Beginning of the End -- For The United Auto Workers???

Thanks to Dr. Hodges for sending me this video. If, in fact, this report is accurate in stating that the United Auto Workers has blocked similar plants from being built in the United States than I think it would be hard to argue against the proposition that unions like the UAW have done more than their share to destroy the industrial base of the United States.

UAW membership peaked in the 1970s at about 1.5 million members. UAW membership today is just under 600,000 -- and dropping.

As we ancient Romans like to say: "Res Ipsa Loquitur” (“The fact speaks for itself").

This link is for a 3-minute video put together by the Detroit News about Ford's most efficient plant, which is in Brazil. The report ends by noting that Ford would like to build such a facility in the United States, but the UAW won't allow it.

The unions greed is what took them down ...

I never have liked unions, and I come from a very PRO union family.

My Dad was an engineer for the Great Northern RR, which became the Burlington Northern, which became the BNSF.

In his day, the union served a very good purpose: protection of wages, protection of seniority, safe working conditions, etc.

From my perspective, it seemed to evolve into nothing more than a money issue as the years went on. My Dad made huge dinero at the time, all based on the number of engines he had to control, number of axles, weight, etc.

I entered the work force around 1974. The railroads went on strike, late 70's / early 80's....I mean trains stopped where ever they were. I asked my Dad, "How can you do that? People depend upon you to get the 'stuff' delivered....business's depend upon their 'stuff' getting shipped / delivered...?

That was the start of the anti-union movement in my family - me!

Fast forward to when President Reagan fired the air traffic controllers that went on strike.....my Dad went absolutey bezerk. Life long Democrat, so is Mom - just cuz Dad was.

I told my Dad, "RR was entirely correct, they had no right to jeopardize the safety of the public like that.., in fact, Dad, if I had been in charge, I would have fired your A$$ a couple of years ago for stopping your train in the middle of no-where....the Unions are out of contoll....we run this country - you do not!"

And....we did not talk about a year or so.....

Local talk radio several years ago - Unions were the subject: caller on-line was total pro-union.....

"What do you do in your union job?"....."Dig ditches"...."And what is your pay scale?"...."$28 an hour"...."don't you think that is a bit much for a non-tech job?"...."No, not at all. I'm union."...."We'll that is the whole point of today's program, are Union workers over paid and over compensated. $28 and hour to dig a ditch is a bit on the absurd side, don't you think?"...."No, I'm union!"...."But that is a no-skill job, right?"...."I'm union!"

Made me sick.

"Toyota and Honda are stamping metal, casting metal, and machining engine and transmission parts in the US and building complete powertrains. A high percentage of their total content is US made."

This trend will continue. Highly automated state of the art plants use an integrated approach to manufacturing because it is more efficient. Given the U.S. advantage in power technologies, it makes sense that such plants will be located here. Of course, with distribution accounting for a greater percentage of overall cost, as manufacturing becomes more "lean", proximity to the large U.S. market is another factor. I think that the days of manufactuirng at one location and assembly at another are numbered.

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