Comments on: Congressman: Obama should oust UAW leader Ron Gettelfinger

By: parts guy

parts guy — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:13:44 +0000

mmmfloorpie: ****ty ass cars were at least partly because the companies had to cut the r&d and development budgets to pay the wages, benefits, legacy costs, jobs bank etc, etc. Imagine how much more competitive the companies could have been if the money wasted elsewhere – including the UAW waste – could have been spent on the PRODUCT instead!!!

By: mmmfloorpie

mmmfloorpie — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:03:59 +0000

Union bosses didn’t have anything to do with the design of shitty ass cars that couldn’t compete… If Gettlefinger was able to get the concessions that he did, I say we make him president!

By: The Stig

The Stig — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:44:35 +0000

@terk184,

I agree with that. Very likely.

By: 1c3d0g

1c3d0g — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:44:19 +0000

Damn right! This f*cker caused most of the problems in the Big 3, he should be rotting in jail!

By: Get Real

Get Real — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 02:08:59 +0000

I do wonder what his “golden parachute” looks like .

Does he have a house in the Hamptons ??

They beatup every banker for big money and big houses.

By: Rover3500

Rover3500 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:55:30 +0000

Greedy little hypocritical bastard has to go!

By: jackjimturkey

jackjimturkey — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:47:03 +0000

Connie?

By: freeyellow2000

freeyellow2000 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:24:01 +0000

I concur get rid of Ron. just look at his beebee little eyes of his …. he 100% evil

By: oldraven

oldraven — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:36:31 +0000

We don’t need unions. We just need more defined Labour Laws. Everyone in Canada and the US already pays union dues and gets union benefits. They’re called taxes and Labour Laws.

Go away, Gettlefinger.

By: parts guy

parts guy — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:34:59 +0000

If Wagoner can be held responsible for the mistakes of his predecessors, and criticized for moving too slowly in turning the company around, why shouldn’t Gettelfinger be?

By: NRG

NRG — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:34:50 +0000

It won’t happen since he is going to step down anyway. Mr. Mack, what took you so long to figure this out???????

By: Scarface03

Scarface03 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:17:32 +0000

I think the UAW have appropriately been targeted with some of the blame for the U.S. auto industry, and I don’t think that trying to influence management of the Big 3 and the UAW constitutes *micro*-management when these 4 entities basically affect the fate of tens of billions of U.S. dollars. I think this is a form of macromanagment–and partially symbolic–by getting rid of the top people, the U.S. now with the purse strings is saying that the old ways are not gonna cut it anymore. You can bet that whoever steps in as the next UAW prez will have a more “reasonable” understanding of what the UAW should or should not demand by way of benefits and wages.

By: yarddog82abn

yarddog82abn — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:00:31 +0000

HELL YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: HoosierHero

HoosierHero — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:54:16 +0000

Get Real- he can’t, but it sure feels like it! He can definitely push some decisions while hanging bailout money in front of them.

By: desertdriver

desertdriver — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:45:54 +0000

Unions are antiquated

By: Get Real

Get Real — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:15:54 +0000

^^^Anyone in the private sector.

By: Get Real

Get Real — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:14:36 +0000

In our Democracy the prez does NOT have the right to fire anyone.

Remember our Constitution anyone…..anyone ????

By: ricky_b

ricky_b — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:03:02 +0000

I’m not a fan of unions (having been an engineer that to work with/around them) however, I don’t necessarily agree with this decision. I even think that the relationship between the UAW and Big 3 contributed to the current problems. But, I honestly believe that the biggest downfall of the Big 3 has always been poor product and marketing decisions.

Trucks/SUVs/Crossovers dominated the Big 3 from early 90′s to mid 00′s. During this time, I feel they handed the car market over to the Japanese, Koreans and Europeans on a silver platter, because cars didn’t offer the healthier profit margins. The Big 3 took a gamble, made a ton of money, but have since lost the race. I see some promise in the turnarounds at Ford and GM but again, that’s all about the product.

By: cocojoe53

cocojoe53 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:33:47 +0000

This is that old “Blame Game”. The leadership choice in the Union should be decided by the membership.

By: loudpedal

loudpedal — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:24:30 +0000

If this happened, I’d be upset. Granted, I’m an engineer not an hourly worker and have never been a member of a union in 20 years of manufacturing. I also don’t like what unions have done with American manufacturing in general but the government didn’t give the UAW a bailout and I don’t think the government can fire a member of the private sector on a whim. It sounds like too much government control. As soon as the government becomes a model for efficiency, they can start dictating how business runs. For now, the government is the most bloated, inefficient organization on the planet. They’ve got no room to talk.

By: RaineMan

RaineMan — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:02:29 +0000

Johnny… I am so saving that comment for use elsewhere!

By: PassingGear

PassingGear — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:00:55 +0000

Here, here Johnny…

By: bigs4610

bigs4610 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:27:35 +0000

This govt that carries a trillion dollar debt needs to realize that they cannot put half the working citizens of this country out of work to “restructure” the auto industry and expect them to buy a new $40,000 EV car when they can only afford about a $24,000 car

I don’t even think that the EV or hybrid technology is advanced enough to make it economical to buy
$40,000 for an EV car that can go 40 miles without using fuel?

BIG WHOOP

After 40 miles gotta gas up because we don’t have the infrastructure to support EV car.
You don’t see “power stations” where people can go and power up their cars anywhere do you?

Gas stations are a dime a dozen these days, where’s all the power stations gona be at?

Obama is gona tax the $hit outta trucks and suvs to make people not want to buy them and force them into smaller cars when the technology isn’t even advanced enough to be supported by our economy

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:15:13 +0000

The rich get rich and the poor get poorer. The only thing the middle class seem to be getting is the middle finger.

By: bigs4610

bigs4610 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:11:34 +0000

As an avid GM supporter, in his defense its not Ron’s fault.
its nobodys fault.
its typical human nature to want more than you have.
you get paid $10 an hour, you’re going to want $12.
you get paid $22 an hour, you’re going to want $24

for 77 years GM was the the largest car company in the world, they HAD the resources to pay the unions what they demanded, and STILL be successful.
How can you blame them? You have enough money to pay what someone wants, why not right?

Granted I STRONGLY believe that they needed some restructuring, and cost cutting steps needed to be taken, but I dont think that all the blame should be placed on GM themselves.

By: RaineMan

RaineMan — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:59:36 +0000

The American Middle Class is rapidly on its way to becoming a myth.

By: gta89mike

gta89mike — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:55:30 +0000

It’s the unions that have kept raising pay over the years, but then these same people get to buy the cars cheaper than anyone else. How do we expect our incomes to keep increasing and then expect to buy everything so cheap? It just mathematically can’t happen. We need to keep jobs here, but in turn, we need to understand that we are going to pay more because we are supporting the American middle class, not some sweat shops in India and China.

By: zfenderguy

zfenderguy — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:54:47 +0000

Way to go Connie! Chuck that fool Gettelfinger to the weeds!

By: Borat

Borat — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:51:23 +0000

Mike, you are correct, but don’t forget that Regan was not elected by union votes and on union dime.
Legally, Obama could not fire Wagoner either and he didn’t. What he could do and probably did state that there will be no billions forthcoming from treasury while Wagoner at the wheel. Wagoner took 20 mils and retired (at 56? 58?). He also will start draw pension at 62 based on 2 best years for the past 10 years (he made 110 mils since 2000). Union is not asking for money directly. And THIS union is way close to home of President and guess whom union was voting for?

By: idrinorbarsaku

idrinorbarsaku — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:49:52 +0000

i dont care how it happens or who takes him out…I WANT HIM GONE!

By: RaineMan

RaineMan — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:48:36 +0000

So… we have to consider this.

Nearly every employer is all about finding workers for cheaper these days. If it can’t be done cheap enough here they ship the jobs overseas and let their former employees go work at McD’s or wherever will hire them.

The driving force behind the American economy is consumer purchasing… Americans buy a lot of stuff because jobs (used) to pay well here. What happens to this when we are all working at Starbucks for $10/hr? More importantly what happens to places like Starbucks when noone can afford their $5 coffee anymore?

Not to be a doomsayer here… but it looks like America is on its way to becoming a 2nd world nation. We’ve seen the rise… now we see the fall.

By: moparsalesman1

moparsalesman1 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:53:05 +0000

Fire this jerk! gta89mike is right if you dont make the concessions to continue working replace them with people who are non union and would start immediately

By: terk184

terk184 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:28:30 +0000

Bankruptcy Courts will take care of him. Obama knows this. Doesn’t even have to get his hands dirty.

By: HoosierHero

HoosierHero — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:20:35 +0000

Man, I hope someone doesn’t talk bad to Obama about me! He’s liable to call me up and fire me. This is getting ridiculous. I voted for the guy, but you almost think he’s wearing a crown of thorns, or at least a crown of gold. He needs to do more macro-managing and less micro-managing. Focus on the big picture and work legislation to help prevent this in the future. Not play US CEO and single out specific people. Let their stock holders and union members take care of that. If they are too dumb to get rid of them then let them sink.

By: gta89mike

gta89mike — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:13:07 +0000

Let them all go on strike and do like Reagan did in the 80′s with the air traffic controllers. Fire them all and hire non-union people. There are plenty of unemployed right now, and most of the plants are idle, so it would be a great time to get new employees in. But you are right, a democrat won’t touch the UAW.

By: acura_el2000

acura_el2000 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:13:21 +0000

I hope this happens!

By: Apolus

Apolus — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:07:36 +0000

While I agree UAW leadership was out of control; the good ‘ol days appear to be coming to a close.

Beyond that he’s already announced when he’s stepping down. And Obama is too much of a politician to bite the hand that feeds. A democrat won’t touch the UAW.

By: No more oil for GM

No more oil for GM — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 07:53:12 +0000

amen to that!