Comments on: American Axle moves to hire strikebreakers http://theunionnews.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/american-axle-moves-to-hire-strikebreakers/ Getting the Truth Out There Mon, 04 May 2009 01:16:12 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Jim Bauer http://theunionnews.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/american-axle-moves-to-hire-strikebreakers/#comment-204 Jim Bauer Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:22:00 +0000 http://theunionnews.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/american-axle-moves-to-hire-strikebreakers/#comment-204 And now we have the latest news that American Axle has threatened to close its plants here in the States should the unions continue their strike. Shameful. I just hope this situation isn't going to become another Delphi Automotive where they fired the workers and replaced them with temporary workers at half the wages - and there were 1200 employees. And now we have the latest news that American Axle has threatened to close its plants here in the States should the unions continue their strike. Shameful. I just hope this situation isn’t going to become another Delphi Automotive where they fired the workers and replaced them with temporary workers at half the wages – and there were 1200 employees.

]]> By: Joe638NYC http://theunionnews.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/american-axle-moves-to-hire-strikebreakers/#comment-198 Joe638NYC Sun, 13 Apr 2008 01:32:00 +0000 http://theunionnews.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/american-axle-moves-to-hire-strikebreakers/#comment-198 Thank you Jim, you explain the CEO/worker relationship very well. Great comment. <br/><br/>I have recently been trying to put the comparison of worker wage in lowest bidding countries Vs. the American standard wages into the right terms, I ran the Bangladesh story, but somehow it just doesn't end up as complete as the comment you just posted. Should have asked you to write it :)<br/><br/>Thanks again,<br/>Joe Thank you Jim, you explain the CEO/worker relationship very well. Great comment.

I have recently been trying to put the comparison of worker wage in lowest bidding countries Vs. the American standard wages into the right terms, I ran the Bangladesh story, but somehow it just doesn’t end up as complete as the comment you just posted. Should have asked you to write it :)

Thanks again,
Joe

]]> By: Jim Bauer http://theunionnews.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/american-axle-moves-to-hire-strikebreakers/#comment-197 Jim Bauer Sat, 12 Apr 2008 23:11:00 +0000 http://theunionnews.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/american-axle-moves-to-hire-strikebreakers/#comment-197 Companies love to use the argument that labor costs are too high, pension benefits are a burden to fund, maintain and administer, medical insurance costs are continually on the rise...the list goes on. But workers <em>need</em> these important benefits and a liveable wage in order to support their families. This is what I think many of these CEOs in corporate America are failing to understand; much of this unrest by the workers is due to top executives only recognizing the costs of the <em>bottom</em> tier of their workforce. The guys working on the assembly lines. The CEOs want to make their cuts at the expense of the OTHER employees (yes, CEOs are employees), rather than themselves. The truth is that these guys are millionaires. If you ask me, millionaires do not need pensions. They've made more than enough money to live very comfortably for the rest of their lives. They also can afford to pay for their own private medical insurance. They do not need to have their tax expenses paid for them (like when they get those big bonuses that will have complex and sometimes expensive tax consequences). Again, the list goes on. So why <em>are</em> they (the companies) paying for this stuff, especially in a time when cost appears to be a fundamental reason for denying the union's demands, and frankly the worker's needs? If companies like Axle are truly interested in lowering costs, why not start by looking into the compensation packages and over the top benefits of the guys making all of the decisions? A guy doesn't mind conceding a few things, but I don't think a guy wants to hear anything about rising costs when its coming from a millionaire who will not feel even 1/10th of the pain the worker will feel when his wages and benefits are hacked away at. I applaud the union for their resolve in this fight. Companies love to use the argument that labor costs are too high, pension benefits are a burden to fund, maintain and administer, medical insurance costs are continually on the rise…the list goes on. But workers need these important benefits and a liveable wage in order to support their families. This is what I think many of these CEOs in corporate America are failing to understand; much of this unrest by the workers is due to top executives only recognizing the costs of the bottom tier of their workforce. The guys working on the assembly lines. The CEOs want to make their cuts at the expense of the OTHER employees (yes, CEOs are employees), rather than themselves. The truth is that these guys are millionaires. If you ask me, millionaires do not need pensions. They’ve made more than enough money to live very comfortably for the rest of their lives. They also can afford to pay for their own private medical insurance. They do not need to have their tax expenses paid for them (like when they get those big bonuses that will have complex and sometimes expensive tax consequences). Again, the list goes on. So why are they (the companies) paying for this stuff, especially in a time when cost appears to be a fundamental reason for denying the union’s demands, and frankly the worker’s needs? If companies like Axle are truly interested in lowering costs, why not start by looking into the compensation packages and over the top benefits of the guys making all of the decisions? A guy doesn’t mind conceding a few things, but I don’t think a guy wants to hear anything about rising costs when its coming from a millionaire who will not feel even 1/10th of the pain the worker will feel when his wages and benefits are hacked away at. I applaud the union for their resolve in this fight.

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