Unions and Right to Work

[Wiseone]

I read an interesting article in the August 3rd edition of The Economist, because magazines do take that long to reach me, and it was about the differences between the auto factories in the Southern US vs those in the North, and how the UAW (United Auto Workers) union is attempting to step into these Southern factories. Its a great article and highlights some of the dangers of unions having too much control, for example while GM based in Detriot pays roughly the same as a VW based in TN in pay for every worker, GM also pays 10 retired workers a pension for every one active worker still at the factory.

Carmakers and unions: Let

There's no denying that at least in this case that any auto-maker looking to set up shop in the US would choose a right-to-work state over one that isn't.

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

Vw is seriously considering bringing in the UAW to its plant to represent workers

 

[jimbo]

Vw is seriously considering bringing in the UAW to its plant to represent workers

Let me know when that happens.

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

Let me know when that happens.

Vw, the UAW, and vw workers currently are discussing it. Vw wants a workers council at the plant and the UAW is one way of bringing it about. Remember that German car companys are heavily u.nionized and German unions have more power then US ones. (Seats on the board of directors, input on the future of the company)

 

[Thrilla]

Vw is seriously considering bringing in the UAW to its plant to represent workers

kinda sorta... they won't be representing them in the American model, but in the German model... a works council.

the primary difference is that these councils do not negotiate wages and benefits... and are cooperative instead of antagonistic.

personanlly ,I doubt UAW could operate under such model for very long
as an aside, allegedly, the UAW is up t some shenanigans regarding the authorization cards.. there's been a couple of formal complaints by VW workers to the NLRB

 

[CalGun]

People should be free to join if they want, and not join if the want. It's suppose to be a free country.

 

[vvx]

Its a great article and highlights some of the dangers of unions having too much control, for example while GM based in Detriot pays roughly the same as a VW based in TN in pay for every worker, GM also pays 10 retired workers a pension for every one active worker still at the factory.

In that example, it's really the pension not the union that's the issue. Yes, GM may have offered pensions in union negotiations or something like that. There's companies that offered pensions for non-union employees as well though. My father held a non-union job at Boeing and received a pension after retirement. I don't believe Boeing offers new employees that benefit any more. Pensions end up being pretty costly and employment with a company tends to be a lot shorter now than in the boomer's days. You don't get a job after college and expect to work at the same company til retirement.

If VW in TN does bring in the UAW it won't necessarily cause the same issues. It's a question of what VW is willing to give in on union negotiations.

Ultimately I think pensions are pretty much gone for new workers today.

 

[jimbo]

Vw, the UAW, and vw workers currently are discussing it. Vw wants a workers council at the plant and the UAW is one way of bringing it about. Remember that German car companys are heavily u.nionized and German unions have more power then US ones. (Seats on the board of directors, input on the future of the company)

If VW wants to deal with a union, that is their business. I will be surprised if it happens. As long as I am not forced to use a someone elses negotiating agent to keep a job, I'm fine with it.

 

[vvx]

If VW wants to deal with a union, that is their business. I will be surprised if it happens. As long as I am not forced to use a someone elses negotiating agent to keep a job, I'm fine with it.

Well we all should agree that VW should have the freedom to choose whether it wants to require people deal with a union or with VW directly. Nobody is forced to take a job with VW after all.

 

[fmw]

Well we all should agree that VW should have the freedom to choose whether it wants to require people deal with a union or with VW directly. Nobody is forced to take a job with VW after all.

Of course. But the problem is that in non-right-to-work states, it isn't the company that decides who should and should not join the union. It is the law decides.

 

[BmanMcfly]

Just wait till the only jobs in car manufacture are the technicians ensuring the robots are functioning properly... See how much of a right to work there is when the jobs of 50 line workers are performed by machines maintained by 2 shifts of techs.

 

[Drake McHugh]

I read an interesting article in the August 3rd edition of The Economist, because magazines do take that long to reach me, and it was about the differences between the auto factories in the Southern US vs those in the North, and how the UAW (United Auto Workers) union is attempting to step into these Southern factories. Its a great article and highlights some of the dangers of unions having too much control, for example while GM based in Detriot pays roughly the same as a VW based in TN in pay for every worker, GM also pays 10 retired workers a pension for every one active worker still at the factory.

Carmakers and unions: Let

There's no denying that at least in this case that any auto-maker looking to set up shop in the US would choose a right-to-work state over one that isn't.

Many of us here in Wisconsin are clamoring for right to work. Unfortunately,it probably won't happen as too many Rino's are gun shy after other labor confrontations.

 

[Wiseone]

Just wait till the only jobs in car manufacture are the technicians ensuring the robots are functioning properly... See how much of a right to work there is when the jobs of 50 line workers are performed by machines maintained by 2 shifts of techs.

Those same workers will also be out of a job when their employer goes bankrupt because he can't compete with other producers that use the robots, a smart union in that case would see the writing on the wall and work to implement job-retraining, maybe out of the strike funds. If they plant their feet on the ground and refuse to realize that times changes and demand for particular skill sets change along with it, I mean the demand for blacksmiths who can make a horse-shoe has gone down quite a bit as the economy has evolved, they are just going to end up left behind.