der5er

Let me start by saying that I know there was a time and place for unions.  In fact, there may still be a time and place for unions.  However, after watching the Grocery workers union strike in California a couple of years ago and, now, the United Auto Workers strike on GM, I don’t think that all the old unions should be in place as they are today. 

The UAW is striking to get better job security for it’s members.  Well, that’s great.  How do they want to guarantee that?  They want GM to keep more manufacturing jobs in the US.  The union’s rolls have shrunk by 80% since the last strike.  A great deal of GM’s manufacturing jobs are now abroad, and they make a great deal of money outside the US. 

So, here we now have companies that are told how to run their business by their employees.  That just has never set well with me.  Yes, I know that in the past, many companies walked all over their employees, and that’s why the unions were formed.  The UAW wants to tell GM where and how to make cars.  That just doesn’t seem right.  GM is not in the business of enriching the auto workers.  Yes, GM pays them, but GM is actually in the business of making cars and enriching thier shareholders.  I know I’m coming off very callous, but I don’t think every wrench turner (or grocery bagger) should have a say in where dollars are spent by management.