I am always truly disappointed when I see people who style themselves as progressives attack the UAW as an evil, evil interest group using the same old schtick blaming the decline of the US auto industry about "creative destruction" that could as easily have come from a right-wing thinktank as someone who wants to be a leader of a progressive movement. Let me pick out the statement in particular that bothers me.
For years, Democrats outside of Michigan tried to coax Detroit into making more fuel efficient vehicles. The automakers, the autoworker unions, Republicans, and Michigan Democrats all fought those efforts tooth and nail. Successfully.
At the same time as Markos is demonizing the hardworking men and women of the UAW as complicit in their own hardship, those same men and women get no praise for the time they put on the strike line to force force GM to make commitments to build more fuel efficient vehicles in the USA.
I just read Jason Furman's 2005 piece on Wal-mart, as well as some of his other 'insights' on the wonders of free market globalization. I think it's time we clarify this 'Change' thing.
UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said the union's International Executive Board voted unanimously to endorse Obama and noted "a historic primary campaign which activated and mobilized millions of voters."
"On every issue that counts, we can count on Barack Obama to stand with our members, our families and our communities," Gettelfinger said. "He has pledged to rebuild America's manufacturing base and to assist the auto industry as we retool toward a cleaner, more modern transportation system."
Gettelfinger also said in the union's endorsement that Obama supports workers' rights to organize, will push to make health care affordable and available to everyone and "understands the need to change our trade policies so that U.S. workers and U.S. companies can compete fairly in the global economy."
He has inspired our country with a positive vision for a better America -- and with concrete plans to turn that vision into reality.
...
On every issue that counts, we can count on Barack Obama to stand with our members, our families and our communities. He has pledged to rebuild America's manufacturing base and to assist the auto industry as we re-tool toward a cleaner, more modern transportation system. "Sen. Obama supports free choice in the workplace; he will fight to deliver quality, affordable health care to every American; and he understands the need to change our trade policies so that U.S. workers and U.S. companies can compete fairly in the global economy.
You shouldn't be if you have any sense of what's going on in the auto industry and the economy.
General Motors will phase out the Janesville operation over the next year or so, eliminating about 2600 jobs in the process. Once the largest employer in Janesville, the plant dates back to 1919. Most recently the plant has been making SUVs and pickups. With skyrocketing gasoline prices, those are not exactly flying out of the showroom these days.
Obama made his first public comments about the American Axle strike last Thursday in Macomb and then, suddenly, there’s an agreement. I highly recommend seeing the video and listening to what he says about American Manufacturing jobs:
Let's take a look at the "agreement" after the bump...
There is a tentative agreement between AAM and UAW, not many details as of yet. Buffalo Cheektowaga facility to stay open, Tonawanda Forge to close, don't know much more yet, details will be released Sunday morning. WSBT DTV reports "A spokesperson who was briefed on the agreement says the auto part supplier has boosted its wage offer and increased payments it will give workers to take a wage cut."
Not much else is known, there is a running news feed of the American Axle strike in the original story at Joe's Union Review, I'm sorry I cant get it to work here
American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. boosted its wage offer and increased the payments it will give workers to take a wage cut as part of a tentative agreement that could settle an 11-week strike by the United Auto Workers union, a person briefed on the deal said Saturday.
General Motors said Thursday that it had agreed to give as much as $200 million to a parts supplier, American Axle and Manufacturing, to help settle a 10-week strike that has reduced or halted production at 32 G.M. factories.
Way to step up GM, way to freaking step up!! More from the New York Times
Actually it's the "Gang of Four", Carl Levin, U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (mother of Mayor Kwame), UAW President Ron Gettelfinger, DNC member Debbie Dingell (wife of Rep. Big Bad John) suggest splitting the difference between the Obama and Clinton camps. Considering the delegate math, this is actually a slight win for Obama, as they can be seen as generous. A pure total win would have been 50-50.
Yesterday, families and strikers mounted a rally in Detroit to highlight American Axle's desire to screw their workers while continuing to reap huge profits and dishing out million dollar bonuses to CEO and other executives.
And despite more than 37,000 workers off their jobs, 3650 American Axle Workers on strike, more than 30 plants shut AND 3 different countries affected, we still have nothing From Obama, Clinton and Mr. No-Right-To-Work-tax-your-benefits-anti-EFCA-McSame.
Not a F U C K I N G Word. Not one!
So, the union and other allies, families and friends, put together a rally. And then things went horribly bad.
American Axle and the UAW are back to talking, 7 weeks after the strike began, and according to the AP, it might mean an end is finally in sight:
The United Auto Workers has given American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. a proposal dealing with economic issues, a local union official said Wednesday as formal negotiations aimed at ending a six-week strike resumed.
A union leader could not give details of the proposal.
"We're just waiting for a response," said Adrian King, who leads a local at the company's Detroit manufacturing complex and sits on the bargaining committee.
Here's a story from the Cincinnatti Enquirer about a worker who profits because of his company's efforts to keep unions out. He doesn't want to pay a cent for union benefits since Toyota is already forced by the competition to match union wages. He runs an anti-union website, which I'm sure doesn't hurt his chances to get promotions and other perks from Toyota.
Not every American is as fortunate as this guy, who has his bosses paying him and his co-workers better simply to make unions less attractive. Other industries like high-tech which have never had strong unions don't have the same luxuries like the Dilberts at IBM.
Toyota runs best without UAW backseat driver PETER BRONSON
"The media tries to portray it like it's big, bad Toyota preventing the union," Howard recently said after he finished a shift painting cars. "No, it's people like me."
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I wanted to take a moment today to sincerely thank all who have devoted their time and energy helping to get John elected, and to wish them all a wonderful new year!
Another hectic week, but many new holiday endorsements to report!
On Veteran's Day my colleagues and I at Blogging for Michigan kicked off a project named Blogging for Michigan Troop Care. We're taking up a collection so we can send care packages to troops currently stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The effort continues through tomorrow night.
Can you make a donation? If you have an extra $5, $10, or $20 in your wallet tonight, please help us buy more goods for troops. We have a PayPal account set up to accept your donation. (Link updated now. Thanks to Christine.) Our goal is $5000. As of now, we have raised about $3400.
In a time when the American labor movement has taken more than its share of beatings on issues like wages and benefits, pensions, health care and the right to organize the recent fights (or near fights) by the autoworkers could have gone a long way toward reversing those trends. Now it looks like that once proud union is on the ropes. Here are a few comments made in order to find a way forward.
