just read this :

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080229/ANA02/188255577/1128/emailblast01&refsect=emailblast01

that page requires you to register to read it.

Sorry about that

try this :

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/02/flint_truck_plant_is_victim_of.html

Economy in the crapper, this is no time for a strike IMO.

That's not good news at all.Man.. like said above how do these people go on strike with an economy like the present?

Just curious, but when would you go on strike? Would it be when the economy is fine and you and your family are doing well?

The news here said AAM wants to cut hourly workers pay, some from $60-65/hr down to the mid $20 range. Regardless of the argument over what they should be paid, I know I sure as hell would strike if my wages were cut by 60%.

Dodge would be screwed also. They use AAM.

NO just take my second part my statement off.I need to read more about why,its probably a good reason..BUT a tough economy to be out of work in-thats all I got.
Just curious, but when would you go on strike? Would it be when the economy is fine and you and your family are doing well?

Called last week regarding my XM subscription — got someone in Panama. Called again yesterday and got someone in Jamaica. It's called "out-sourcing" — not just a bad economy (which Michigan knows a lot about these days), because it isn't coming back. Those folks in Panama and Jamaica were not merely working for less than the people at American Axle, but they likely have no benefits or retirement, either. Something's wrong, especially when those making the pay cut decisions are getting a bonus! Oh, forgot the recent call on one of my software applications — got someone in the Philippines (who wasted an hour of my life). And the refueling tanker contract just went to Airbus in Europe rather than Boeing here in Washington!

AAM wants the same deal the UAW gave Delphi. Trouble is, AAM is making lots of $$.
They have already threatened to go offshore if they don't get wage cuts.
I did 30 yrs at GM and saw nothing but concessions since 1982. Gotta add, I never voted yes on a contract. Concessions are nothing new. But the big wigs are getting extra greedy lately. Bout time someone went on strike.
Ted

The news here said AAM wants to cut hourly workers pay, some from $60-65/hr down to the mid $20 range. Regardless of the argument over what they should be paid, I know I sure as hell would strike if my wages were cut by 60%.

none of them make $60-65/hr, they always included benefits, taxes and all the other crap.
they'd like to have them making $15/hr and not much benefits.

Tim is right. I used to live near AAM plant in 3 rivers Mi and know several people that work there. most make high teens low 20's + benefits.

There is a nice new engine plant in Monroe Mi IIRC that just opened in the last couple of years. they pay 14 an hour flat no benefits no UAW membership and had something like 6000 people show up to fill 1300 jobs on hireing day.

This is the model most OEMS want to go to. How very Japanese. GM slit its own throat trying to do right by the rank an file workers. In reality they let the UAW do it for them. Its one of the big reason there is such a negative shroud over any one belonging to any union no matter the trade.

Whopps got a bit off topic. Sorry

check this out

http://anti-union.blogspot.com/2008/03/american-axle-strike.html

FYI, the plants are on layoff till the strike is settled. ALSO, they are denied unemployment as you are being sent home due to a labor dispute. Howard

Our plant went thru this back when Flint was on strike and it took a while but the ones laid off got paid.

I see on one website they're reporting the strike is settled.

but GM sent workers home from Hummer and Moraine assembly.

here you go

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Auto_News/Auto_News/American_Axle_Strike_Is_Over.S175.A6900.html

What is it going to take??? to get things back on track in this country???? I hate news like this.

What is it going to take??? to get things back on track in this country???? I hate news like this.
Hi. MrSleeve, and everyone else for that matter.

It takes people who are so pissed off that all the dreams of ALL American workers, union, nonunion, blue collar, white collar, bus drivers, pilots, mechanics, soup kitchen workers, teachers, bank tellers, truck drivers, computer programmers, Wall Street workers, etc., are fading away. It's time to to realize that there is a War on the American worker. Once we realize that we are all in jeopardy, once we realize that we are all just one step away from being broke, once we realize that these multi-national corporations have the politicians in their pockets, have the media as one of its own, give us our choices on who we can vote for. When we realize all of this, we can overcome our separatist ways which are further beaten into us through divisions between race, language, citizenship, politics, etc, we then can focus on what make us similar, what makes us all the opponents on this very War against the American worker i speak of. When together we can focus our energies onto corporate and political responsibility, holding those that poison us, get corporate welfare and using our tax monies for their dire means, and flourish above the laws of our nation and all of mankind for the lowest price and the highest profits for such a small few. That my friend is what it is going to take. If we do not band together before it is to late, even I fear the worst.

For now I just have a website, please feel free to say hello.

Joe from Joe's Union Review - The Anti-Union Blogspot (http://anti-union.blogspot.com/2008/03/american-axle-strike.html)

PS: Yes they have all the benefits added in when they say $70 an hour, I think the top pay is $23-24. Also that other link stating that they went back to work is the only one I can find with that information at this time, if I get a chance tomorrow I will write a follow-up.

Look Joe I am a union trades man. You are preaching to the choir on my account. But what you an I wish to happen above is a pipe dream. I have a very good friend have a record year for the entire business that he runs, and how he is rewarded for all his hard work? On this very day a 10k per year pay cut if 08 is identical to last. Its a model that has sperad to the smaller business that used to pride them selves on their employees.

Why you may ask, because there is always someone waiting to take your job an do it for less.

Its the model that is going to kill everything all of our previous Generations have worked Fought an died, to build an protect.

See You at the bottom I will be right there with ya.

My apologies for preaching, it really sucks out there, even for small business owners. Theres hardly any left here in NY. I just refuse to just curl into a ball and die without trying to get people together. Too many years to go. On that note I have to get my butt to work.

Not a big deal I was just use a figure of speach.

Economy in the crapper, this is no time for a strike IMO.
10-4!!

The same crap is going on here in Canada, they are closing our auto plants, closing shifts, reducing employee's, reducing wages of the working man and increasing wages of the guys that sit in their soft padded chairs eating prime rib and caviar everyday who don't have a damn clue how or what it takes to keep & make a company strong.

They blame the loss's of the company on the economy and high wages of the workers when in reality these idiots are not held accountable for any of their screw ups, most have no idea of their real job functions or responsibilities and the share holders just keep allowing them to make decision screw up after decision screw ups.

Just this week as a Union Rep. I was in a meeting with Company Officials were it was blurted out that a refurbishment job that went out to contract workers resulted in 55 million dollars of equipment that was installed that doesn't work, does not meet regulatory requirements and has no design approval.

Instead of those idiots that allowed this to happen in the first place losing their jobs, they get promoted, get paid more money and sit across the table asking Union to allow layoffs and consessions because they need to spend 350 million now to fix the 55 million dollar screw up.

Obviously you know what the Union response was, their reply is that India or Poland will be a good spot for the new plant !

I say they might as well go ahead and go to India or Poland or Mexico, soon there will be no middle class folk to buy the products they want to sell to us and all these arse holes will be out of work as well that run these companies.

At that point folks we will win as they have no skills and don't no how to use their hands to produce anything, the only asset they ever had was blowing smoke up some shareholders ass and that game will be over !

We have one of the biggest stamping presses installed in our plant. our union tradesmen started months after the other plants. while installing ran into design trouble because these are so big the aren't even assembled until at the plant. The other plants had outside contractors doing them . ours was running months before all the other plants so they were doing all the stamping. our 'over paid' union guys did it a lot faster and for less money then the non-union crews did. plus fixed design errors that went into the other presses.

Where do you work Tim? I was at the Parma, Ohio GM plant till I retired in 04. They put in about 6 huge progressive presses there. Most install work was "in house". Amazing how fast those things spit out parts. I think they were doing close to 50 hits a minute. I was real glad I had enough seniority to stay off those jobs.
Ted

They blame the loss's of the company on the economy and high wages of the workers when in reality these idiots are not held accountable for any of their screw ups, most have no idea of their real job functions or responsibilities and the share holders just keep allowing them to make decision screw up after decision screw ups.


At that point folks we will win as they have no skills and don't no how to use their hands to produce anything, the only asset they ever had was blowing smoke up some shareholders ass and that game will be over !

I am not a union person but I do believe in the values that they have brought to this country but what is said above about the "Shareholders" seems to be the norm any more. Make them money, crap on everyone in the process and that is just fine. But in the meantime the economy of the USA is going down the crapper. We had a guy here this week at work who was telling us about the port being built in Mexico by China so they can get around the tarriffs and the like. He lives in AZ and said when the port opens and the trucks start rolling we will not believe what we see happens. I will not support the NAFTA and the like and each time I see anything on it I complain to my congressman.

Our national moto is now "Save the stock holder" dont you know that.


It seems our great leaders are starting to figure out that we have a full Blown recession going on here. But most of us have know that for a while now (why do you think I got the hell outta Mi)

How do they plan to fix it? Well lets put some money in the hands of the masses so their spending will infuse some cash in to stagnating economy. Ok so the ave. american family of 4 is gonna get 1800 bucks my self I will get 600 WTF is that gonna do? We borrowed the 150B from china so now we are paying some hefty interest on that plus 90% of John Q Public is gonna run out an buy a big ass TV or what ever else they think the need from walmart, So the retailers an China will see a nice spike in 2ed quarter profits. Tell me who was this tax rebate was for again??

I will put mine in the bank, and use it to off set my fuel cost's this summer, for about a month.


Wow I got a bit off track there didn't I whoa sorry about that.

While a recession is not the ideal time for a strike, its never a bad time to fight for you lively hood. How feed the kids, pay the mortgage keep the heat on, put fuel in the car to get to work, when you entire life is set up around your wages, and when you company decides to cut your take home pay by 50% WTF are you supposed to do? you can only cut so much fat, there is only so much time in the day to get more 8 dollar an hour jobs to make up the differenc. Being from Mi I know you would have no chance to sell your home and buy one that you can afford on your new pay, before you would go bankrupt.

I am done this is making my head hurt.

Our national moto is now "Save the stock holder" dont you know that.


It seems our great leaders are starting to figure out that we have a full Blown recession going on here. But most of us have know that for a while now (why do you think I got the hell outta Mi)

How do they plan to fix it? Well lets put some money in the hands of the masses so their spending will infuse some cash in to stagnating economy. Ok so the ave. american family of 4 is gonna get 1800 bucks my self I will get 600 WTF is that gonna do? We borrowed the 150B from china so now we are paying some hefty interest on that plus 90% of John Q Public is gonna run out an buy a big ass TV or what ever else they think the need from walmart, So the retailers an China will see a nice spike in 2ed quarter profits. Tell me who was this tax rebate was for again??

I will put mine in the bank, and use it to off set my fuel cost's this summer, for about a month.


Wow I got a bit off track there didn't I whoa sorry about that.

While a recession is not the ideal time for a strike, its never a bad time to fight for you lively hood. How feed the kids, pay the mortgage keep the heat on, put fuel in the car to get to work, when you entire life is set up around your wages, and when you company decides to cut your take home pay by 50% WTF are you supposed to do? you can only cut so much fat, there is only so much time in the day to get more 8 dollar an hour jobs to make up the differenc. Being from Mi I know you would have no chance to sell your home and buy one that you can afford on your new pay, before you would go bankrupt.

I am done this is making my head hurt.

But you are speaking a lot of truth here and maybe it can ignite others to speak up also. I am lucky, I am going to be 55 this July, I have no mortgage now, no vehicle payments and the main down to this it the wife and I thru job changes and the economy have taken a 40% hit in wages but not having the life issues hitting us like they do many others we are making it and not struggling like a lot of others do now.I am glad I dont have to go further than a mile to work so it helps on the fuel end also.
I do feel for everyone that is struggling but we will make it, maybe not as nice as we would like but there is still light at the end of the tunnel andit is not the train on the other end.
Hang in there everyone!

Hang in there people, I have written an updated story on my site
Even in layoff UAW brothers at GM plants show solidarity to American Axle strikers and some more updates
(http://anti-union.blogspot.com/2008/03/even-in-layoff-uaw-brothers-at-gm-plant.html)

I would like to hear what all of the "International Unions" i.e. laborers, operators, pipefitters, etc. have to say about "Illegal Immigration". I find it very interesting when The Laborer Magazine is printed half in English and the other half in Spanish.....

Send em' an E-Mail, thats how we found out where you can get union made Carhartt's

My international union tabloid (United Assn of Plumbers, Pipefitters, Steamfitters, etc.) is printed in English only. One thing to consider, and please do not misinterpret me as defending, not every legal immigrant is an English speaker, the Laborers have quite a few Spanish speakers among other languages as their work also includes asbestos abatement. I assume it would be hard to find a word of English on some of those jobs.

I recently ran a story about a Long Island, NY representative who has proposed legislation, with back by labor, against the use of Illegal Aliens in construction, with a penalty of license to work on Long Island being revoked.

Long Island NY pushing towards end of sweatshop construction , proposes law to put contractors at jeopardy of losing right to work in county. (http://anti-union.blogspot.com/2008/03/long-island-ny-pushing-towards-end-of.html)

I would like to hear what all of the "International Unions" i.e. laborers, operators, pipefitters, etc. have to say about "Illegal Immigration". I find it very interesting when The Laborer Magazine is printed half in English and the other half in Spanish.....

The official position I got from my old field rep was we dont like but we have to live with it.


I am a laborer, I have worked with some that barley speak engirsh, but are here legally, But I have noticed they dont much care just so long as they get people singed up, we need larger membership. Contractor after contractor pull out or shut the doors because of increased competition form non union contractors that dont pay the wages, even on Davis Bacon jobs. The unions are going broke, for many reasons, some imposed by the fed's an their new accounting rules, the infighting from trade to trade and Local to local. The loss of market share in many regions of the country, loss of member ship.

Us union guys are in the shrinking minority have been since the mid 50's and its getting worse I will 28 this summer I have 10 years in a and I am afraid I am going to lose my pension an every thing I have been working so hard for because if this continues there will not be any unions left an it will be pert near illegal to organize in the future.

Dammit I keep going off track every time I post in here I am sorry guys, this is a soap box of mine (well this an Walmart) I will shut up now.

Where do you work Tim? I was at the Parma, Ohio GM plant till I retired in 04.


Mansfield metal center

Damn, Tim, that's a hell of a commute to work. Gotta be 125 miles. Rt 30 ain't a bad road though. I was driving from Streetsboro to Parma 25 miles and thought it was too far.
What kind of horses ya got? I have a blk/wht qtr, registered paint. Wife has a shire/tb cross.
Ted