Bonus Gallery: "No Foreign Car Parking" Signs

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

The core hypocrisy of the UAW is that it claims to work on behalf of workers everywhere, while actually serving only the interests of its most senior members. And the cognitive dissonance produced by this grotesque contradiction can lead to some interesting challenges in the day-to-day life of the union, particularly in the design of parking lot signs designed to keep the competition out. The sign shown above and the sign shown in the post preceding this one show the UAW at its most honest: if it’s built by one of the Detroit Three, it’s OK. If it’s got a “foreign nameplate” it’s not. But this honesty also betrays the fact that the UAW simply wants everyone to support it’s employers, rather than lead a nationalistic or class-based crusade.

At most locals the signs are more simple and ideal-oriented, but they’re also completely misleading. For example, a Japanese-built Camry or Korean-built Elantra should be OK in a lot with a “Union Made Vehicle Parking Only” sign, and an American-built Camry or Sonata should be fine in a lot with a “No Foreign Cars Allowed” sign… but of course, neither scenario would be tolerated. While you’re pondering the deeply cynical self-delusion at play here, enjoy this hastily-assembled gallery of union parking lot signs.

Update: Picture 417 has been removed at the request of the photographer. The original photo can be viewed here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlavander/4034221120/#/




Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • HalfMast HalfMast on Aug 23, 2010

    I am actually torn a little on this... I would think that as an employee of a company, you'd want to see that company do well and thus, purchase their product. And as a company I'd want to encourage that. But what I wouldn't want to see would be examples of cars made by my closest competitors. i.e., why is it okay to park a Ford at the Lordstown plant? Sure, maybe not everyone wants a Cobalt (or Cruze now), but you'd want them to at least buy a GM product. As a union, I'd also want to encourage my members to support the products that those union members built. But that means that if my local only supports a Ford plant, then make the Chrysler products park in the far lot with the Toyota's. MAYBE this could get complicated at the union headquarters, but at that point, who cars? The problem is that for some people, this isn't about supporting your company or your union anymore, it's about pushing an anti-foreign car attitude. It's turning "thanks for supporting our company and brothers" into "don't be a dumb-a** who buys foreign". If I ran one of these plants, there'd be three parking lots. Closest for people driving products that came directly from my plant. Next out would be those who came from the same company. Furthest out would be every other car, regardless who made them, what union made them, what country they were built in. And I'd encourage my local to do the same! FYI, I'm NOT a union man, I DON'T work in automotive, and I DON'T drive a Big 3 car. But I can understand people who have pride in what they do.

    • JeremyR JeremyR on Aug 23, 2010

      To me, a more effective expression of that pride would be in welcoming the competition.

  • MadHungarian MadHungarian on Aug 23, 2010

    So, let's get a caravan of Ramblers, Studebakers and Hudsons, and see if they'll let us park in the lot at the location of Photo #424.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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