UAW members strike at Bronson plant

Judged:

I think the company will kick everybody out

justclint

Peru, IN

Carry Nelson wrote:

I think the company will kick everybody out

Why do you think they will kick everyone out? Don't they still need to run the business?

happy worker

you have no idea what goes on behide those closed doors, til you been inside. If I ran the place, I would want people building the columns that knew what they were doing. I believe the union works will go back to work.

out of work

They'll just hire illegals or people like me who are out of work and unemloyment. Right now I am trying to get a job that pays as much as I made on my first full time job 31 years ago and can't.

happy worker

Judged:

People don't understand how hard people have fought for unions, so there are better work places. Some shops need a union in them. You have foremans out there that are on power trips, that u look wrong at them and you are fired.I sure won't want to work in a place that I couldn't even have my own personal appention, without the fear of being fired over it.
People need to think twice before crossing a picket line or lockout line.
I have had rough times too, but I would never cross a line, were people are trying to make a change, for not only themselves but for the next people to be hired.

out of work

I agree many if not most employers suck and the pay is crappy today but right now we are supporting 20 million illegals which have taken about 10 million jobs and added 10 million welfare cases. It is taking it's toll on my budget. I wish you the best but I'm not gonna let my 8 year old starve and my lose my house for you.

happy worker

well out of work, if you are one of those people that crossed the picket line to go to work for that company, hold onto any money you have made, cause you won't be there long.
You are just being used. I'm sure the union workers will be back to work soon.
But good luck to you.

out of work

Judged:

a few weeks work is better than nothing. It's the first income I've had all year. No holding on to it, gotta make a hous payment and buy food. I do wish the strikers well but I have to feed my child.

happy worker

out of work
I probably yell at you everyday. LOL
I'm just one of those people that would not ever cross a picket line.
I no how hard my dad worked to get unions organised.
I would of went to and non union place to get work.
On one hand I feel sorry for you scabs, cause the company is only useing all of you.
On the other hand all of you crossed that picket line. So the names you get called, you asked for it.
I also no that the union workers are just a number to the company. But that is why we have a Union there to watch our backs.
Good Luck

well wisher

Jackson, MI

Judged:

Apparently the teachers' union hasn't had much success. Most of these posts are loaded with spelling and grammar errors -- sorry, I couldn't resist.

There are at least two sides to every story. We certainly won't settle it by barking at each other in an online post... or shouting insults as a "scab" crosses a picket line. The union leaders seem to net all of the benefits, the workers pay the costs.

It represents a sad state of affairs in the state of MI. Manufacturing is heading elsewhere, the automotive industry is taking a pounding, they drive their suppliers to reduce costs. Labor is the biggest factor in costs -- hence they look for concessions in their biggest cost category - labor.

I don't hold the answers... I simply love my Michigan home. Sadly, tens of thousands of workers have had to move to other states to follow manufacturing jobs. But guess what, the jobs there are at lower pay scales than they were in MI. This is one of the reasons the manufacturing went there in the first place. Take the Hopkinsville plant for example. Was this facility opened because there was a wealth of knowledge and experience related to building steering columns... not hardly. Land was cheap, labor was plentiful (and cheap) and with proper training and quality control measures, they could make a good product at a competitive price.

I hope that this is settled soon. I feel especially bad for the retirees who weren't planning on being forced to cover their own health care costs. This was supposed to be part of their pension program, but now it is in doubt.

Take this as a lesson. Some of you have mentioned having young children. Some have mentioned parents involved in the growth of unions. These are the times we are living in - not the times our children will live with. Our parents couldn't have foreseen the competitive pressures (global manufacturing) we would face today and figured that a union manufacturing job would be a secure spot, like it had been for them. Encourage your children to set high goals and study hard at school, because in order to succeed in the future, they will need a level of education that gives them more options than walking the line or crossing it.

Sanford

Judged:

Amen, to Well Wisher! There are 2 sides to every story.

And only the people that the "LOCKED OUT" strikers should be Mad and Yelling at are their own Union Pres., Vice Pres. etc that voted "NOT" to extend the existing Contract(that was offered) before the deadline, and the Great commity that they are didnt even tell more than half of the union that they were going to "Strike" until they showed up for work the next day. How Respectible is that?

If it wasnt for the scaps Nobody would have a job. Hopkinsville, KY. is a non-union plant and they run just fine.

The Strikers are really showing "Face" and how they as people really are. With all the acts(legal and Illegal) that they are participating in: Steeling the American & Douglas Auto flags off the flag poles, spitting on cars, yelling at everyone crossing the line (and NO they didn't ask for it they are keeping your jobs open until your commitee realizes that there is no other place in MI. that you can find a job that pays as much as they could make even with the "CUTS"). You all , following people home, holding up baseball bats to innocent people with children in a car. You all are making it worse on yourself.

Yeah your right, The Union is there to watch your backs. But when you abuse it, You should Loose It!
The only people who like the Union are the people who abuse it. I too work in a Union shop and I see it everyday.

My Advise to all you Douglas Auto workers that may read this: VOTE for a new Pres. Vice Pres. ect. ASAP.....(If Douglas Auto is still around.)

VOTE VOTE VOTE !!!!!!!!

locked out

AOL

Judged:

Sanford, you do not know what you are talking about. Get the facts!

locked out

AOL

To Out of Work.....How ironic, now I am out of work and you are doing my job. Who is going to feed my kids?

scab worker

United States

Judged:

To the "locked out". Sorry about your luck, but a company in this day in age is not going to let it's self go under because the union workers feel they are being miss treated. They will find temp workers who are more than happy to show up and do your jobs for probably half the pay. I personaly, had been looking for a job for month's before I took my "scab" job and unlike the strikers try to say, while trying to degrade us, I did graduate high school and college and still had no luck finding work. So I can say that im proud to cross that line every morning to earn my keep and like out of work said a few weeks is better than nothing. Im liking the money for now.

Sanford

Judged:

"Locked Out" : The only one to answer that question is youself. Why dont you ask your Union President? They are the ones that have your Future in the palm of thier hands. By the looks of things you should start looking for other ways to make a living.

These so called "scabs" didnt ask for any of this they are doing you all a favor by holding open your jobs!

For the "Scabs": cross that picket line with your head held high and ROCK ON! Prove to upper managment that Quality product can be trusted through and through. You dont need the "UNION" to back you!

also locked out

Judged:

To scab worker and sanford, You both need to get a brain. Obviously you are both lacking in that area. Neither of you have a clue. We are doing what we need to do and we will continue. If you don't like the yelling don't cross the line because its your choice and some day maybe you will be educated enough to figure out what it all means to be union and not a scab. You really do not have a clue. And to Sanford, as for all the bad things you named that some of the locked out people have suppose to have done, you should get your facts straight on that topic also before you post things about others that are not true. Since you live in Bronson it seems like you would know the facts better, but must be you just like to gossip. As far as our Union President and Vice President, They are doing a fine job. You don't know what kind of idiot they are dealing with, Or do you? And one more thing, quality product, very doubtful. Maybe you should realize that some of the columns go in buses and semis. Thats just not something you just take people in off the street and throw them into without proper training and someone making sure they are right before they go out the door and in that place you yourself are the only people that determine that because if it was up to the managment anything would go. Anything to make a buck. I worked there 15 years and I really believe the locked out workers know a little more about it then you do. Doing us a favor, That just shows how much you don't know.

Sanford

Judged:

To Also locked out: You do what you have to, you have that right. The truth will all come out in the wash! I know the facts more than you think.

You are one of two things: 1. You are now on the committee and your being kept in the dark! or 2.
Your are on the committee but still in denial.

As for crossing the line, I dont! But I know alot of people that are on that line and I feel sorry for all that dont know "All the Facts!" Maybe you should worry about bringing your Union together as a Whole and stop worrying about what to say or do next to the people that cross that line!

locked out

AOL

I have work at dac along time and I have seen it all. The good times and the bad times. I just can't give up on getting back in there with a fair and reasonable contract witch is what our committee is striving for. The company's team wants us to give up everything we have worked for for years. I was wondering what I sould give up for the company? My house my car my life? I really do not have alot with the way things are in this world today. I beleave in my UAW committe and that they are doing the right thing and I will stand behind them 100%. I wish that this was over so I can go back to work. I miss my job( I can't beleave I am saying that)and I want to get back to normal. I hope and pray that things can be resolved soon. I can not stand all this stress and crap that goes with this situation.

Happy Worker

Sanford, you sound like you are married to one of the foremans, that brought his kids across the picket line.
People on the outside of DAC, have no idea what goes on inside.
Only the people that have worked there for years do.
Companies are headed elsewhere do to NAFTA.
Company CEO's don't take cuts.
They always blame things on the workers on the shop floors. It is upper managment, that don't no how to manage that gets alot of companies in the trouble they are in.
Well wisher, as for Hopkinsville plate, where do you think that money came from ???
Right from the Bronson plate. Money they could of sharied with the workers built that plant. That plant hasn't made a profit for years.
Retirees health care is paid, so fare.
Talk talk talk about things you don't no about.
The Union comm. did what they had to for all of us. And the body of the Union is strong. There should of been a strike there years ago.
You don't treat workers like dogs.
The scabs made a choice to cross that line, so what ever they get called they asked for it.
We are pround to be Union members.
I would never take my child over a picket line.
Those people that have are brain dead.
See ya on the line. LOL

Sanford