UAW Criticizes GM Again During Kokomo, Indiana Plant Tour: Video
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The United Auto Workers (UAW) has been pouring on the heat on General Motors as well as Ford and Stellantis as contract negotiations between the labor union and the Big Three will soon begin. Now, in another jab at GM, the UAW has released a new video criticizing The General’s Kokomo, Indiana plant operations.
In a video posted online, UAW President Shawn Fain and UAW Vice President Mike Booth spoke with workers about the state of the affairs at the largely dormant Kokomo plant. Notably, many of the workers were dissatisfied over the way in which GM handles the plant, which used to serve as a semiconductor manufacturing facility.
Of course, the Detroit-based automaker has largely outsourced these vital electronics overseas, meaning that the Kokomo plant doesn’t receive much love from GM.
“We made semiconductors here from the 1950s forward,” UAW President Fain was quoted as saying. “And it’s a shame to think that GM chose to close the fabricator plant where we make semiconductors in late 2017, and you know what the rest of that story has been. This is just another example in a long line of failings of GM and the Big Three companies and how little they care for the workers and the communities we live in. These workers want to be here. They’re proud of these jobs. Some of these people have been here twenty-five years, and they’re standing here hanging in the balance now, waiting to see what’s left for them in the future.”
As previously mentioned, the current contracts between the UAW and the Big Three are set to expire in September 2023. With an emphasis on the need for increased benefits and wages, the labor union has been striking an aggressive tone as negotiations begin.
In fact, recent comments from UAW Vice President Booth indicate that the dialogue has the potential to be hotly debated as the labor union points to high profits and executive compensations as justification for increased demands.
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This new president of the UAW may destroy many of the great relationships the UAW, the U.S. government and GM and Ford. He come in with all these crazy talking points and nothing on how he has a plan to unionize Toyota, Honda, BMW, Mercedes, Hydundai, Kia, Tesla, VW, Rivian, Nissan, and many more automotive suppliers and OEM’S. You can not hand cuff three American automotive companies and give ALL THE REST a huge advantage. Let me hear your plan on unionizing all the rest!!!
UAW has tried unionizing the Smyrna Nissan plant for decades, sometimes even using intimidation tactics. It hasn’t worked. It hasn’t worked at most of the other manufacturers as well, and, there must be a reason. What does the union offer that these workers would want?
Exactly, What is his plan? I have not heard no new strategy plans, All I hear is we going after increase pay from GM, Ford, and Chrysler. OK, If I am GM, I can say, you want increase hourly pay, HERE it is, – But you no longer share in our profit, no more bonus profit sharing checks. You get what you work for. It just impossible to increase the labor cost significantly and all the rest of the OEM’S that operate here in America gets a huge cost advantage, So let me here your plans on how you will convince the other manufacturers to come under the union umbrella. He need to be press on an answer. I do not believe he has an answer. But he wants to be the president. A president with no answer!!!!
If I understand this, the UAW WAITS UNTIL THERE IS 100 EMPLOYEES left to step in and do something? Where was the UAW when the worker count went from 15K down to 10K down to 5K and so on? Sadly if you listen you can hear the death rattle.
Good question, and that leads me to ask again: what does the UAW offer the workers at BMW. Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota, Rivian, and others? Why did the UAW only get about 45% of the VW Chattanooga on board, despite VW AG WANTING the workers to unionize? What kept the other 55% away?
Looks like the UAW finally has a leader that will defend its members instead of smoking $1000 cigar’s and taking month long vacations.
Great point that GM is partially, maybe more, to blame for their supply issues by closing US factories and offshoring jobs.
Supporting a team from within by making helpful suggestions regarding changes works. Lifting yourself above the team and attacking it from within while publicly shaming it is parasitical and destructive. Let’s not lose another industry to America-hating, greedy losers.
Communism does not work.
But Fascism does?
I hope Fain continues the onslaught and is the leader membership needs. The amount of self destruction gm management has incurred on this company is damning!
Due to inflation and all the concessions UAW has given for the last 20 years.. Auto-worker pay has slipped from 4-6x minimum wage down to 1-3x. In fact starting wage at UAW facilities is less than most fast food and grocery chains.
I’m sure this is an unpopular opinion but Unions are an outdated concept. Their demands are not to benefit anyone but the leaders under the guise of helping the workers.
Example, When there is nothing to do, or the work area is dirty, certain employees don’t have to or refuse to clean. Because it’s not in their job description…are you kidding me!!! So now the company has to overpay their employees who have become incentivized and protected to be lazy. While the lawyers and leaders of the union become rich!
No wonder the company’s move plants elsewhere.
I don’t know where you get your information (probably some radical right wing mis-information channel) but cleaning your work area has nothing to do with unions. If that’s a company policy, it happens. And I’ve been in union plants where cleaning when the line is stopped, happens every day
How funny some commentator compares communism to unions. Lack of unions, results in Fascism. Like Nazi Germany.
Also, everyone on the import companies use union labor in every country they operate in, EXCEPT the USA. Do you think it has something to do with anti union, local governments? Nikki Haley was one that said “we’ll keep unions out of our state”. Because less pay and benefits are a thing she wants for her state.
And, all of these non union companies brainwash their employees with hours of threats and closings if they consider it.
Everyone should watch the movie American Factory. The Chinese come into Ohio and want American workers to work 12-16 hour days. 7 days a week. Mandatory.