Buy an American Vehicle!

[nj829]

Middle class and non-union here as well. Grew up middle class, non-union also. If anything, getting rid of unions will help the middle class because they products won't have to cost as much because the labor cost involved won't be as high, better quality products because crappy employee's aren't kept on due to union issues, and employees will have more money to spend because they aren't paying union dues.

I have a Honda and a Chevy. Honda is the first foreign and best car I have ever owned, while the American products have lacked considerably. Plan on trading the Chevy someday on a foreign car as well if things don't improve with the big 3 and their quality, MPG, and pricing.

[cycloneG]

Umm, the democrats had the majority in both houses of Congress when the bailout of the financial industry occured. It was just a less heavy majority than we will have in a couple months.

I know. I'm not a Democrat or Republican so I don't really care what party someone wishes to call themselves because they're all the same to me. I was just using the term in the post that I quoted.

[jdoggivjc]

There's a simple adage...Kiss the Unions goodbye and you can Kiss the Middle Class Goodbye...

Really? The middle-class workers at American Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, and Hyundai plants seem to be doing just fine. In fact, the majority of these employees would fight to the death in order to keep unions out of their factories as they would be in a much worse position if the unions were representing them than they currently are in dealing with their companies themselves.

[CyBobby]

Personally, I don't give a crap who it was or why they were there. They're all LUCKY they still have a job - luckier than a few dozen of my (former) co-workers. There's no way that retreat should've happened once the gov't bailed them out with OUR $85 BILLION.

My dog has more common sense than that.

dont tell me your biased against the white collar worker daddy mac!!!

[bellzisu]

In all fairness, they had their place. They helped eleviate poor working conditions in the middle part of the century and put the employee in a stronger position that they otherwise did not enjoy.

In my opinion, the introduction of OSHA and other federal intities essentially take care of the services unions provide.

Ok.. I might of gone of the deep end saying they are the worst thing ever.

They did serve there purpose at one time. But just like everything else in life, things change. Union employees got more and more money. Actually most of them are living better then the true middle class families are.

I consider my wife and I as middle class, but we don't earn nearly as much as some of those top union people, that work less then what I do in a day.

So thanks for correcting me there jer...

[brianhos]

This may be true to a point... but I have a real hard time understanding why so many Americans (not you in particular) have so much anger at Unions. Without Unions we probably would have ended up like many other countries, with a small rich class and the vast majority working their butts off for subsistence wages. They are a key part of our history and will always have at least some importance going forward.

Bottom line is if you are in the broad middle class that most Americans belong to, you have a lot to thank Unions for.

I don't hate the unions, I think they served their purpose, but they no longer do this. Now all they do is hold down businesses.

[4429 mcc]

Like I said without the unions YOU CAN KISS YOUR MIDDLE CLASS LIFESTYLE GOODBYE....

Are you stuck in the 1940's or 50's . I agree that some unions have outlived there usefulness.

The big 3 should have ask for money before the credit crisis,...2 steps behind on everything. How many economic advisors do you think these guys employ???

[DaddyMac]

dont tell me your biased against the white collar worker daddy mac!!!

Why would I? I am one.

[cycloneG]

These are people that worked towards a goal and met it and were given what they were promised. What goal does a "vagrant" work toward to get a handout?

Face it, that is a terrible analogy.

I'm not talking about the employees. I'm talking about the company as a whole. More specifically the people responsible for the financial stability of the company. The analogy was aimed at them and it holds true because they had nothing until they received the handout.

[cycloneace55]

As far as I am concerned, poor business practices should not be rewarded. And if that means that they go bankrupt, that's their own fault. And let's be honest here. We're not talking about the death of the Ford brand, here. United Airlines ran for years while in bankruptcy. The average consumer saw very little of it.

Amen, bankruptcy will let them do the reorganization that the big 3 need to do in order to compete in the international market. Its part of failing in a free market, and the big 3 have been failing for years.

As for the UAW their benefits are one of the larger expenses the big three have to pay every month.

Automaker: UAW benefits are too rich - 03/24/05

The Union Advantage in Pay and Benefits - UAW Organizing

[brianhos]

Question: Does anyone think the UAW will re negotiate their contracts because it is in the best interests of the company?

[capitalcityguy]

Because someone has to set a labor standard for the country and if there are no unions the companies will pay like they do in mexico er overseas in china or wherever else that companies employ labor...

Ever hear of the race to the bottom boys...this is you and the joke is gonna be on you when you get your paycheck!!

...and the winner for our next poster boy for "Labor in the 1900's and the Issues We Face" is.....

[Cyclone06]

Unions only have one thing in mind... it members, collapse of the company be damned.

A direct quote from a coworker, whom I disagree with frequently, but it made me think... "Should a guy who puts on a tire all day have the same benefits as us (public accountants)."

I have a hard time saying they should not have the same benefits but who should decide this? If the company you work for can't pay the benefits you demand, either your at the wrong company or you are demanding too much. Time for unions to go the way of the mainframe computer.

[mplscyclone]

Question: Does anyone think the UAW will re negotiate their contracts because it is in the best interests of the company?

Of course not!

[bos]

Hey thats bad politics and planning. That has nothing to do with my not buying american. Last time I checked, I paid tax on my foreign car and pay the american worker to work on it when it needs new tires and other maint. Ill survive the bailout. GM can screw themselves.