A Chrysler UAW Member On Concessions, Wall Street & Bailouts

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

Newbie TTAC registrant USLuxuryman entered this comment under the post Ford-UAW Deal Rejected By Two Locals. I’m republishing it here because I think it’s important for all of us to understand the fears, frustrations and general motivations of the workers at the sharp end. Now, if he could just walk away from that endless quiver of spears . . . . [NB: USLuxuryman is protected by TTAC’s no-flaming rule. Obviously.]

As an Auto Worker, instead of some hateful, biased, resentful outsider, let me help give you some perspective!

I work for Chrysler, but the ENTIRE AUTO INDUSTRY is in free-fall, and for a VARIETY of reasons! Those two Locals, or any others, have the RIGHT to say YES OR NO, just like you could vote for McCain or Obama! You have no say in that any more than I DO if you let your Police,Fire, and Teachers lose their jobs because you don’t wanna pay more in taxes!

if a Ballplayer turns down $45 Million, I can’t call him a fool, he is obviously in a different economic-bracket than you or me! These factors affecting our Economy were not caused by or controlled by the average Blue-Collar OR White-Collar worker in this or related industries!

The Big-Three didn’t MAKE you buy SUV’s and Pickups! AMERICA wanted these vehicles until the 4/Gal gas slaughter helped to KILL the economy! We DON’T make the decisions that put us in this shape, or put the Credit-markets, Housing-markets, or the economy overall in the shape that it is in today! We take direction from Management, just like most of you do on your jobs.

I pay taxes just like you, and my Industry and employer pays much more than the average firms do to our Government. Why shouldn’t my Industry deserve to be helped, when we employ so many people and contribute so much to this economy? Wall Street doesn’t not provide even HALF of the jobs that the Big Three and related Industries do!

I don’t feel that we should have to BEG for a loan, instead of negotiating for help, since I know that we are MORE deserving of the US Government’s (of which we are a part!) help than Toyota,Honda,Mercedes-Benz, and Hyundai! On an average 40-hour paycheck, I send $250/week to Washington as Federal taxes!

When the Airline Pilots, and Mechanics fought for a raise, and didn’t want their Airlines to merge, I supported their right to negotiate and to say no if they did not like the terms of the agreements. No new contract or wage-concession opening of a Contract is gonna get 100% approval!

This is a Democratic-process! Just like I can’t tell you to not drive a Big-Ass SUV, if that is what you want to do with your money, you can’t tell me that I have to vote YES on WAGE-Concessions! The majority of us gave concessions in 2005,2007, and the MAJORITY is still voting for it NOW!

I can’t tell AIG or CITIGroup not to give bonuses or buy JETS! If a Damn Basketball Team or a rich Preacher can have a jet, why can’t the CEO of GM or Chrysler! The Lobbyists and Congressional-Leaders travel by JET frequently!

I NEVER hear you complaining about the Wealthy having over-sized homes and Boats, and fleets of cars (and the excess energy that they are wasting for the few folks that live or ride in them. I don’t want any of the wasteful IDIOTS in DC(the ones that got us TRILLIONS of $$$ in debt!) trying to tell me what to drive!

What if I am a Coach, or am in Construction, or pull a boat or trailer? When the Hollywood Actors and Actresses struck for better wages and benefits, I harbored no resentment toward them, just because SOME of them make a lot of money compared to me!

Even though I sympathize with anyone who has lost their jobs, or had their wages, hours, or benefits cut, workers in the Auto Industry have been reduced by 50% in the last 10 years! If you don’t have any income-protection,pension,health-care benefits, or severance-packages on your job, GUESS why we urged you to join a UNION years ago!

When we were selling 12-17 Million cars a year in the US, the executives and the CEO’s drowned themselves in money, while the rest of us were barely keeping up with inflation!

They made so much money (when we had TWICE as many workers!) they bought Jaguar/Range Rover/Volvo/Saab/Aston-Martin/Hummer, among others! FYI, Toyota,Nissan,Mercedes,BMW, and many other makers had V-8’s and 300+/HP cars and trucks just like the Big Three, because that is what we WANTED!

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • Sutures Sutures on Mar 09, 2009
    1169hp : March 8th, 2009 at 11:15 pm Career change perhaps? Recruiting # 1-800-796-7000. Leave your shovel at home and bring your driving gloves instead. Ahh... Google is such a wonderful thing. First, I stopped looking for a career a few years, I'd be happy with a job. Second, unfortunately, even though I have no problems with the current opening shown (I like working with and helping people) on the website or the salary (anything would be better than unemployment), I doubt at that level there is any relocation provided... so I'm stuck in Michigan. Thanks and good luck. I'll keep that page for reference.
  • 1169hp 1169hp on Mar 10, 2009

    Sutures: "Ahh… Google is such a wonderful thing. First, I stopped looking for a career a few years, I’d be happy with a job. Second, unfortunately, even though I have no problems with the current opening shown (I like working with and helping people) on the website or the salary (anything would be better than unemployment), I doubt at that level there is any relocation provided… so I’m stuck in Michigan. Thanks and good luck. I’ll keep that page for reference." 10-4. Hope you find something. DT

  • 3-On-The-Tree I’m sure they are good vehicles but you can’t base that on who is buying them. Land Rovers, Bentley’ are bought by Robin Leaches’s “The Rich and Famous” but they have terrible reliability.
  • SCE to AUX The fix sounds like a bandaid. Kia's not going to address the defective shaft assemblies because it's hard and expensive - not cool.
  • Analoggrotto I am sick and tired of every little Hyundai Kia Genesis flaw being blown out of proportion. Why doesn't TTAC talk about the Tundra iForce Max problems, Toyota V35A engine problems or the Lexus 500H Hybrid problems? Here's why: education. Most of America is illiterate, as are the people who bash Hyundai Kia Genesis. Surveys conducted by credible sources have observed a high concentration of Hyundai Kia Genesis models at elite ivy league universities, you know those places where students earn degrees which earn more than $100K per year? Get with the program TTAC.
  • Analoggrotto NoooooooO!
  • Ted “the model is going to be almost 4 inches longer and 2 inches wider than its predecessor”Size matters. In this case there is 6” too much.
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