Possible auto strike

[Vaportrail]

UAW is definitely going to strike, and will ask for double what they actually expect to get...

But do they really deserve even half of what they're asking???

I was raised in a union family, served an apprenticeship myself, and collect a pension...

Just know, there's a huge difference, between the UAW, and trade unions-

I've worked in all the big 3 auto plants as a millwright...

But I was actually working my ass off, while UAW millwrights were sleeping on the clock-

Seems like the membership doesn't mind biting the hand that feeds them...

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[Kagiso]

One potentially impacting component is the hybrid transmission, which is built at the Ford Van Dyke plant in the US…

Thanks for reply. Fortunately, when I rolled my order into 24 in July I let go of my original attachment to hybrid fuel economy. Original order: XL hybrid, Co-Pilot 360, tow hitch. Order scheduled for production: XL Ecoboost, Co-Pilot 360, 4K towing pkg. Only constraint now is the base model XL. Priority 2, scheduled to begin production 16 October.

 

[Bigbill27]

As we speak Ford is building 3 new plants in the good ol USA. thousands of good paying jobs.
Ford has plants in Mex, Ca, and Europe for one surprising reason, people and gov in those places expect some payback.
The same reason foreign companies are forced to build here. Unless you believe those companies are forced here because of selfish workers at home.

3 plants that were already in production before the UAW holdup.

 

[matmondro]

To answer some of the previous questions about parts production locations, some of the major components of the Maverick drivetrain are made in the US. @Maverstang mentioned the Van Dyke Powertrain plant in Michigan for the hybrid drivetrain (minus the motor). The 8 speed for the Ecoboost is made at the Livonia Transmission Plant, also in Michigan. The 2.0L is assembled in Cleveland. The 2.5 motor is made in Mexico.

I could see a strike affecting those US made components, especially because they are made right in Metro Detroit, but of course this is only speculation. My gut feeling tells me that there will be a strike.

 

[fossil]

3 plants that were already in production before the UAW holdup.

wow, Ford didn't know the contract was due, oh snap

 

[Maverstang]

You obviously don’t understand inflation and the devaluation of the dollar.

Blame the central bankers. Thats the problem.

It’s a basic part of human nature to always want to point to one single thing to blame for all that is wrong. Conservative media exploits that human weakness all the time by lathering people up over some single perceived wrong.

But the issues are always more complicated. Looking at the bigger picture, wealth concentration is a big problem, much of it created by pro-wealthy economic policy and rushed globalisation starting in the eighties. Wealth disparity is creeping up to the robber baron levels of a century ago (see chart). That is a big problem… it’s like we’re reliving the “arrogance of wealth“ themes in The Great Gatsby!

Fully agree with you on the corrosive and destructive nature of inflation. Unfortunately, now that we have it, the only way to tamp it down is to slow the economy by raising rates. And the unexpectedly robust US economy means more increases are needed. As usual, the wealthy will just ride it out whereas the impact to ordinary people will be much worse.

The UAW demands are clearly off base, but their underlying frustrations with wealth concentration are certainly understandable. Over the long term the problem has to be addressed with economic policies that deal with the wealth concentration issues rather than voting for policies that make the wealthy wealthier.

 

[TrailMaster]

It's a big problem. Unfortunately in a capitalist society, not everyone becomes wealthy.

That said, everyone should be able to scrape out a decent living after putting in a full work week.

I hope they can reach some kind of realistic agreement. It seems like the UAW needs to reign in their demands a bit and they just might make some headway. Nearly impossible demands make for poor negotiation.

 

[SLINGSHOT]

If you were the seller, how many of you would price your $300,000 house at $175,000 hoping to negotiate UP?
Do you really think the UAW should ask for $10 an hour, hoping the billionaires they are negotiating with with will offer them $50 an hour out of the goodness and largess of their hearts?
If you do, I've got a $35,000 Maverick I would be happy to sell you for $5,000. Shall we start negotiating up to a $70,000 sale price?

 

[Robert C]

I think the 46% was over a 4 year period.
A 32 hour work week is ridiculous. Just as many studies show productivity overall drops because if they can produce the same amount of product in fewer hours then they weren't trying very hard. Plus with the mechanization at assembly plants has made work far easier than 20 or 30 years ago.
Pensions are pretty much dead in corporate America because they bankrupt government agencies and companies. Look at the hundreds of police, fire, ... pension funds that are so underfunded they are going broke.
Profit should mostly go to company shareholders who provide the money for companies to exist.
One of the biggest sticking points is the union wants to control work management practices which is a management function and board positions in non-union EV plants under construction.
Car makers will continue to move plants out of union states to southern states and Mexico to stay competitive with foreign car maker plants there. That means more union jobs lost and northern cities suffering.

The impact to you: big increase in vehicle cost. Longer waits to get a vehicle.

Moderate compromise on both sides is the only workable answer. But that rarely happens with management and unions.

It's amazing that studies had to be done to determine that working 32 hours would be less productive than working 40 hours.

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