The auto industry has made its case and Congress has a plan. Loans of up to $15 billion to GM and Chrysler. A substantial Government ownership stake and a direct role in the industry’s restructuring. But what’s in it for workers? Today we speak to Brian Schneck, President of UAW local 259, Frank Hammer, Former President and Chairman of UAW Local 909, James Theisen a truck driver for Chrysler, Marissa Colon-Margolies of The Nation and others.
The NYT, which has eagerly repeated the line that auto workers make $73 an hour, has finally published a column by David Leonhardt debunking that figure. He notes that, “labor costs, for all the attention they have been receiving, make up only about 10 percent of the cost of making a vehicle.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12…..=1&hp
By GRITtv on December 10th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Eric Boehlert at Media Matters had a good column on the $70 an hour auto worker myth.
http://mediamatters.org/columns/200811250012
Somebody at the Times needs to clarify the record, because the average United Auto Workers member is not paid $80 an hour. Or even $70. Not even close. Yet (thanks to the Times?) the issue has become a central talking point in the unfolding national debate about the future of America’s automotive industry.
By GRITtv on December 10th, 2008 at 10:54 am
WE HAVE TWO EARLY PANELS TODAY. THE FIRST STARTS AT 11:20 WITH IMMOKALEE WORKERS ON THEIR RECENT AGREEMENT WITH SUBWAY. AT 11:45 WE HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH LEAH FRIED, FIELD ORGANIZER FOR UE IN CHICAGO ON THE REPUBLIC WINDOWS SIT IN.
By GRITtv on December 10th, 2008 at 10:59 am
I’ve been following since I read a book, whose title I promptly forgot…damnnit! I gotta take off but I can get this later on line – podcast or something, later – correct?!
By IamWordsmith on December 10th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Trying to track down just where in the hell the TARP billions went, Rep. Mel Watt justed BLASTED Paulson’s “Mini Me” on C-SPAN – asking:
“Is Goldman Sachs running this country or is Congress or this Administration running this country?”
By plunger on December 10th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Yes! online tonight at 8 pm.
By GRITtv on December 10th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Question:
Laura, for those of us who do not know much about the history of the BIG 3 and how they have fallen..can your panelists talk about when the US car companies started to decline? What happened then and will ANY amount of $ be able to fix it?
Thanks.
By political123 on December 10th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Employees get screwed, but Judges get a raise. WTF?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…..ress_autos
By sunshine on December 10th, 2008 at 2:04 pm