Harley Shaiken
Harley Shaiken
auto companies critical directly gm issues labor speaking york
Historically, GM has been the most tone-deaf of the auto companies when it comes to labor issues. But York is speaking plainly and directly about critical issues between GM and the UAW.
auto benchmark detroit final good guarantees jobs language lifetime pensions rhetoric since whatever won workers
Whatever the final language, it will be the benchmark of how other negotiations are judged. Since the auto workers won pensions in '48, a lot of things Detroit has done, for good or for bad, has set a pattern. This will be the case, even if the rhetoric of lifetime jobs guarantees outstrip the language.
atmosphere auto gm parts plants poisoned pursue united workers
If GM actually did pursue this route?there would be a really poisoned atmosphere in the United Auto Workers plants where the parts are shipped.
based building century economic entrances ford growth henry middle states strong unions united
Economic growth in the United States in the 20th century was based on building entrances to the middle class, from Henry Ford in 1913 to strong unions in the '50s and '60s.
good job line picket
Everyone on the picket line who thought they could be out of a job for good will be out of a job for good.
hold nobody sort tough wants
They've got tough issues, but nobody wants to put the moneymaking on hold to sort it out.
anticipate experience gm kinds knows local provoke reach suspect
The corporation knows the sensitivity of these kinds of issues, they have a lot of experience with what will provoke a local strike. What I suspect they (the GM management) didn't anticipate is that it would reach this intensity.
afloat boat given protect upright
The CAW, given the context, has done very well. The boat is afloat and upright after going through the rapids. They wanted to protect their members.
certainly discontent major represents threat
It's certainly representative of the discontent that's out there. The retirees are frustrated, but I don't think it represents a major threat yet.
difficult gm goal jobs preserve severity situation union
This was difficult for the union to do, but the union is being pragmatic. Its goal is to preserve jobs. It realizes the severity of the situation that GM is in.
bank based changes early fact gets gm jobs likely shows talking unusual willing
What GM gets in changes in the jobs bank is likely going to be based on compromises they are willing to make elsewhere. The fact that they are talking about this so early is unusual and shows how important it is.
cushion pain prevent stability successful
There's a cushion but it doesn't prevent the fall. It eases the pain but it's not the same as having the stability of a successful company.
chair empty frame
There's no other way to diplomatically frame it - there's an empty chair there.
caught gave global key minimal preserved structural union
The union was caught in a global hurricane, and they managed to come out of it with minimal structural damage. They preserved key principles; they gave up some money.