UAW

Business - Campaign Finance - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Detroit - Economy/Finances - Elections - Government - Jobs - Liberals - UAW - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

The UAW’s Waning Days?

September 25, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Reuters has a very interesting article detailing the fall of the United Auto Workers (UAW) in the modern era. It is a long article, but if you are interested in the way the UAW intends to keep itself relevant to the auto industry on into the future, it is worth the read.

It is also a good article if you want a glimpse of the possible end to the UAW. Its deep financial troubles, its steady loss of members and plants to represent, and its powerlessness to spread its cancer to other auto makers in the south is an ominous warning that the UAW might be headed for the dust bin of history.

Let’s not start popping champagne corks yet, though. We should not count the UAW out, of course, as it is still very powerful. But things are not looking good for the once supremely powerful union.
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The UAW’s Waning Days?”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Detroit - Economy/Finances - Government - Jobs - Liberals - Pensions - Policy - President - Regulation - Taxes - UAW - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Contrary to Claim, White House Did Control GM’s Daily Business And Cut Workers Pay?

June 24, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

When Barack Obama threw millions of our tax dollars at General Motors to “save it,” the administration claimed that it would not involve itself in the “day-to-day management” of the venerable car company. New emails obtained by The Daily Caller, however, casts doubt on this claim.

In fact, as Matthew Boyle reports, the emails “reveal that Treasury officials were involved in decision-making that led to more than 20,000 non-union workers losing their pensions.”

It turns out that Treasurer Secretary Timothy Geithner pressured GM, widely derided as Government Motors, to cut the pensions for the salaried, non-union employees at Delphi, a company owned by GM.
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Contrary to Claim, White House Did Control GM’s Daily Business And Cut Workers Pay?”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Ethics - Government - Humor - Liberals - President - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Government Motor’s New Car: The GM WeeKann

April 19, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Since Barack Obama has taken over General Motors, the newly installed Obama-owned executives have come up with a way to save the floundering auto giant. They’ve come up with a new car model that they are absolutely sure will save the company.

This new car has not been designed by professionals but has been created by focus group and with close consultation with Obama’s friends in the green sector, the labor sector, and his other constituents.

So, without further ado here are the features of the new GM WeeKann…
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Government Motor’s New Car: The GM WeeKann”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Liberals - Republicans - Stimulus - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Auto Recall: When The Wheels Come Off Government Motors… Literally

April 15, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

GM, Obama’s favorite federally owned car company, was thrilled to report in March that sales figures for the Chevy Cruze helped put the company on the fast track to success but it wasn’t the best news when the wheels began to literally fall off the Cruze causing a recall of GM’s “success” story.

As we will remember, last November Obama proclaimed GM a great success story, one that justified his raging fever for bailouts. This March GM buttressed Obama’s glowing account by reporting rosy sales figures in which the Chevy Cruze made a big appearance. Then GM reported that the Cruze and the Malibu accounted for “98,950 sales – roughly one of every four Chevrolets sold in the first quarter.”

But let’s not break out the champagne too soon because only weeks after GM celebrated sales of the Cruze, at least one steering wheel popped off in transit. It’s a literal case of the wheels coming off GMs success story.
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Auto Recall: When The Wheels Come Off Government Motors… Literally”

Barack Obama - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Cities - Democrats/Leftists - Detroit - Economy/Finances - Government - Liberals - President - Stimulus - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Obama Lackeys Running GM Now Want US to Pay Out for Rebates

March 30, 2011 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

A few days ago I wrote about how the Obama administration has stuffed the upper echelons of management at General Motors with government lackeys who have no experience in the auto industry and how Obama’s government will lead GM to ultimate failure. Today we see yet one more step toward GMs ruin with government plans for subsidies that the taxpayers will end up paying for.

The Washington Times’ Kerry Picket reports that some Democrats and the geniuses Obama put at the top of GM, much derided as “Government Motors,” are proposing that taxpayers be tapped to foot the bill for tax credits and rebates for customers that buy the failed Chevy Volt.

Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow has proposed legislation known as the Charging America Forward Act (S.298) that will give federal cash rebates of $7,500 to anyone that buys the Chevy Volt.

The Department of Energy claims that this rebate program idea is somehow just like the Cash For Clunkers program. But this couldn’t be more different.
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Obama Lackeys Running GM Now Want US to Pay Out for Rebates”

Banks - Budget - Business - Capitalism - Cities - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Detroit - Economy/Finances - Financial Reform - Government - Liberals - President - Stimulus - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Government Motors: The Coming General Motors Failure Will Be At Taxpayer’s Expense

March 24, 2011 by 5 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Obama Administration has proclaimed TARP and the subsequent bailout for General Motors a great success. US Treasury Deputy Timothy Massad recently said, “Where we are today shows that the program, by any reasonably objective measure, was a success.” But is GM, now much derided as “Government Motors” the success that Obama says it is? Facts don’t argue in Obama’s favor.

First of all, we must dispense with the whole idea that a benevolent Obama played sugar daddy to “save” GM and did so without too much meddling with the company. Despite the claims that it is “back” and back in private hands, We The People still own 33% of GM. But government ownership is deeper than the a mere calculated percentage. You see, GM’s Board and its CEO were all placed in their positions by Obama, his czars and advisers. Worse, none of them have any experience at all in the auto industry.

Obama’s GM CEO, Dan Akerson, is not a “car guy” — as he himself admitted. Akerson’s experience is as a Wall Street hedge fund operator not an auto industry exec. He was also a player at the politically connected Carlyle Group and was the firm’s Managing Director.
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Government Motors: The Coming General Motors Failure Will Be At Taxpayer’s Expense”

Anti-Americanism - Business - Capitalism - Jobs - Liberals - Michigan - Society/Culture - UAW - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Union Boss: Yeah We’ll Talk, But Go Our Way or You’re a ‘Human Rights Violator’

January 14, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

As President Obama clucks his tongue at America for “pointing fingers” and “assigning blame” in our political debate, and as his friends on the far left ignore him and point their fingers and assign blame to the Republicans, Tea Partiers, and Sarah Palin, at least one union chief in Detroit is doing his part to add to the political vitriol by charging anyone that disagrees with him with being a “human rights violator.”

Oh, he’s all about sitting down at the table and talking, he claims. Yet, United Auto Workers President Bob King is ready to finger point and accuse people of a vile abuse of basic human rights if they don’t bend over and take it up the tailpipe courtesy of those greedy, profligate unions.

For Crain’s Detroit David Barkholz reports that the UAW chief is all prepared for negotiations with the Big Three auto makers this year, but his tone makes it pretty clear that his idea of negotiations is his way or the highway. His vitriol is already flowing before the first negotiation session begins.
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Union Boss: Yeah We’ll Talk, But Go Our Way or You’re a ‘Human Rights Violator’”

Budget - Business - Capitalism - Economy/Finances - Free Trade - Indiana - Jobs - UAW - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

More Union Resistance in Auto Industry

October 1, 2010 by 1 Comment

– By Warner Todd Huston

Here’s the scenario: The economy is in the worst shape it has been in for a generation. Your industry is in serious financial distress and people in your business are losing jobs all over the country. You happen to be working, but your union is negotiating a new contract that will affect a buyer of your plant, a buyer that might be able to keep everyone working. What do you do? Make serious efforts to negotiate or reject all offers?

If you are the UAW you cut your nose off to spite your face, apparently. At least that seems to be the case in Indianapolis, Indiana where the UAW has rejected concessions in a labor dispute at the GM plant there.

Even worse, the union recalcitrance is causing a buyer of the plant to back out putting everyone’s jobs in jeopardy.
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More Union Resistance in Auto Industry”

Barack Obama - Business - Capitalism - Economy/Finances - Government - Jobs - Liberals - President - Stimulus - UAW - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Pot Smoking Gov’t Motors Car Builders Actually Fired

September 27, 2010 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Monday Government Motors (GM) took a hard line against the drunken, pot smoking union members that became the unwitting star of a news expose in Detroit last week firing the partiers.

All 13 employees were fired after being shown on WJBK, Fox 2 News Detroit drinking and smoking pot in a local park on their lunch break.

This answers the question of just how much protection the union would be able to afford the employees at least initially. Many assumed that they’d get the typical union slap on the wrist, maybe a suspension, but be back to work like normal soon enough.

No word if the employees will appeal this decision.

In a statement released today, Chrysler said:

“It is unfortunate that the actions of a few people have called into question the reputation of more than 51,000 very proud, hard-working Chrysler Group employees, grateful that the American and Canadian taxpayers gave us a second chance,” they said. “We take that responsibility very seriously and will work to restore the public’s faith.”

The union has yet to address this newest development.

If Chysler thinks the actions of these 13 have been unfortunate enough to call into question the reputation of the whole kit and kaboodle, I wonder what they think of what Obama has done to them?
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Pot Smoking Gov’t Motors Car Builders Actually Fired”

Business - Capitalism - Economy/Finances - Environment - Jobs - Liberals - Spain - Taxes - UAW - Uncategorized - Warner Todd Huston

UAW Joins Push For ‘Green Jobs’

August 26, 2010 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

The United Auto Workers has announced that it will join a coalition of unions called the BlueGreen Alliance in an effort to push “green jobs.”

I was amused by what BlueGreen Alliance founder Leo Gerard said of this addition to the group.

“The American auto industry is poised to lead the world in the production of cleaner, more fuel-efficient cars and advanced vehicle technologies,” said Leo W. Gerard, International President of the United Steelworkers, a founder of the BlueGreen Alliance. “The members of UAW, working people who make America’s vehicles, are a welcome addition to our effort to create millions of good jobs while protecting the environment for future generations.”

Notice how he lumps his union pals in with those creating those new “advanced vehicle technologies.” The unions don’t have as much to do with creating that new technology as it does in merely building them after they’ve been designed. He takes a bit more credit than he deserves.

Still, the main problem with this alliance isn’t that they are taking too much credit for other people’s work, it’s that the idea of “green jobs” is a farce in the first place.
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UAW Joins Push For ‘Green Jobs’”

Barack Obama - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Jobs - Liberals - President - Society/Culture - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Why not fire UAW union Chief too?

April 1, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

From Fox…

In forcing the resignation of General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner, President Obama said he was seeking a fresh start, a “new vision and new direction,” for the beleaguered automaker.

But some critics are questioning why the president of the United Auto Workers union didn’t meet the same fate, to signal a fresh start on the other side of the bargaining table.

Even though UAW President Ron Gettelfinger argues that his workers have made significant concessions in recent years, critics say Gettelfinger should have gone the way of Wagoner — whose ouster could be seen as the final judgment for GM’s pursuit of gas-guzzling SUVs at a time when foreign manufacturers were winning over their customers with fuel-efficient cars.

Excellent question! Why is union thug Gettlefenagler allowed to keep his job? After all, he is just a guilty for the destruction of GM as Wagoner is!

Without question unions are one of the bigger parts of the problem in Detroit. So why is Barry O not doing the same to Guiltleflinger as he is to Wagoner? Why are we the people firing CEOs but not union chiefs that are responsible for their own part of the destruction of the business?

Ah, but we KNOW the answer there, don’t we? Obama will NEVER hold his pals in unions accountable for their criminal destruction of the American economy. It’s only those eeeevil capitalists at fault, you see? Barry will never accept fault on behalf of government incompetence and union thuggery.

Must be nice to have a powerful apologist in the White House, eh? Too bad the taxpayers don’t have anyone in the White House that cares about them.

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Why not fire UAW union Chief too?”

00Publius Contributor - Barack Obama - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - GOP - Jobs - Liberals - Media Bias - News - Race - Republicans - Socialism - Society/Culture - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Now You’re a Racist if you Don’t Support Unions?

February 12, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Union shill Ron Gettelfinger wants you to know that if you don’t support unions you are a racist. That’s right. If you don’t want the undemocratic card check bill to pass Congress you are exactly like the negro hanging, civil rights denying, Jim Crow enforcers of the 1950s.

In one of the most disgusting examples of moral equivalence I’ve seen for a long time — at least one not appearing on such low-born sites such as the DailyKos or Huffington Post — Gettelfinger committed the anti-intellectual outrage of positing that hanging black men in the 1950’s is “just like” voting against a bill that would take away the right of prospective union members to be allowed to vote their conscience in secret as all votes in a democracy are traditionally cast.

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00Publius Contributor - Business - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Education - Jobs - News - Society/Culture - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

UAW Floating ‘Phantom Employees’ and Avoiding Property Taxes At Luxury Golf Course?

January 5, 2009 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Some new tough questions are being asked about Black Lake Golf Club, the luxury golf course owned by the United Auto Workers union in Cheboygan County, Michigan. Along with the multi-million dollar golf resort, the UAW also funds what it calls an “education center” with the funding connected to the resort.

As the UAW cried that it needed a bailout from Congress, its ownership of this luxury resort was revealed to the chagrin of union employees everywhere. Millions of dollars of union member’s dues money have been pumped into this project over the years, but now there are questions being raised as to just where large portions of this funding is disappearing to.

Research by Laborpains.org and Zarko Research and Consulting is raising several vexing questions of the UAW’s resort golf project. Large amounts of money seems to be unaccounted for and it even seems to show that pension benefits are being paid to “shadow employees” that do not seem to exist.

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00Publius Contributor - Business - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Jobs - News - Society/Culture - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

UAW Union Bosses Abusing Positions for Pay

December 28, 2008 by 3 Comments

– By Warner Todd Huston

TV News 4 in Detroit did an excellent expose on a few union bosses that routinely rip off the unions and the auto makers they work for with fake time cards and paid for but unworked overtime pay.

One of the bosses, Ron Seroka, a union job security officer, takes off half a day nearly everyday to go home to lounge around the house while he is on the clock. Seroka punches in at the plant at 6AM every single day and is home by 11:30 AM for some nice leisure time at home. Yet he gets a steady 10 hours pay every single day despite the fact that he is rarely at work.

Seroka’s union boss is even worse. Union chairman Jim Modzelewski buys beer on a daily basis while on the clock and clocks himself in for overtime pay hours before he even wakes up to go into the plant. TV 4 found that after he punches in, he typically leaves for a beer run mere hours later. Again, all this is on a daily basis. He is also paid overtime pay on a daily basis as he sits home drinking his daily beer. With over 2,500 hours of overtime, Modzelewski made a six-figure salary last year. TV 4 also discovered that Modzelewski even played in a bowling tournament while on the clock — as at overtime pay, too!

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