United Auto Workers Union (U.A.W.) Reject Concessions. Union and Ford Re-Examine Positions

 United Auto Workers Union and Ford Motor Company

The recent rejection by the United Auto Workers Union of concessions proposed by Ford Motor Company raises major concerns about the future of not only Ford and the United Auto Workers Union but the future of auto production in the United States. In any protracted battle the United Auto Workers Union would surely win. But at what cost? The U.A.W. is and always has been in a symbiotic relationship with Ford. Ford providing the “juice” that keeps the union alive and the union providing the labor to produce the product that serves everyone’s needs. The U.A.W rank and file has recently demonstrated that it has the common sense to understand when that all important symbiotic relationship is in jeopardy, as witnessed by their recent concessions to Ford that have included frozen wages, year-end bonuses eliminated, and changes to retiree benefits.

 U.A.W union and Ford Motor Company Management

By agreeing to recent wage and benefit concessions the U.A.W rank and file has allowed Ford, their life line, to remain the only major auto producer of the big three to retain a completive stance while their counter parts at G.M. and Chrysler collapsed in such a shocking and embarrassing way that no other U.S. industry has since the departure of the United States steel industry in the 60’s. Ford has come out on top, at least to this point, by engaging not only their union’s hearts and minds but the American peoples as well. As perceived by the populace at large, here is the one surviving American made industrial giant who has managed to survive the near world wide industrial collapse and be the last one standing on its own two feet. Here is our champion that has produced a legendary truck line product and been the only player ever innovative enough to stand up to and challenge the onslaught of over seas products ( think Ford Fusion and Ford Focus). If the American people can’t have their one surviving champion represent them then who can we count on, the AIG’s and Lehman Brothers?

 Ford, U.A.W and the American People

In a often time impossibly confusing and contradictory spaghetti bowl of rules and regulations that chokes the life flowing “juice” to not only Ford but the rank and file as well the  U.A.W leadership must adopt a more conciliatory stance towards Fords goals of being the preeminent American auto producer. As we stated earlier it is well know that the U.A.W and its 41,000 union members can outlast Ford in any protracted battle but only as the ultimate and last self serving suicidal act in their arsenal. Ford Motor Company management needs to be innovative and persistent in searching out new ways to cut cost while improving its relationship with the work force that has allowed it to be the last one standing. The only alternative is a dark and brooding landscape where Chapter 11 rules as king with Ford reorganizing and parts and products that are  produced here go outside U.S borders while U.A.W’s once proud and productive workforce of  41,000  see all their jobs migrate overseas.

Ford management, U.A.W. management , now is your chance to show the American people, indeed the world what  made this country great.

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