After the auto bailout failed in the Senate ... true colors are starting to shine. The unions are livid at one group of people for blocking their chances at getting a bailout (for now), and that group would be senators from the South. Yup, the evil, anti-union South rears its ugly head. The evil Southern Senators are Mitch McConnell, Bob Corker and Richard Shelby. The UAW has gone as far to say that these senators are "representing the foreign brands" because their southern states are home to foreign automakers such as BMW, Honda and others. UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said, "They thought perhaps they could have a twofer here maybe: Pierce the heart of organized labor while representing the foreign brands." A local UAW president at a GM factory in TN said, "What this is, is the Southern conservative senators trying to destroy the United Auto Workers, trying to destroy unions ... It's a sad day in America when the senators turn their back on Main Street." Well last Friday was a sad day as well ... a day when the UAW turned its back on the automakers.
The real deal here is that the unions are concerned that if they don't get their auto bailout, it will look really bad for the organized labor movement. More and more people are realizing that a huge part of the problem with the Big Three is their unions. What possible excuse is there for paying people not to work? Google "jobs bank" and see what I'm talking about. If the union movement is undermined, they won't get their ultimate prize they have been waiting for: The Employee Free Choice Act. Now wouldn't that be a crying shame.
Meanwhile, I want you to check out this picture: 22 Pounds of UAW Rules and Regulations. If you really want to see what is wrong with the Big Three ... just look into these contracts.
One of the problems here is that so often it looks like these auto workers don't really know or appreciate who they're working for. Visit a Big Three assembly plant just around quitting time. Do you see workers streaming out of those plants with Ford, Chevrolet or Dodge jackets and ball caps on? Hardly any. What you do see is workers heading for their cars with jackets and hats emblazoned with the UAW logo and the name of their local. The union is paramount to them. Their actual employer? The enemy.
Oh .. and let's put this idea to rest that nobody wants to buy a car right now because these automakers might go bankrupt. I did. I bought a brand new Chevy Equinox last Friday. I needed a car that I didn't mind driving in the schmutz and could load up with stuff. I'll leave the other one under a cover until the sun shines and I can put the top down. Just doing my bit to help the economy. You see, it was I who picked the winner (my Chevy dealer) last week with my money, not the government. This is as it should be.