American Axle and UAW reach a contract deal

A person briefed on the talks says the United Auto Workers have reached an agreement with American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc.

[memememe]

so im curious why it took so long. I worked for one of the companies that got laid off and i couldnt afford to live on unemployment so i had to find a new job and im upset about that. i loved my job and had to give it up because of the whole ordeal. glad it may be over tho so my friends can all go back to work and better their lives.

[Lisa - Grand Rapids]

HELLO!!!!!! This was totally a political ploy to turn the already hurting economy into a downward spiral. Then, blame Bush and the Republicans for it and try to gain support to get a Dem elected in November. Perfect Ploy...unless your onto it! Those greedy union people cost our company millions of dollars in sales and forced us to layoff half our work force for the past month. The writing's on the wall! And most of the people I work with, are feed up with it! Gosh....I wonder why Import sales are UP?????

[Dave]

Sorry Lisa, You have things all back wards. There is a huge movement to break all unions in the US that was started by the republican party. Contrary to what you think, these workers and all good paying union workers, are the back bone to US economy. If everyone is forced to make wages at poverty level, there is no money left over for buying the durable goods products that stimulate our economy.
If you want to talk about greed, lets look at the CEO's of these companies. American Axle posted a net profit of $37 million on $3.2 billion in sales in 2007. The company gave Dauch a 9-percent raise in 2007, taking his total compensation to $10.2 million.Dauch had collected over $257 million in pay over a decade.

Thanks to Ron Gettlefinger and all involved in the negotiatation process for standing up for not only the union workforce at AAM, but for all of us in the middle class and below. If our present administation and big business had their way, we would all be working in the same class as the Chinese and Mexican workers do.

[Batch 37 Pain is Good]

What are the details....Will the members go for it?

[rockford]

Dave wrote:

Sorry Lisa, You have things all back wards. There is a huge movement to break all unions in the US that was started by the republican party. Contrary to what you think, these workers and all good paying union workers, are the back bone to US economy. If everyone is forced to make wages at poverty level, there is no money left over for buying the durable goods products that stimulate our economy.
If you want to talk about greed, lets look at the CEO's of these companies. American Axle posted a net profit of $37 million on $3.2 billion in sales in 2007. The company gave Dauch a 9-percent raise in 2007, taking his total compensation to $10.2 million.Dauch had collected over $257 million in pay over a decade.
Thanks to Ron Gettlefinger and all involved in the negotiatation process for standing up for not only the union workforce at AAM, but for all of us in the middle class and below. If our present administation and big business had their way, we would all be working in the same class as the Chinese and Mexican workers do.

You got that right!

[UAW member]

Ya know it's not going to be a fair/decent agreement for the American Axel strikers/workers. Basically they are going to get screwed for a signing bonus of $5,000.(BEFORE taxes) It's sad for these hard working UAW members...AND...ALL of us, union or nonunion! Everyone's wages is gradually going down, as the cost of living is going up. People like Bush & Dauch belong in a rubber boat to China!(both are crooks)
Gettlefinger is no hero in my book! The way our (GM) contract was handled and what he accepted for us workers is so pathetic! The UAW as we once knew it no longer is!

[UAW member]

Batch 37 Pain is Good wrote:

What are the details....Will the members go for it?

Do they actually have much of a choice?! These people have been on strike for 3 months. I think the UAW should double their strike pay and make it retroactive! THAT would send a real message to Dauch!

[flowback1974]

HEY LISA, YOU SHOULD TAKE YOUR SKIRT OFF AND TRY TO WORK IN A FACTORY DAY IN AND DAY OUT. THE WORK MAY SEEM EASY AT FIRST BUT DO IT EVERYDAY FOR YEARS AND YEARS. YOUR ARMS ACHE, THEN YOUR BACK , YOUR FEET. BUT YOU KEEP WORKING TO PAY YOUR BILLS AND FEED YOUR FAMILY. THEN AFTER 10 , 15 YEARS LET ME CUT YOUR WAGES AND BENEFITS IN HALF. THEN GO HOME AND WITH TAXES , GAS , GROCERYS , UTILITIES ETC, GOING UP UP UP AND YOUR WAGES GOING DOWN DOWN DOWN. YOU FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY YOUR BILLS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW IT WORKS OUT FOR YOU!!!!!!!!! FOR THE REST OF THE UNION WORKERS KEEP FIGHTING!!!1

[UAW member]

yo Lisa, ditto to 'flowback1974'! Let me tell you ... after over 25 years of working in a factory (GM) I wonder what enjoyment I'll have when I'm able to retire because of the hard, continous, repitous work I've done for all those years! Put on a pair of work shoes and give up having perfectly manicured nails!

[Batch 37 Pain is Good]

flowback1974 wrote:

HEY LISA, YOU SHOULD TAKE YOUR SKIRT OFF AND TRY TO WORK IN A FACTORY DAY IN AND DAY OUT. THE WORK MAY SEEM EASY AT FIRST BUT DO IT EVERYDAY FOR YEARS AND YEARS. YOUR ARMS ACHE, THEN YOUR BACK , YOUR FEET. BUT YOU KEEP WORKING TO PAY YOUR BILLS AND FEED YOUR FAMILY. THEN AFTER 10 , 15 YEARS LET ME CUT YOUR WAGES AND BENEFITS IN HALF. THEN GO HOME AND WITH TAXES , GAS , GROCERYS , UTILITIES ETC, GOING UP UP UP AND YOUR WAGES GOING DOWN DOWN DOWN. YOU FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY YOUR BILLS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW IT WORKS OUT FOR YOU!!!!!!!!! FOR THE REST OF THE UNION WORKERS KEEP FIGHTING!!!1

Don't like your job? Get a new one. No company owes you anything but a paycheck at market value.
That is the way it is in today's global market.

[johnny rebel]

The workers aren't getting enough. They should vote against this offer. If the company is making enough huge profits to pay the CEO tens of millions then the workers should get their fair share. If the workers accept this offer then the CEO will get even more money while the workers get less. American Axle is getting nervous because GM is putting pressure on them. The union should hold out for more because Axle will cave.

[Tom]

its about time they go back to work. only working 3 or 4 days a week is killing my family and with gas prices we have had to only use one vehicle

[Collin K]

First, the $25 or so that they were making is stupidly over what they deserved. Unskilled laborers were making that. Unskilled labor deserves an unskilled price. I can understand skilled people making that sort of money or more though.

Second, for the sake of simple math lets say that they turned a profit of 32 million and took in 3.2 billion. That makes the total sales 3,200 million and the profit 32 million. Now, divide 3200 / 32 and you get 100. That's right. You just complained that American Axle DARED TO MAKE A 1% PROFIT! THE SHAME! HOW DARE THEY MAKE 1%!!!! Catch the sarcasm there? A business is doing good at a 10% profit. 1% is piddly.

And third, I would not contend that big business is not selfish and corrupt. But so is everyone else. And even the selfish and corrupt don't want to kick the chair out from under themselves. You must see that if the middle class disappears that the upper class will too. Big business will always need the middle class to exploit so you can rest assured that their goal is not the complete destruction of the middle class. But, at the same time, market forces are creating an arms race to the bottom. In the current market a business must cut costs or be undercut by their competitors. This is a big problem but not one easily solved by corporations. In fact, there are only two real solutions:

1. The government can gradually increase import tariffs and give incentives for businesses to stay here.
2. People can quit buying jap junk and cheap Chinese trash instead of buying US made products.

#2 isn't likely. You see, everyone IS selfish and corrupt. We'd all rather buy cheap junk then spend more money.#1 is hard because we've already given away the keys to the castle. Once you globalize your economy it's very hard to go back.

But, I firmly believe that we were better off when we were isolationist and we'd be better off that way today. We can produce more food than we need right within our borders. We could provide for all of our own power. We have plenty of metal ore. Oil would be problematic but it's well past time to find a different solution for driving around. We need to tell all of the other countries good riddance.

Dave wrote:

Sorry Lisa, You have things all back wards. There is a huge movement to break all unions in the US that was started by the republican party. Contrary to what you think, these workers and all good paying union workers, are the back bone to US economy. If everyone is forced to make wages at poverty level, there is no money left over for buying the durable goods products that stimulate our economy.
If you want to talk about greed, lets look at the CEO's of these companies. American Axle posted a net profit of $37 million on $3.2 billion in sales in 2007. The company gave Dauch a 9-percent raise in 2007, taking his total compensation to $10.2 million.Dauch had collected over $257 million in pay over a decade.
Thanks to Ron Gettlefinger and all involved in the negotiatation process for standing up for not only the union workforce at AAM, but for all of us in the middle class and below. If our present administation and big business had their way, we would all be working in the same class as the Chinese and Mexican workers do.

[Collin K]

Heh, you do realize that there is a $90,000 payout to the workers to accept this deal, right? That payout should be zero. In reality AA should have just fired everyone and hired new at the wage they really want to pay.

UAW member wrote:

Ya know it's not going to be a fair/decent agreement for the American Axel strikers/workers. Basically they are going to get screwed for a signing bonus of $5,000.(BEFORE taxes) It's sad for these hard working UAW members...AND...ALL of us, union or nonunion! Everyone's wages is gradually going down, as the cost of living is going up. People like Bush & Dauch belong in a rubber boat to China!(both are crooks)
Gettlefinger is no hero in my book! The way our (GM) contract was handled and what he accepted for us workers is so pathetic! The UAW as we once knew it no longer is!

[Collin K]

Well, I do work in a factory. Yes, the work can be tough. I've been there about 10 years now. If you don't like it you are always free to educate yourself and find a different job. There's no use crying about how hard it is. You knew how hard it was after a month. After 15 years it's either your cup of tea or it isn't. If it isn't then find something else. There are jobs out there... for qualified people. Is that the problem?

UAW member wrote:

yo Lisa, ditto to 'flowback1974'! Let me tell you ... after over 25 years of working in a factory (GM) I wonder what enjoyment I'll have when I'm able to retire because of the hard, continous, repitous work I've done for all those years! Put on a pair of work shoes and give up having perfectly manicured nails!

[Collin K]

1% profit is not huge. I mean, just think of it in terms of the ratio: 3.2 billion is 3,200 million. The profit is 32 million. That's peanuts. The health insurance for the workforce is many times that. I'll bet that they spend more than 32 million in a two - three week period in steel. They probably spend that in toner. Or copy paper. Or paper clips. Or Styrofoam cups.(Ok, I'm getting really carried away but you get the point.)

johnny rebel wrote:

The workers aren't getting enough. They should vote against this offer. If the company is making enough huge profits to pay the CEO tens of millions then the workers should get their fair share. If the workers accept this offer then the CEO will get even more money while the workers get less. American Axle is getting nervous because GM is putting pressure on them. The union should hold out for more because Axle will cave.

[johnny rebel]

Collin K wrote:

Heh, you do realize that there is a $90,000 payout to the workers to accept this deal, right? That payout should be zero. In reality AA should have just fired everyone and hired new at the wage they really want to pay.
<quoted text>

Your ignorance is amazing. If the company could fire everyone and make the production rates they need to profit, they would have. It is impossible for a 100% untrained brand new workforce to make the production quotas that GM is demanding.
Take your "anti-working man" BS and go suck some more republican a$$.

[sanddude]

GM workers are lazy. Send them to Mexico to see how good they have it.

[jobs]

A Large Plastic Company ,Thats sounds like (Sacks )with 14 Plants just lost their contract with Ford for 2011 ,Poor Quality of work.The Reason the Boss approves all the work,Just so it looks good on paper and $$$,No Pride in the work they do anymore,But Hey maybe they will close up and go to Mexico too. I would send those managers down their too ,they might take more pride in their work,When they no longer have a Job.

[UAW member]

Collin K wrote:

First, the $25 or so that they were making is stupidly over what they deserved. Unskilled laborers were making that. Unskilled labor deserves an unskilled price. I can understand skilled people making that sort of money or more though.
Second, for the sake of simple math lets say that they turned a profit of 32 million and took in 3.2 billion. That makes the total sales 3,200 million and the profit 32 million. Now, divide 3200 / 32 and you get 100. That's right. You just complained that American Axle DARED TO MAKE A 1% PROFIT! THE SHAME! HOW DARE THEY MAKE 1%!!!! Catch the sarcasm there? A business is doing good at a 10% profit. 1% is piddly.
And third, I would not contend that big business is not selfish and corrupt. But so is everyone else. And even the selfish and corrupt don't want to kick the chair out from under themselves. You must see that if the middle class disappears that the upper class will too. Big business will always need the middle class to exploit so you can rest assured that their goal is not the complete destruction of the middle class. But, at the same time, market forces are creating an arms race to the bottom. In the current market a business must cut costs or be undercut by their competitors. This is a big problem but not one easily solved by corporations. In fact, there are only two real solutions:
1. The government can gradually increase import tariffs and give incentives for businesses to stay here.
2. People can quit buying jap junk and cheap Chinese trash instead of buying US made products.
#2 isn't likely. You see, everyone IS selfish and corrupt. We'd all rather buy cheap junk then spend more money.#1 is hard because we've already given away the keys to the castle. Once you globalize your economy it's very hard to go back.
But, I firmly believe that we were better off when we were isolationist and we'd be better off that way today. We can produce more food than we need right within our borders. We could provide for all of our own power. We have plenty of metal ore. Oil would be problematic but it's well past time to find a different solution for driving around. We need to tell all of the other countries good riddance.
<quoted text>

All I have to sat to you is blah-blah-BLAH!!!!!!!