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UAW’s Gettelfinger opposes GM, Chrysler merger

10/14/2008, 3:44 PM

By Andrew Ganz

Not surprisingly, United Auto Workers chief Ron Gettelfinger said today that he would oppose a potential merger between General Motors and Chrysler LLC on the grounds that it would inevitably mean job losses for both companies. Gettelfinger says he hasn’t had any formal discussions on the matter with anyone from GM or Chrysler, however.

“I personally would not want to see anything that would result in a consolidation. That would mean the elimination of additional jobs,” Gettelfinger said during a WWJ-AM political Webcast.

Gettelfinger also wasn’t happy about GM’s decision to end SUV production early in Janesville, Wisconsin, on December 23 – a move that affects more than 2,500 union workers.

“Any time we see a facility go down, we suffer with the people because we know the impact that it’s going to have on their lives,” he said.

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10/14, 3:46 PM

posted by:

tzu13

One more reason that all union workers should be “consolidated” out of a job in favor of people who are willing to work for a fair wage.

10/14, 3:53 PM

posted by:

yarddog82abn

I guess UAW didn’t read the “Cerberus Wants to keep stake in Chrysler” article.
LLN send them a memo would-ya

10/14, 3:57 PM

posted by:

yarddog82abn

I have a great idea how about UAW buys Chrysler from Cerberus Capital Management, if they are so grate I’m sure they’ll do good job with Chrysler…..

10/14, 4:08 PM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

Unions would oppose the sun coming up in the morning if they thought they could regulate it. Never let the facts get in the way of the same old rhetoric.

10/14, 4:12 PM

posted by:

golf4me

yarddog, and johnny > exactly.

10/14, 4:15 PM

posted by:

ricky_b

Well, duh, Ronnie. Yes, GM, Chrysler and Ford’s problems are rooted in bad management decisions but having been a salaried employee in a UAW plant (Ford) many years ago, I’m not buying the cry baby attitude that the UAW hasn’t had an impact on a lot of the decisions made. If the Big Three are to survive, they need a lean, flexible, trainable work force that’s ready to meet the challenge. The attititude of “the company owns us…” is outdated. And I don’t see Ronnie offering any good ideas on how the UAW can help the situation any.

10/14, 4:27 PM

posted by:

hangonbig3

Do you think anyone gives a **** what the UAW thinks about anything….Those who do probably listen to who Oprah thinks should be President.

10/14, 4:48 PM

posted by:

F3INT))AP3X

The Unions are so ridiculous, I wish GM could just fire every single person involved with them and then offer for them to come back to work the next day for a reasonable pay, maybe that would help some of these schmucks to realize that they work a regular job not some sort of super-job that gets them unusual benefits and pay.

10/14, 5:30 PM

posted by:

beatusmongous

F3, the trouble is, they are so used to the pay and benefits, that they think the same pay and benefits should apply to EVERY job.

10/14, 6:17 PM

posted by:

golf4me

Gettlebutter knows that if they merge, they will do so in order to file BK, get rid of the contracts, and get rid of all the dead wood. Frankly I think all three should merge, go BK, and just start over. Otherwise there will probably be no US-owned car companies in a couple of years. I’d rather have one than none.

10/14, 6:23 PM

posted by:

golf4me

What makes the most sense to me, though, is that Fiat buy ALL of Chrysler. They’ve been wanting to get back into the American market, and now have several offerings that will appeal to Americans, they get factories to build in the dollar zone, they get a dealer network, and brand names that Americans trust (stop laughing) somewhat. More than Fiat at least. Or, a chinese maker. All others really don’t make much sense because of a lot of overlap.

10/14, 7:12 PM

posted by:

beatusmongous

Each time I see this entry, I read “Chrysler gives UAW the middle finger”…

10/14, 7:15 PM

posted by:

dl_caldwell

Have you seen what the executives at GM and Chrysler are making? They are getting paid millions to do what? Run the whole operation into the ground? If you want to make everyone work for “reasonable pay” let’s start at the top and work our way down.

10/14, 7:17 PM

posted by:

441Zuke

you wanna know how ****ing cushy they have it at the chrysler plant by my house they offer pet insurance for the union member this is at the plant that builds the minivans and pick up trucks. The workers were shocked recently when they closed down the minivan line

10/14, 7:21 PM

posted by:

bolex

“…That would mean the elimination of additional jobs..” seriously, does this guy realize whats going on with the economy? i dont get why this guy doesnt realize that GM Chrysler and Ford are in jeapordy of closing the doors…..mind boggling.

10/14, 8:32 PM

posted by:

sharpie

“Gettelfinger also wasn’t happy about GM’s decision to end SUV production early in Janesville, Wisconsin”

Nobody cares if this Ghettofinger guy is happy. Let the closing of this SUV plant be a forewarning to the UAW because the situation will get worse before it gets better unfortunately. What’s better? Merge and lost “some” jobs, oh have one or both company file for bankruptcy? A bankruptcy court can undo labor contract.

10/14, 9:04 PM

posted by:

1c3d0g

I really don’t think the UAW has a damn thing to say in this matter. If anything, they f*cked it up for both companies. Right now it’s the survival of both companies as one unity, so I believe it would be wise for the UAW to keep its mouth shut and let the Domestics work it out.

10/14, 9:37 PM

posted by:

hecti

i agree with 1c3dog
the big three have been shafted because of the constant increase in blue collar salaries and benefits
is there anyway to not hire uaw workers?

10/14, 10:25 PM

posted by:

Thunder Chicken

Yes, hecti, there is: Move production to Mexico. Which is exactly where many jobs have been going. Well done, UAW…

10/14, 11:03 PM

posted by:

elviososa

Let’s just close down GM and Chrysler and see if UAW is going to be bitching again.

10/15, 12:01 AM

posted by:

bluecollarboy

Doesnt the uaw have a 2 tier wage agreement?? oh ya, if any of one of you guys were making the kind of money a uaw worker makes, you wouldnt be on here bitchin about it. everytime theres a contract, gm and chrysler seem to agree to the terms.

10/15, 1:51 AM

posted by:

HalGameGuru

The UAW doesn’t seem to realize they do not control the world or the markets. If these companies do not trim the UAW fat they will go under, then there will be no jobs for UAW workers anyways. Do they honestly have no idea how the jobs they fail at came to be? They do not just magically appear for UAW members like some liberal utopia. The UAW is not competitive and hasn’t been for decades. They are getting closer and closer to causing the Big 3 to turn into Mexican car companies.

10/15, 10:56 AM

posted by:

RaineMan

The union’s time is just about up in this nation anyways… does anyone really care what this guy thinks?

10/15, 10:58 AM

posted by:

RaineMan

On the bright side though… if Ford and GM close more plants and move production to Mexico that will mean less illegals here in the states.

10/15, 3:38 PM

posted by:

400horseSS

Well i see gay4me is up to his old union hating garbage, its really simple people if you don’t like the union don’t support it, I dont go on blogs hoeing and crowing about how much i hate this and that and still buy their products, buy japanese and german fags, our economy will thank oyu later, you guys are a bunch of bitches, look around you there are unions everywhere and just because your job blows and does’nt pay good that YOUR dumbass fault.

10/15, 3:57 PM

posted by:

C6Racer

The UAW can go shove it. So can the guy above me.

10/16, 10:39 AM

posted by:

BMW M1

400Horses: we all know that every company has Unions…what you dont realize is that the UAW is bloated and a big pile of **** and almost every deal they strike ends up helping jackasses like “getsthefinger” above instead of the common worker who’s job actually might need saving. The UAW has become everything that a union shouldnt be.

Before you start yapping at my heels, let me tell you that i’ve worked for both Ford and GM and I know what im talking about.

From my time at Ford and GM, I know that even after so many job cuts there are lots of people for whom work means sitting on a chair and sleeping/solving crosswords the whole day etc. If work stops coz a machine isn’t working and it just needs to be reset, nobody is willing to do it because it is the electricians job and if someone did it the electrician might be displeased and complain. In the end, that lazy electrician can only be found after a good amount of time has passed. He was still earning above $100/hr for slacking off.

All these stifling practices have to go!!

The other unions dont have these idiotic practices, hence the unions there are PRODUCTIVE!! The Japs and Germans who are manufacturing in the US are doing the economy a favour-its basic economics. The pay the american workers, they pay their american suppliers(who hire americans)—-granted the profits go back to Germany/Japan for further R&D but this leads to new cars and tech being manufactured which will be brought at some time to the States.

So, stop spouting garbage and go get a life.

@C6Racer: lmao

10/16, 3:03 PM

posted by:

400horseSS

^ The 2 greasy hoes above me can eat a dick.

10/16, 3:05 PM

posted by:

400horseSS

I love how you d-bags use the big 3 as a punching bag for your sorry delusional post, like EVERY damn job on the planet don’t have lazy ass people, come on people your smarter than that or are you ?

10/16, 7:49 PM

posted by:

beatusmongous

400, lazy people deserve to get fired. We had (operative word) lazy people in my job, too. It’s a good thing we aren’t unionized, though, or they’d still be here.

And just for the record, I’ve read many of your posts. You seem to be a hard worker, and you most likely deserve the compensation you receive. I do not doubt that. However, do you think it’s fair that someone gets the same pay as you and does almost no work? Do you think it would be fair if a union rep approached you and asked you to slow down your productivity because you made others look bad (that happened to my wife)? Why should you work hard while someone else doesn’t, and yet you both receive the same compensation? Why should you be stuck in a position while Joe Kiss@$$ gets promoted to manager because the boss likes him? Shouldn’t it be based on knowledge and productivity, instead of politics?

Yes, there are rules that protect the workers and keep workers and customers safe, but nowadays, the federal government enforces those rules.

Unions used to be good for productivity, but now they are not. And that’s almost all unions, not just the UAW.

10/17, 12:38 PM

posted by:

400horseSS

Never in my 8 yrs at GM has a rep. told me to slow down on my job, thats just ridiculous, each job has a footprint, so it doesn’t matter if you do it slower or crackhead fast, you have a certain time to do each job.

10/17, 4:53 PM

posted by:

beatusmongous

She worked in the pharmaceuticals field, not auto, so she didn’t have the same rigor that you have. But my point was that things like that can happen, and do happen, thanks to lazy individuals being protected by unions.

 
 
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