The UAW, both foreign and domestic

Bob King, President of the United Auto Workers, has announced a new strategy to increase members. On the “foreign” side he has decided that it is neigh onto time that Americans in this country making Nissans, or Hondas or Mercedes join the union.  Never mind that all attempts to unionize these workers in the past have failed (mostly because pay at these plants is on par with those of unionized plants), to Mr. King it will now be full steam ahead.

Early this year he sent a set of “rules” to each foreign manufacturer, and, if the company didn’t agree,

[t]he UAW, he said, would hold demonstrations at the corporate headquarters of these companies outside the U.S. as well as at their U.S. plants. In addition, it would picket their dealerships in the U.S. and abroad, and sports events globally that are sponsored by the car companies.

When that demand basically fell on deaf ears, Mr. King is now huddling with the UAW leadership to decide which foreign manufacturer should be the  “target” of his protests.  And, yes, it’s ok for the UAW to use that word because, well, they are a union.

So, it matters not to Mr. King that your spouse (who wouldn’t be unionized in any event), but happens to sell cars, for example, at your local Honda dealership will lose much needed income during these protests. It’s all about the union.

UAW President Bob King said he thought a target would have already emerged by now… 

We’ll keep you posted on that emerging target.

Moving on to the domestic front, it seems that US auto manufacturers have actually turned a profit this past fiscal year.  And, the big three’s union contracts expire this year. To that, Mr King says,

Where we’ve given concessions, we’re going to try to get as many of those back as we possibly can.
Would those be the same concessions that kept Ford afloat, made it somewhat easier for the American public to swallow the GM/Chrysler government bailouts, and, enabled those companies to actually turn a profit?

Here’s an idea, Mr. King…any profits made by GM and Chrysler must first be used to pay back the American taxpayer in full.  Then you can claw back whatever concessions you want.

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SoundOffSister

The Sound Off Sister was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and special trial attorney for the Department of Justice, Criminal Division; a partner in the Florida law firm of Shutts & Bowen, and an adjunct professor at the University of Miami, School of Law. The Sound Off Sister offers frequent commentary concerning legislation making its way through Congress, including the health reform legislation passed in early 2010.

13 Comments

  1. sammy22 on March 27, 2011 at 1:53 pm

    Didn't GM already pay back? Or maybe it should have been allowed to go belly-up, as often suggested on this blog.



    • SoundOffSister on March 27, 2011 at 3:12 pm

      No,Sammy, GM hasn't already paid back.  You and I and every other taxpayer "loaned" GM $49.5 billion.  GM repaid $9.5 billion. When GM held it's IPO stock offering in November, 2010, the government sold some 412 million shares of what we got for this "loan", at $34 per share.  If my math is correct that IPO repaid you and I $14 billion.  So you and I, and every other person reading this comment is still owed some $26 billion.



    • Dimsdale on March 27, 2011 at 3:23 pm

      I think reorganization would have been the real result, not going "belly up".  Øbama was more concerned with paying off the unions than properly saving the company.



  2. Eric on March 27, 2011 at 3:03 pm

    Who the hell do these union thugs think they are… extortionist bastards. I'm glad to see that UAW membership has fallen again this past year, and I wouldn't care if the organization went the way of the dodo bird. There is no longer a need for labor unions in this country. How much money do you suppose the teachers unions keep from the schools in our country? How much more money do we pay for an automobile, just so the union can become a rich and powerful political tool? Union dollars are used for all kinds of things that have nothing to do with membership benefits. It's about that the abuse of union power in this country is stopped!



  3. ricbee on March 27, 2011 at 5:34 pm

    I really have nothing against unions. They are bargaining agents & try to get whatever they can for themselves & their members. It's those beasts on the board that give away shareholder money & give themselves big raises & perks because the purported owners really have no say in what they do.



  4. winnie888 on March 28, 2011 at 12:12 am

    I say, good for the foreign auto companies who have managed to dodge the union bullet.  These jack-booted, union thugs will not stop until they have made themselves relevant again…and only the most brainwashed in this country (or those getting union kickbacks/campaign contributions) will continue to "protest" in favor of forcing union shops down the throats of foreign companies.   They better be careful:  If they cause too much trouble, these places may close right down and go back to the home country.  More lost jobs.  Ta and da.



  5. Plainvillian on March 28, 2011 at 3:42 am

    Historically, when the goals of any organization become law, that organization becomes less relevant.  The safety and other goals of the early 20th century labor movement have been legally codified for some time now.  Militant unions will wither naturally.  The UAW management cannot be happy.



  6. Dimsdale on March 28, 2011 at 5:32 am

    Was the title a play on "enemies, both foreign and domestic"?  I hope so.



  7. JamesT on March 28, 2011 at 6:51 am

    Would it be too much of an inconvenience to have a few hundred thousand citizens picket the GM plants to get our 26 billion back?



  8. PatRiot on March 28, 2011 at 7:14 am

    If a company treats its employees right. there is no need for a union. PERIOD

    Funny – How many states mistreat their employees?  Probably none – see above.

    @ JamesT – Amen.    Then, with that success under our belt, we go to the UN to collect back dues from foreign countries.  Then its off to DC.  By then the states will have gotten the idea that the taxpayer needs to be treated properly as well.



  9. 2MildBill on March 29, 2011 at 5:54 pm

    Do you suppose the unions have sensed and end to organizing public sector workers?



  10. SeeingRed on March 30, 2011 at 3:50 am

    Unions = THUGS.



  11. edwardinct on March 31, 2011 at 3:01 pm

    Boycott Union products. Buy nonunion products, they are better quality, workers actually try to give the company good results. look at Honda, Toyota, private schools, etc.   then look at Chevy, Dodge and public schools. The results speak for themselves.



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