  Al_t_publican Member Username: Al_t_publican Post Number: 150 Registered: 06-2004 |
Some guys are busting my balls on a Marine Corps vets site about the high wages of UAW workers. I said the entry hourly wage for unskilled workers is around $14. to $16. with top seniority unskilled workers getting around $28. per hour, which comes to $58K per year, not a killing on my scorecard. Anyone here ever work at Mack Avenue Stamping? I worked there over the summer of 1972 on the frame assembly line for Furys and Polaras(?). My hourly wage was $3.95. | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 497 Registered: 10-2007 |
You are entirely correct. For now, anyway. | ||
Dannyv Member Username: Dannyv Post Number: 502 Registered: 08-2007 |
Here's an article from the NYTimes explaining the $73/hour wages for UAW workers that has been bandied about. Labor costs only account for 10% of the cost of a vehicle and the Big Three price their vehicles $2,500 lower than comparable Japanese vehicles. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12 /10/business/economy/10leonhar dt.html?_r=2&em | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 3608 Registered: 06-2008 |
$60/hr for putting in screws $80/hr for supervising the people putting in screws | ||
Terryh Member Username: Terryh Post Number: 1081 Registered: 11-2006 |
Putting in screws? How about long hours doing repetitive work, day in and day out. Ever work in a plant thejesus? Ever work in a book bindery-printing shop inhaling dust and chemicals,putting wear and tear on youre body? The politics of ENVY! Instead of striving for better wages, workers and professionals outside of the auto industry sit back and pass judgement.My brother got a job in a GM plant near Flint. He makes 25 an hour, a fair liveable wage considering the cost of living and he has three children to support. | ||
Oladub Member Username: Oladub Post Number: 980 Registered: 08-2006 |
Dannyv, Thanks for the NY Times link. I have only bought American since college. As the article pointed out, the larger impediment to US sales is consumer taste. Birds of a feather...People largely buy cars that make them acceptable within their peer group. I know of one alternative school, for instance, that has a parking lot full of Subarus. Subarus, by the way, are purchased by a higher percentage of Democrats than any other vehicle. 96% of Saab owners voted for McGovern back in that election. Either this was coincidence or owning a Saab was a style compatable with McGovern supporters' lifestyle. My guess is that they didn't listen to country music much either. Choosing a car has almost as much of a demographic component as music or wardrobe. | ||
Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger Post Number: 1129 Registered: 05-2008 |
Subarus are excellent vehicles. I tried an Escape a few years ago, but it didn't work out for me. My Subaru is the best car I've ever owned--the all-wheel drive is wonderful. It's reliable and the amount of gardening supplies I can haul around is pretty amazing. I don't begrudge anyone purchasing what they like. If you like Ford, fantastic. I've driven them all. To be honest, for a number of years, the quality wasn't there. I know many don't like to hear that, but it's the truth. The domestic vehicles have really begun to shine as far as style and quality are concerned. Henry Ford offered the $5 a day wage to lure people to work in the factories, as there was a huge turn-over because of the repetitive jobs and boredom. Also, the wage was to ensure the workers could afford the cars they were building. Frankly, $58K isn't that much in today's world. For a family to have a decent house, working cars, food on the table and money in the bank, they need that or more. Anything less than $50K and they're struggling. I'm so sick of those who begrudge auto workers a fair wage. | ||
Jarvo Member Username: Jarvo Post Number: 57 Registered: 09-2008 |
...Real Americans buy what they want. Right....but level the playing field make the foreigners accept any many of our vehicles as the US accepts from them.on equal terms the new hires within the UAW ranks make less than the workers at foreign based plants here. 14bucks an hr. is already way less than what non UAW workers make building "foreign" cars. | ||
Jams Member Username: Jams Post Number: 7325 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: Jeez, don't you understand free market economy? No employee is worth the money paid to them, if they were any good, they would have created their own business and not sucked off the teat of someone who already owns a business. Of course, the labour of employees is worth nothing, only the labor of management and the stockholders's investments are the only criteria to determine if a corporation is worthwhile. I would continue but I'm about to vomit. | ||
Bobl Member Username: Bobl Post Number: 298 Registered: 07-2008 |
What people should realize is that "UAW Workers" include more workers at suppliers, who earn far less than the amounts quoted above. It is not unusual today for employees to be paid ten dollars an hour, or even less. It's not particularly pleasant work, either. It was a reality check to be laid off a year ago, after my employer moved operations to India (85 cents an hour) and Mexico ($17.50 per day). Took a new job at 80% of my former wage, which is actually better than most have done.... | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 498 Registered: 10-2007 |
It's a race to the bottom, as Gettlefinger has said. The deluded that are crying now about the UAW wages soon will have their own wages realigned to reflect the new reality. | ||
_sj_ Member Username: _sj_ Post Number: 1629 Registered: 12-2003 |
quote: Of course it is always teh Suppliers who take the fall for the UAW. There are two tiers, the people who work for the big 3 and the suppliers. Those suppliers have already been squeezed to the bone and now will have to accept a small percentage of the money owed to them. Which has already led to a supplier closing on Tuesday. quote: They are already at the bottom and if Gettlefinger makes the same mistake he did in Washington they fall into the Abyss. | ||
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth Post Number: 499 Registered: 10-2007 |
I'm not speaking of the UAW guys. I was talking about the rest of America. Slashing wages and bennies at the 3 are a foregone conclusion. Problem is, once that's done, there's going to be falloff in wages across the board. | ||
Bobl Member Username: Bobl Post Number: 300 Registered: 07-2008 |
All part of the massive redistribution of wealth that has been designed by the wealthy few. Most of us knew it was coming, but I am surprised at the speed. A "race to the bottom", indeed. Any comments? | ||
Jams Member Username: Jams Post Number: 7332 Registered: 10-2003 |
Just angry ones! | ||
Gertrude Member Username: Gertrude Post Number: 101 Registered: 05-2005 |
I worry about the retirees (several of whom I call family) who stand to lose the health care and pensions they structured their retirement around. After that, I just have angry comments that probably mirror Jams's anrgry ones. | ||
Rid0617 Member Username: Rid0617 Post Number: 365 Registered: 03-2008 |
I could not work on an assembly line. Tried 3 different jobs doing injection molding. Was on anti depressants and about ready to crawl the walls I was so buggy. These were jobs in the early 70s that were paying $6-$7 an hour, an extremely good wage for the era. I still quit every one of them. | ||
Gazhekwe Member Username: Gazhekwe Post Number: 2761 Registered: 08-2007 |
There is worry about deflation as that will cause all kinds of problems. Well, we are going to need deflation if wages start going down as the bigwigs want. Save them all kinds of money, and then it won't be worth anything anyway. Way! | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 14960 Registered: 12-2003 |
There are two car companies that have chosen to only offer four-wheel or all-wheel drive on ALL of their vehicles. There is ONE US manufacturer that makes rugged trucks that way, too. After owning the best of them, an Audi, I've grown to fully believe that I'd never own anything other. Indeed, this Subaru mania that has also consumed MY loft parking lot, and my Livonia friend's driveway...stems from LOGICAL THINKING and simply buying the best product for the money. Even my Livonia friend's wife's Saab is a Subaru underneath... This is what happens when a company chooses properly from the very beginning which PHILOSOPHY of engineering and marketing they will pursue. Audi, Subaru, and Jeep are simply smarter vehicles to own for anyone north of the Mason/Dixon line...with our weather extremes it is the only smart way to go. So...kiss off with your ignorance and assumptions. Surely a few have been purchased by come-alongs, but every single one that has been purchased by at least the six in MY life was done because they were BY FAR the best choice for the money. Cheers! | ||
Frankg Member Username: Frankg Post Number: 723 Registered: 08-2007 |
I had no problems at all yesterday with my 2004 Saturn Vue with all-wheel drive, ABS brakes, heated seats, and OnStar, made by UAW workers in the US. | ||
Oladub Member Username: Oladub Post Number: 982 Registered: 08-2006 |
Gannon, Your logic is much the same as the Manhattan tribe that allegedly sold their island for some beads. True, they may have been the best beads ever seen in America and there is a premium to be paid for quality but history does not remember Manhattan Indians as consumate consumers. Subarus are good cars. I've driven one and liked it. There are other logical constructs though such as keeping as much money within our own economy as possible, helping as many working people in this country as possible, and fuel consumption. If you don't need the AWD or FWD, there are fewer repairs and less weight resulting in better fuel mileage. A Malibu gets about 4mpg better fuel mileage than most Subarus for instance. On the whole, Big 3 cars and their parts are less expensive than Japanese cars. Those are also a logical considerations. My thought is that like minded people develop similar tastes and similar logical explanations. Taste and logic are, to some degree, optional group behavior and manifestations of groupthink. Of course, there is also coincidence to explain group behaviors. | ||
East_detroit Member Username: East_detroit Post Number: 1741 Registered: 11-2003 |
How much do the UAW workers who build Toyota Corollas and Toyota Tacomas make? Will they have to take a pay cut too? | ||
_sj_ Member Username: _sj_ Post Number: 1633 Registered: 12-2003 |
quote: With some foreign components. Or was Onstar still produced by Delphi or Motorola in 2004? quote: Is buying foreign ok for them? | ||
Ltdave Member Username: Ltdave Post Number: 318 Registered: 09-2006 |
my UAW built (kentucky truck plant) 1999 ford superduty crewcab 4 X 4 made a wonderful path for the neighbors suburu that didnt have the ground (or should i say snow) clearance... its given me about 200,000 miles of virtually trouble free use. i put ball joints on and one U-joint. its been run into, side swiped and i backed it into another neighbors mailbox but it hauls the gas (diesel actually) with aplomb... |
