Unions And I

I’ve been a member of the CAW (Canadian Autoworkers Union) since 2000. I’m not a union man though.

Ever since the economy took a dive people have been pointing fingers at the unions in North America. And for good reason I might add. The unions stubbornness to work with the companies is unacceptable, and at some point they will have to look back on this time and admit they were stupid.

However there are a few points I would like to make based on my observations from within.

The automotive industry started it’s decline in the last quarter of 2000. That’s almost nine years ago. What happened in the economy in the fall of 2008 was a separate incident. If the auto industry was healthy through out this last decade, it would still be in the same position it’s in now. It just would have been a bigger shock.

The automotive industries' Detroit three have had almost nine years to reinvent themselves. They chose to keep moving in a bad direction. The bottom line is a Japanese car is a better vehicle. I would love to buy what I make, but they’re crap!

The automotive suppliers had the opportunity to find new products. The problem for them was nothing else offered such a high profit margin. So rather than settling for %10 they gambled on keeping their %30. They lost. In some cases the union members begged their companies to search for new product, but the were turned down.

Why didn’t the union just take pay cuts? Good question. They should. I should take a wage cut. However consider this.

The price difference between China and Canada (for our product anyhow) is so high even if everyone (union and management) worked for free, China would still be cheaper. If we took a cut in pay we would still be out of a job. What would you do, work for $20 ($34ish with benefits) then get laid off in a year or work for $14 then get laid off in a year?

Consider this, a certain CEO makes close to half a million (including his raise from last year), and takes 50 grand in bonuses (not including the others thing that a CEO gets deservingly). Should you get a bonus if your company is failing? And is it fair for the same guy to ask his employees to take a %30 pay cut?

How about this, let’s all take a %30 pay cut. Let’s work together.

And on the topic of money. All collective bargaining agreements I’ve seen are signed by company and union officials. If the union employees are making $75 and hour it’s because the company agreed to it. Don’t get mad at the guy who make $50 grand a year for pressing a button, his company agrees to it.

I know a guy you has told me repeatedly he would never work in a factory. He surely couldn’t work the night shift. He couldn’t take it. In fact I believe he told me he couldn’t be paid enough to do it. I respect that. I do work nights. I do work in a factory. The same guy has no right to tell me I make too much. If you’re not willing to do the work for $14 an hour (and I doubt you would last one hot summer for $14) don’t criticize the union workers

Also the figures you hear on the radio may not be accurate. I make over $10 an hour than my production co-workers. Some of the info you hear the media talk about is based on the high end of the pay scale, not even the majority of the workers. There’s only ten of us, don’t assume the guy sweeping the floors is making the same as the skill trades guys

Hey, by the way, Toyota pays more!

Proverbs 18:13 says “He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.” Too many people are voicing their opinions on this matter without taking the time to hear all sides. There is truth to the stuff I’ve heard on the radio -and I’m not saying they’re wrong- but we need to make sure we’re hearing all sides before we draw our conclusions.