The UAW is upset with president Bush because he postponed a meeting with them until after the November elections. Bush changed the meeting so that the discussion will not get mired in politics. The UAW is not happy because Bush was in Michigan for a fund raiser for a Republican trying to unseat a Democrat but decided not to meet with the the union. The UAW contends that this “was an example of the president putting party politics above national economics.” They were also upset he had time to meet with American Idol participant Clay Aiken who Bush tapped to serve on the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.
The UAW is a laughable organization. They have been destroying the American auto industry for years by putting the union above company economics for years. They have negotiated very high wages for labor requiring marginal skills and have driven the cost of automobiles through the roof. The cost of a union built car increases by over $1300 just to pay for pensions and benefits, for Honda (a non-union company) that cost is $107. The UAW has also not been very concerned about company economics when it has initiated strikes to force companies to capitulate to their demands. No, the UAW is not interested in the economy (company or country). It is interested in increasing enrollment, increasing wages (impact be damned) and increasing the amount of money that union leaders make as well as increasing the amount of money they can donate to Democrats.
In 2003. union workers only build about 60% of the cars in this country which was down from 82% only 15 years prior. The union controlled companies are shutting down plants and losing workers while non-union auto makers are adding factories. This should be a clear indication that the union is doing something wrong and all the conferences in the world with President Bush will not change that.
Perhaps instead of crying about the meeting the UAW should get its people together and start making concession that will keep them competitive and keep their employers out of bankruptcy. Of course, at the rate they are going they should be fairly insignificant in 15 years or so. By then most of the old guys will be retired or dead and the young ones will be working for non union auto makers.
As for the claim that Bush put politics first. Who really cares (though it is not likely he did)? The UAW does not mind playing politics and no matter what Bush does they will donate money to Democrats and back Democratic candidates. So screw them, they can wait until after the elections. About Aiken, perhaps the UAW can meet with him. Seems his committee is more suitable for them and their intellectual disabilities.
Source:
al-Reuters
Seattlepi