VW employees say 'no' to United Auto Workers

[Fire-medic]

Union organizers in the South suffered a setback Friday when workers at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted against being represented by the United Auto Workers.

The vote was 712 against the union and 626 in favor. There are about 1,550 hourly workers at the plant who were eligible to vote.

The vote was seen as the UAW's best chance to organize a nonunion auto plant, because Volkswagen management did not oppose the effort.

http://www.local10.com/news/VW-employees-say-no-to-United-Auto-Workers/24497788

52% to 48% to not unionize. One of the TN Republican U.S. senators campaigned heavily against the unionization effort by claiming the plant would expand its operations, and be awarded a new build order if the union was voted-down.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/us-volkswagen-corker-idUSBREA1C04H20140213

I wonder how this all played-out for the people in Gootlettsville TN? :ummm:

 

[Tex85]

Personally I see it as a win, unions served a purpose in the past to correct major problems in the workplace (specifically safety). However at this point I think they cause more problems than they correct and helped facilitate the need for off shoring factory type positions since the cost of union labor is significantly more than non-union labor (the union members aren't making more since the increased part of their wages goes to the union anyway).

I'm born and raised in FL. Being a product of a right to work state my views on unions are probably a bit more hostile than most.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[44boyd]

This is my hometown and it's one of the job ideas I have for when I retire from the Air Force in 2-6 years. Still dont know what I want to do when I grow up lol

 

[Traumahawk]

Personally I see it as a win, unions served a purpose in the past to correct major problems in the workplace (specifically safety). However at this point I think they cause more problems than they correct and helped facilitate the need for off shoring factory type positions since the cost of union labor is significantly more than non-union labor (the union members aren't making more since the increased part of their wages goes to the union anyway).


Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

+1

I grew up union. My dad worked for the post office, and was the local president of the AFL-CIO, (Wichita Falls)and was also a state officer for many years in Texas.

I'm not really ANTI union...but I don't see where they have a huge place in this day and age.

I remember seeing a story probably 17 years ago on the the CBS evening news. The story was about the the contract that the UAW had with GM. Once you retired, your healthcare was paid for life. They were talking to a gentleman that was 56, and retired from GM.

10 years later, they need a government bail out. Do I think that GM's financial woes were STRICTLY due to this? NO......but it definitely didn't help.

 

[1st Shirt Maxer]

My only union experience can when I was working in a factory in Florida. A union rep came to the factory to try and establish but didn't make it past the front office. He was escorted off the property by a couple of gentlemen. IMHO these days a union seems like a bad idea. Work place safety and equal wages are easy to argue these days without a union and as we see with the auto workers union, some of the benefits they argue for cost good people their jobs to pay for increased wages and benefits. Ive been in the Air Force now for 21 years and haven't had to deal with that but soon will be retired and back in the civilian sector looking for a job. I will never work for a union because in my opinion if I feel I am wronged by my employer, I will take it up with him or find out if I can hold him accountable for some law he is breaking. If neither one of those work then I'm prepared to move on. This is a very lopsided view due to my extensive absence from the job market but my convictions will always be the same.



David Justiss
USAF First Sergeant
554 RED HORSE Sq, Guam

 

[PATMAX]

I worked non union construction for $2-3 less than a union job would pay.
I work for the city now under a Union that has little to no bargaining power so no raise for the last five years. We are not allowed to strike and those I work with that opt out of the Union get all the benefits we as a Union bargain for. What does it do for me to be in the Union? Oh and dues doubled the last two years. IUAPT

 

[Rusty McNeil]

IBEW is real strong in Ca.

They make good money but ZERO benefits

At the end of the day the "cream of the crop" non union guys do much better. Little bit less hourly, but better insurance, benefits, 401k, and MUCH better job security.

To say some politicians swayed the results if that election is insulting.

Those guys working that plant are not stupid cows to be led easily.

They voted what they felt.

I came from a strong union family, quite frankly I do not see what they have to offer anyone at all these days. There is no way I could have ended up where I'm at had I have gone IBEW, I'd be just another construction hand looking for his "next" job/project.

 

[tothemax93]

Id love to know what there package is now compared to what it would be if they were UAW. My Dad was in the union (teamsters) for 30 yrs and I'm in the same one now for 14 yrs. As far as Safety or hours, Thats all regulated by the Gov now anyway. Dept of labor and OSHA. I'm pretty sure that I live in the highest percentage of unionized workers in the country. I'm not impressed for the most part. They promote "it's a you against them mentallity. Whether it's the other trades or management. The jobs that we do are bid by union and non-union companies. In either case the workers get the prevailing wage. So if the non-union company gets it, the worker gets the whole package cost as cash in his paycheck, where as if my company gets it, I pay union dues, pension costs, health benefits, then an hourly wage. The non-union guy gets to choose where his money goes. I don't.

 

[44boyd]

article I read stated that they average worker makes $19 vs $23 unioned. But don't know how much their dues are.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

article I read stated that they average worker makes $19 vs $23 unioned. But don't know how much their dues are.

Is that for all trades all states averaged?

Sounds low...

IBEW around Houston is mid $30' to High $30's,

Out her in Ca it's generally around $52, which is not as much as it sounds considering cost of living.

I think the general point these days is that, in the skilled trades at least, most non union companies offer much better benefits packages than what the unions can negotiate.

For the record I am not union, nor am I an electrician.
Our construction Sister company (Owned by us) is Union, they build it
We design, procure, project manage and do the Technical Startups.

 

[44boyd]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/14/us/tennessee-vw-union-vote/index.html?hpt=us_c2

VW plant workers make $19 versus $26-28 Detroit UAW.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Sounds like you are talking about government work or work utilizing some amount of government funds or subsidies; which falls under the Bacon Davis act of prevailing wage.

Many times that is the only jobs union contractors can successfully bid and be competitive since non-union bidders have to account for that prevailing wage requirement.

 

[2stangs69-91]

I have been a Union worker for almost 19 years and in my area for what I do I have the best job by far. There are very few full time jobs for people almost zero that have decent benies and retirement. So I guess I am in the minority in this group. With everybody complaining about health care and retirement money the Unions need a bigger place in the work force now then ever before. I think the bad rap the unions got when they got in to the bad years of mobster control really hurt them, JMO. I need to say Good unions are needed JMO.

 

[tothemax93]

Sounds like you are talking about government work or work utilizing some amount of government funds or subsidies; which falls under the Bacon Davis act of prevailing wage.

Many times that is the only jobs union contractors can successfully bid and be competitive since non-union bidders have to account for that prevailing wage requirement.

Sounds right Rusty. We do road and bridge work, So its always for the thruway, State DOT or municipalities.

QUOTE:
"I have been a Union worker for almost 19 years and in my area for what I do I have the best job by far. There are very few full time jobs for people almost zero that have decent benies and retirement. So I guess I am in the minority in this group. With everybody complaining about health care and retirement money the Unions need a bigger place in the work force now then ever before. I think the bad rap the unions got when they got in to the bad years of mobster control really hurt them, JMO. I need to say Good unions are needed JMO." 2stangs69-91

Health care and pension are the 2 biggest problems I have with my union. I will say though, that the problems are created because I'm a seasonal worker. All their systems are set up on days worked. For seasonal, they need to be based on hourly. Several years I've gone 6 months without health ins because I've been a day or 2 short on there charts. We asked if we could buy the remaining time. Nope. I lost the time I had into health care, but I was welcome to pay the $1200 cobra. Pension was the same. This year me and a guy I worked with fell short of a pension year by 4 or 5 days. Can we buy the rest of the time. Nope. We work about 9 months a year, but as far as hours goes, we easily put in a year+. I know that's between me and my local, but It sure doesn't help a pro union stance. Again it's my situation, but my company treats us well. I get more money per hour than prevailing wage, Keep my own time, even allowed to give input without grief. But I get that because of job performance, not because of a union. My paycheck comes from the company, not the union. So there has to be a balance. Unions have and do good things, but My first 20 yrs of work were non-union, work together and get the job done mentality VS Thats not my job or don't touch that shovel, thats my work mentality. Not everybody I work with is like that, but to be honest the guys that are, are the ones that are by far the most active with their Hall.

 

[johnblaid]

The UAW was needed once. It's an impediment to US job growth now.

 

[85 MAX-fan]

I dont understand all of the complaining about healthcare benefits. Apparently you never heard that Obama fixed that.

 

[Redbone]

I dont understand all of the complaining about healthcare benefits. Apparently you never heard that Obama fixed that.

Yup, the fix is in alright!

 

[tothemax93]

I dont understand all of the complaining about healthcare benefits. Apparently you never heard that Obama fixed that.

Ya know, now that I think back, I did hear obamacare fixed it:hmmm: I believe the letter I got from my union Insurance company used the words "significant increase" in my premium. Thanks for reminding me.:bang head:

 

[Rusty McNeil]

AFL-CIO strongly supported and helped pass Obama Care.

Then later asked for and received an exemption from its requirements, asking to keep their own plans......

I can see where the Union might be helpful (to the worker at least, until the company goes under) in the manufacturing segment.

In skilled trades mostly what I see is it creates a hostile mentality in the workplace, and leaves guys "job hopping" project to project, instead of staying with and rising to the top in a company that takes care of them properly.

Union guys out here in Ca. make fun of those guys that do exhibit loyalty and call them "shop rockets" in a derogatory manner.
Then shake their heads in wonderment when they get ROF'ed at the end of a project instead of being carried to the next one.

I just don't see an environment where the laggards, who are impossible to fire, making the same as the ass busters doing anything but demotivating a work force.

The reason I see both sides is we bring our Union side management with us on out of state jobs and hire journeymen level and on down out of the local halls. So I get a chance to see how these lical guys think that are from a "more pure" union environment.

Our sister company that is Union is an exception, at least in my mind, and I'm sure there are more like them, those guys KNOW they don't work for the Union, the work for the guy signing their paycheck. The Union also is not as strong in Texas and you CAN get rid of substandard employees without moving heaven and earth.

Individual companies that are strong enough actually cut their own company specific negotiations with the Union so although not completely a "Merit" system some companies pay better than other companies and the benefit packages vary too. In return for that better pay and benefits the company gets more loyalty, less job hopping, and more leeway in discharging employees that aren't working out.

It's a system that's worked pretty well for us for over 50 years. Most of our Union sides management has come up through the ranks as a result and it has engendered a great deal of company loyalty and a very well running profitable machine.