The Unionized States of America

A terrific subject. Let me add a couple of thoughts.

IMO, the day where unions were really NEEDED is long gone. With labor laws and fair business practice laws on the books, they serve no useful function as originally envisioned and actually *needed*.

They WOULD be needed if our country still functioned CONSTITUTIONALLY, where the Gov didn't stick its nose into everything. But that's not the case, and since that's over and legislation has taken over the function of unions, in their pure purpose they're superfluous.

Which then brings us to our current condition. Being superfluous but powerful, of course the next logical step is to exercise their might and step forward as a political entity, and in accord with their ORIGINAL goals, that purpose can't help but be socialist by definition.

Naturally, as with any group that tries to gain political power, they ally themselves with the major party most attuned to their political philosophy and ideology, and of course that's the Dems. Let's face it: has ANYone ANYwhere EVER heard of ANY union that espoused ANY traditional CONSERVATIVE principles?

Of course not, as the philosophy of unions is blatant collectivism. Even in the current milksop GOP, they'd get tremendous pushback.

Naturally, the ongoing fight about the allocation of equity during the automakers' meltdown is bringing this into the spotlight, and is CLEARLY illuminating the ideology of not only the unions but of Obambi & Co, too. Which is great, because it becomes patently obvious even to the stupidest dolt in the nosebleed seats that something VERY anti-American is going on when people who haven't invested one DIME are getting preferred equity positions over others who have invested BILLIONS of hard-earned dollars.

If it can happen to THEM, it can happen to YOU and ME.

On top of everything else... what happens if and when any of the carmakers come out the other side of BK? How can the union be both management and labor at the same time?

As to the SEIU and other unionized government workers: I've maintained for decades that the idea of allowing government employees to unionize was insanity. Reagan made the last, best move when he flat out fired the air traffic controllers. That was the point at which EVERY other governmental body should have taken note, and NEVER allowed any unionization of gov employees.

Those people don't work for "eeeeeeevil business"; they work for US!

If they don't like it, then they should just take their chances... just like MOST people... in the private sector, where they'd actually have to PROVE their value to their employer.

As I re-read my comment, I was struck by one thing: the Alice in Wonderland end result of this socialist/fascist nonsense wherein the union ends up representing both Labor and Management at the same time, being in the major equity position as well as representing Labor.

Nowhere has anyone explained how THAT'S supposed to work.

Interesting, n'est pas?

It is indeed a curious turn of events where the UAW is basically its own boss in both Chrysler and GM, and no one has given any indication of how that's supposed to work. The thing UAW chief Ron Gettlefinger (sounds like one of Rose's Saint Olaf neighbors on 'The Golden Girls') eeps emphasizing is that the UAW doesn't REALLY won the shares, but they belong to the union's benefits plan and so will be sold ASAP to keep the plan viable. And all that may be true, but the UAW administers the plan and since the stocks need to appreciate before they are sold, then the UAW is going to have a stake in both companies and how they are run...until such a time that the stocks are worth more than promises again. But we're supposed to believe that the UAW isn't going to try to exert ANY influence on how the companies are run in the meantime! Yeah...and I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale, real cheap!

Glen Beck has tied the SEIU to ACORN through a shadow company that both use as their mailing address. It's a ?CCI? in New Orleans. An old funeral home that 'houses' 273 different companies. All monies are filtered through that single place.

Who has been with ACORN? Our great POTOTUS.

I just found a helluva deal on some Arizona swampland, too.

Good post,and comments. In the unlikely event the giverment decides to pull the funding plug on these companies once the transfer is complete,and some signs of life are showing,I wonder how these UAW-owned firms will fare in the capital-raising markets.As an investor,knowing what I do about these two,I would stay as far away from them as possible.I'll go out on a limb here,saw in hand,and say I believe it will be a matter of a short 2 years neither of these firms will be in business.The giverment will get tired of pouring money down a rat hole,and private capital will be nowhere to be found.We already see the heavy hand of the UAW telling GM they absolutely CANNOT import small cars from ANYWHERE to sell in this country.If anyone believes the UAW will voice approval for ANYTHING resembling cost-containment,it ain't going to happen.They have no concept of it. Should put to rest the notion that management can't run a company,only the labor force can.Time for the UAW to put up or shut up.

Power Corrupts. Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.

The Unions have been gathering power every contract negotiations. The auto industry has given in every time for mortal fear of a (shudder) strike.,

I say, "Let 'em strike!"

Shut the doors of GM, MoPar and Ford. Let the strikers figure out that it is better to have a good job with a decent wage than all the extortionistic policies that have beenfoisted off on the auto makers by the unions. Right now the unions should be told to take a hike and the auto companies could get back on a competitive basis with the rest of the world auto makers. So we do without a Ford or a Chevy for a year or two. I am right now driving a 13 year old Villager, a 6 year old Sonoma and a 22 year old Ram right now... I can wait for a new, cheaper American car. Get rid of the "featherbedding" and it can happen...

Clyde, what makes you think the government will WANT to get out of the running of the car companies? Call me a cynic, but I think this is exactly what the administration wants to do; they have basically nationalized GM and Chrysler along a facist template (a hybrid of private and government ownership). Having control of the car companies gives them a means to really push their 'green' schemes and get the cars they want to put us all into.

Buck, Ford is the only one of the Big Three that is still in good shape. As a matter of fact, if I were about to buy a new vehcile it would be a Ford...even though I come from a GM family! GM and Chrysler should have been allowed to go under to begin with and allowed to reorganize, but the G wanted to be in the car biz...so here we stand. Two of the Big Three basically belly up and turned over to the unions, and the taxpayers footing the bill!

This is a clear implementation of fascist/socialist governmental control of private sector production.