Re: [FWDLK] BIG THREE ARE FAILING

[Bill Watson <wwatson6@xxxxxxx>]

Got news for you.  When Ford, GM or Chrysler moves an assembly plant to 
Canada, you are right - the unions do not follow them here.

Reason?  THE UNIONS ARE ALREADY HERE!!   And have been for seventy years!

All GM, Ford and Chrysler plants in Canada are unionized and are part of the 
Canadian Auto Workers Union.  The CAW was once part of the UAW but they 
broke away.

The problem with the steel companies was not the unions.  It was the refusal 
of American steel companies to invest in more modern plants and procedures.

And don't forget all union contracts have TWO sets of signatures on them - 
union and management.  Unions got as strong as they have because management 
signed the agreements that gave them the power.   Yes, if they did not, the 
union would strike.  But there are times when standing firm is needed.  Auto 
makers did it in the late 1940's, except Studebaker and Kaiser-Frazer, to 
keep labour costs from spiralling upward.

A unionized worker can be dismissed.  But you have to follow the rules to 
the letter.  Just like any contract, you have to make sure your "i"s are 
dotted and the "t"s crossed.

And contrary to what many believe, especially in Ohio, over a hundred 
thousand manufacturing jobs have been lost in Ontario over the past couple 
of years.   Both Ford and GM have been closing plants in Canada, including 
GM's plant rated #1 for quality production, and Sterling Trucks is closing 
its St.Thomas plant sometime this year.  We have seen our jobs heading south 
to Mexico and China just as Americans have.   MCI moved its production to 
Mexico from Winnipeg and built buses so poorly Greyhound this year decided 
to purchase buses from Prevost.

Bill
Vancouver, BC


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Archangel1390@xxxxxxx
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 11:56 PM
Subject: [FWDLK] BIG THREE ARE FAILING



There is a lot of reasons the big three are failing. But one of the biggest 
is the unions. Now don't get me wrong, I am 110 % for unions and all the 
good they do for workers but in our country America, we all know too much 
power corrupts.
  Toyota does not have a union, that is right, no union at all. Make 
repeated mistakes on the assembly line and you are let go. (fired)
   The big three could never do that. The lazy worker would go to his union 
representative and say " I paid my dues, now defend me". That is not how the 
system is suppose to work. Some people will defend the lazy worker and give 
you a big song and dance ----------until they buy one of the cars the lazy 
workers help put together and it give them problems. Then they change their 
tune, and say hey, that is not fair to me to get a car that has problems.

  Yes, it is very much that simple. That is why the big three goes to 
Canada and Mexico to assemble cars. The union does not follow them there. 
Once again I believe in unions but you can not abuse the power. Look what 
happen to the great unions that got what they wanted from our Steel 
companies.!!!!!!!!

                     Ron Swartley

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