If we don't do employer paid then we need national healthcare like most other 1st world countries !!! It's not having a silver spoon in my mouth but I like many americans believe healthcare should be a right along with educating folks on ways to be healthy !!! I been smoke/dip free for going on 3 months with the aid of nicotine lozenges and am exercising once again !!!

    -Rocky
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    But why are they required to partner up with a Chinese auto mfr???

    Maybe this was a smart thing on behalf of the Chinese and maybe we should've done it too. The Chinese probably saw the foreign manufacturers coming in and killing off the native manufacturers. In order to prevent this from happening, they enacted a rule that a foreign maker must partner up with a native one. Maybe we should have GM-Toyota or Ford-Honda or Chrysler-Nissan here?
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    January 20th 2009 you will see positive change !!!

    You will see change. It WILL NOT be positive. Wall street has already shown they have NO confidence in Obama as President. This is the WORST post election market downturn in US history. You think it is bad now. When those providing the jobs feel it is better to get out while the getting is good, you will see some serious unemployment. The current 6.5% is as good as it was through most of the 1990s.

    Why would Honda want to stay in business with the UAW? It does not take a rocket scientist to see what restrictive Union rules have done to what used to be the greatest company in the World. WSJ I believe reported that GM has about 12,000 workers on full pay DOING NOTHING. Why are UAW workers any better than those that get a regular unemployment check? You make reference to it all the time. You think UAW workers are something special, a cut above the rest of US. I got news for you. They are no better than a guy in a hut in Africa. They just were lucky being born with a Silver UAW spoon in their mouth. The UAW members had better wake up and smell the coffee. Their days are numbered if they do not get competitive with the rest of the World. And your constant denigrating of people from other countries and parts of the USA does not endear the UAW to those of US that know the truth. The truth is an entry level assembler in the UAW is no better than one in a non union plant in TX, Alabama or China. And when Pelosi and Obama give 12 million illegal immigrants citizenship next year you will see them flocking to those entry level UAW jobs like flies on a burger. And if the Obama Pelosi plan for the illegals is anything like the Democrats treatment of the Cuban refugees in the 1960s, they WILL be given first shot at those jobs in the UAW. If it is still in existence. By the time the flood of newly made citizen workers ends you will think a job as a Walmart greeter is wonderful.
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    They don't have the huge bloated cost structure of GM. They also don't have 8 divisions and they don't rebadge the same CUV under four nameplates!

    Good points !!! But I think their is more to it than that !!! :)

    Seriously, good luck! If you can land that job in this economy it is a major accomplishment!

    I have been doing lots of praying. I had a interview a few days ago for an assistant managers position for a rent a center type place. Not my cup of tea but when you are desperate you take whatever you can get. The entry-level managers job would be doing promotions for various sports teams, resturants, etc....I personally would be training 4-6 months to manage their DirecTv, promotions at places like circuit city, best buy !!! He liked the fact that I have experience doing AT&T U-verse, sales and took charge to resolve customer service issues after the sale to help my clients. So having experience in cable type television was a big plus even though I would be jumping sides to promote Satellite Television, instead of cable !!! ;) I also have a working knowledge of DirecTv, because my family were one of the first people in Michigan, to have it and the fact that GM, use to own them I quickly became very fond of the product !!! ;)

    So thanks I will need all the luck I can get. Have a 2nd interview from 12-7 and probably will have writers cramp by the end of the day as I was told I'd be taking notes !!! ;)

    -Rocky
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    iluv, no offense pal, they are I agree better but instead of being a VCR, they might be more like a DVD, player on wheels and not HD-DVD or Bluray !!!! :P

    They might of baught and paid for some good PR, to win their quality awards but their interiors and body panels aren't up to snuff. To compare it to a GM, car the only thing that comes to mind is perhaps a stripped Cobalt, which is pretty stark !!! Hyundai, is the only South Korean, car that has some quality IMHO !!! The Genesis, is a nice automobile but it isn't quite as cheap as they were promising !!! I'd rather buy a AWD Lincoln MKS, for the same money and it's union-made and has domestic content !!! ;)

    -Rocky
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Yeah, and crap jobs like Circuit City are in abundance. I do the inventory for Best Buy. Right before the inventory, they make the Best Buy employees do some stupid "pep rally" and cheer. How humiliating! I'm surprised they aren't too malnourished and weak to do the cheer as I make a lot more counting their stock than they do selling it. Heck, I often have store employees approach me and ask about employment with the inventory company. The inventory job is a great part-time thing, but I wouldn't willingly do it full time. The hours can be long and it's tedious. Sad thing is that things have even been changing, (for the worse) there and I'm thinking about hanging up my auditing machine.
  • rockyleerockylee Member Posts: 14,017
    I don't think we need to go that far even though I wished that would of happened !!! ;)

    If they would implement tariffs on all imported cars and parts and address the currency manipulation done by the Asians, american business would prosper once again. I also believe strongly in enforcing our anti-trust laws so small business the creators of new things could prosper and be given a chance to grow their companies instead of being constantly squashed and their new products killed !!!

    -Rocky
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