American Axle, UAW Back at the Table but Still At Odds Over Concessions
American Axle (AA) and the United Auto Workers (UAW) are back at the negotiating table. But they're still a long way from an agreement. After Monday's meeting between UAW president Ron Gettelfinger and American Axle CEO Dick Dauch, a quick resolution of their differences seemed promising. However, the Munster, Indiana Times reports AA's negotiators called a proposal from the UAW a "slight improvement" that wasn't anywhere near the concessions the company seeks. In a news release, AA ratched-up the rhetoric. If the UAW wasn't willing to "make realistic economic proposals" (i.e. accept a 50 percent pay cut), AA'd "be forced to consider closing these facilities." Dauch's counter-offer: "generous buyouts" to those union members who don't want to work for half of what they made before the strike. The UAW hasn't responded to AAM's statement. Radical union factions are warning members about "the treachery of the UAW bureaucracy." They claim the UAW "is planning another agreement modeled after the concessions contracts it has agreed to again and again throughout the industry." AA and its customers certainly hope so.
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DICK DAUCH AND THE SHAREHOLDERS OF AMERICAN AXLE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!! I am sick and tired of the CRAP that Dick Dauch and American Axle is trying to dish to its employees and their families. I can’t believe that this man has the nerve to sit there and offer insulting wages with insulting “buy downs” and “buy outs”. He should be ashamed of what he is putting our 3600+ families through. Let’s not forget the other hundreds of thousands families that are being affected by this strike too. Not only in our country; but world wide. He seems to think that his “buy downs” and “buy outs” will be “cushy and comfy” for his employees. These figures must be enough to replace the 14 years my husband has in at your company, the fact that we have to completely start over somewhere else – without the same pay – and allow our families to keep our houses. In my opinion, this man will never offer enough for the damage that has already been done and the wrath we are about to endure. He smugly accepts a huge salary and bonuses while he threatens to close our plants because we aren’t making a profit large enough. However, he fails to announce to the world that these 5 plants fund the off shore plants and the off shore plants rake in the profits. How do you expect my husband and his co-workers to produce enough to finance all of these operations? Meanwhile, he is taking machines out of my husband’s plant and sending them to non-union plants. It’s a disgrace! AMERICAN Axle …yeah, real American. I resent the fact that he is turning our lives upside down. I resent the fact we have to start over. I resent the fact we may have to TRY and sell our home and my kids may have to leave their school and the friends they know. Above all, I resent the fact that this is all because of 1 company’s greed! I hope the whole Dauch family and members of the board can sleep well at night with their million dollar salaries; knowing their jobs and salaries are safe. While we are worrying and wondering how we are going to repair this financial and emotional mess that he has thrown us into. We can only hope that he acquires a conscience before it’s not too late!