The UAW was founded for several reasons, but one of its biggest pillars is getting the best pay for its members. However, the UAW’s current president, Ron Gettelfinger, doesn’t necessarily believe that every employee of the automaker should be able to receive the highest salary possible, stating that executives should have a limit on pay.
Speaking on CNN’s “Late Edition,” Gettelfinger said that executives of the automakers should give up pay in order to receive low-interest loans from the government. “They need to establish that executive compensation is something that they’re willing to curtail, as well as bonuses and ‘golden parachutes’ on exiting the business,” Gettelfinger said. “They can also give the government an equity stake in the business.”
Despite Gettelfinger’s willingness to limit executive pay, the union boss said the UAW will not be giving anymore concessions to ensure the automakers’ survival. Moreover, Gettelfinger is steadfast in his stance that the UAW had nothing to do with the Big Three’s current financial situation.
Although it’s hard to argue that executive bonuses at GM, Ford and Chrysler have been warranted, there is no denying that fact that UAW contracts have crippled the U.S. automakers over the years. The Big Three are simply saddled with burdens not present at foreign automakers, leading to a higher cost of operation. If the Detroit automakers are to continue well into the future, concessions will need to be made at all levels, not just the top.



12/01, 1:49 PM
posted by:
Impulsive
And someone working at the Oakville assembly plant shouldn’t be making $33/hour.
12/01, 1:49 PM
posted by:
oldraven
Kettle – Pot. Pot – Kettle.
12/01, 1:50 PM
posted by:
Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3
Can someone please tell Gettelfinger to STFU?
12/01, 1:53 PM
posted by:
injunraiv
Wow. just wow…
12/01, 1:56 PM
posted by:
AnonymousCoward
Talk about being in a reality distortion field… Earth calling Gettelfinger! Anybody home?
12/01, 2:04 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
“Despite Gettelfinger’s willingness to limit executive pay, ”
>>And how mush dose he make???
“the union boss said the UAW will not be giving anymore concessions to ensure the automakers’ survival.”
>>So if he the BIG 3 get no bailout he’s out of the job right?
>As far as I know if any company files for BK, they ca legally cut off all ties to any UNION….
Moreover, Gettelfinger is steadfast in his stance that the UAW had nothing to do with the Big Three’s current financial situation.”
>> LOL… Ya and the U.S. DID NOT TRAIN THE TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN TO FIGHT THE RUSSIAN’S!!!
LOL….
12/01, 2:08 PM
posted by:
oldraven
Ok, I’ve switched camps. GM, file for bankruptcy and toss these useless twats to the curb. It’s time for the public to realise that Unions lost their purpose when we introduced labour laws.
12/01, 2:13 PM
posted by:
A4
lower executive pay, and kill the UAW.
12/01, 2:18 PM
posted by:
Ketzer
A4,
x2
12/01, 2:30 PM
posted by:
terk184
This man exisits in a world that none of the rest of us inhabit. Jobs Bank? Ridiculous work rules that stifle efficiency? Exhorbitant wages and health care costs for current employees and retirees?
Nah, none of that had anything to do with the current situation.
Let them go into bankruptcy.
12/01, 2:32 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
You know what I”m in to,… NO BAIL-OUT!!!!…..
12/01, 2:33 PM
posted by:
chryslercurse
UAW KILLED THEMSELVES , AND NOW AGAIN THE OLD FOOT IN THE MOUTH
12/01, 2:49 PM
posted by:
Borat
@yarddog82abn,
US did not train Taliban fight the Russians. We did provide $$$ and hand held missiles to do so. US has no facilities and abilities to teach savages the art of savage war.
Here is idea on salaries: Let Wagoner establish UAW members salary and benefits and UAW members establish Wagoner/Lutz pay rate. We will not need act of congress or Ch.11 for company to be solvent.
12/01, 3:19 PM
posted by:
procrastinate now
At the exact hour Gettelfinger should have been sitting quietly in the sewer, hoping to get by unseen, he was speaking to the press. Brilliant! Just brilliant!
12/01, 4:37 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
Borat…
My Uncle was a Green Beret, 5th Group Special Forces, he was there….. His team trained the Taliban for 8 years, on and off, and the CIA did have personal on the ground, it’s easy to say we just gave them money, but the truth is we taught them how to kill, trust me I did my research and I’ve been around thesis guys long enough to know what there about, that’s why the 82abn after my name… My uncle was in the 5th S.F. at that time, and the B.S. that they were there as advisory’s… S.F. dose not advise, they kill, and trained freedom fighter how to kill, look it up and you see for your self, it’s not hard to find. And the Taliban were taught gorilla tactics, not conventional warfare.
12/01, 5:25 PM
posted by:
Impulsive
‘Borat’, keep displaying your lack of knowledge here. Leave these intelligent conversations to the rest of us.
Buy gold and save yourselves.
12/01, 5:32 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Anyone else notice that the supply of union rhetoric is directly proportional to the amount of unsold inventory its members have produced?
12/01, 6:14 PM
posted by:
Commodore
Talk about being COMPLETELY wrong and getting everything backwards. Limiting executive pay is nothing more than way to look like you are doing something – in reality, it only saves a company a few million dollars when the company uses Billions per month. Second, unions are possibly the number one cause for the downfall of the Big 3. Yes, they were uncompetitive in the past, but now Big 3 product, especially from GM is up to speed, and the #1 problem for them is the god damn UAW. Kill unions now! For every industry…they drag us down and make us unable to compete in a globalized world
12/01, 7:37 PM
posted by:
FSVT_ROCK
Of course they need to lower all the Executive pay, cause they make too much money and drag everything down. I think all the worker should makes (It will basic on 40 hours a week):
Regular worker – $20 an hour with holiday, sick, vacation pay, end of year bonus and stander benefit package
Superv. – $55,000 a year with Holiday, sick, vacation pay, end of year bonus and stander benefit package
Manager. – $75,000 a year with Holiday, sick, vacation pay, end of year bonus and stander benefit package
Executive – $150,000 a year with Holiday, sick, vacation pay, end of year bonus and stander benefit package.
CEO – $250,000 a year with Holiday, sick, vacation pay, end of year bonus and stander benefit package.
When I talk about End of year bonus it has to be depend on their job performance, not about their possition. As vacation pay it depend on how long you have work in the company. If you think about this way all of our Executive and CEO makes close to or higher then Millian Dollar a year and plus a large ed of year bonus that doesn’t matter if the job get done good or not.
This is what I think they should got pay, and if they stay like this the company will make money, instead owe money.
12/01, 7:39 PM
posted by:
RfromA
Big Talk from a big blowhard! If the truth be known, Get-the-finger is probably making 6 figures a year himself. I work on the non-union end of the automotive business and we have had to take one hit after another just to appease these union moneyhogs. I say let the BIG 3 go down, shred the union contracts, rehire honest hard working americans and start over. With the millions on the unemployment lines, I’m sure they could regroup and be up and running in no time.
12/01, 8:36 PM
posted by:
mdtandr
According to the Detroit News Washington Bureau in 2006 good old Ron was making $158,530. I am sure he is making more in 2008. What a loser. Way to bite the hand that feeds your dumb***. UAW officers made $2.9 million in 2006, with 22 regional directors, vice presidents and other officers getting more than $100,000 each! The UAW and Gettelfinger has to go.
12/01, 8:56 PM
posted by:
Lau
I’ve heard Union workers get paid average $75 in Canada, that’s insane!!
Get rid of the UAW, and MAYBE the companies can get ahead, without this BS chain around it’s ankle.
12/01, 9:20 PM
posted by:
beemerdude
But the issue goes far beyond executive and worker salaries. Pensions are being paid many more years than when the concept was first devised because Americans are living much longer. But today’s overweight, lazy Americans aren’t as healthy as their parents. (Hmmm… could that be all of you sitting in front of the computer all day?) So, health care costs – bloated by a broken system of companies that put more priority on pleasing shareholders than providing quality care, coupled with a HUGE medical billing industry – are taking billions of dollars away from the automakers. Dollars that should go into engineering new vehicles.
12/01, 11:27 PM
posted by:
Lau
@ beemerdude
+1
12/05, 1:53 PM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
I’m not one of those left-wingers who says limit CEO pay outright.
I just say the CEO should create more value for the company than he gets in pay.
I create $77k, I should get $60.
I create $888M, I should get $620M
I create $0, why should I have a job?