GM; Yet another FAIL

[snoslicer8]

I think there was a time and place for the unions, but that time has long since come and gone. I honestly think doing away with the unions would be one of the best things that could happen to the big three.

I don't see that happening with the new labor laws though, which allow any work-force to form a union at-will. Any of the big 3 could dissolve their union, with another popping up in its place.

[GasBot]

I think there was a time and place for the unions, but that time has long since come and gone. I honestly think doing away with the unions would be one of the best things that could happen to the big three.

I agree 100%!

[f4phantomii]

Some recent proposed legislation would actually make it easier to form unions. That has some smaller manufacturing companies a bit nervous, and they are circling the "union-avoidance" wagon train, spouting such training phrases as "management would prefer to work directly with the worker rather than through 3rd party representation".

I never thought I'd be in favor of organized labor, but I feel it has it's place. Without that oversight, I think a lot of us wouldn't enjoy the few benefits we have left today. Where a labor union *does* hurt is when the market changes, and having to negotiate with a union makes it more difficult for companies to stay agile.

But I've seen companies without a labor union continue to whittle down defined benefits year after year after year, all while profits get bigger, and bigger, and bigger.

Recently Bombardier announced they were doing away with overtime pay for all *non-union* employees in favor of a profit-sharing scheme based on the performance of the company.

So instead of getting an hours pay for an hour of overtime, they instead get the promise of a *possible* year-end bonus. Therefore it doesn't matter whether you work overtime or not, at the end of the year, everybody gets the same bonus. Incidentally, the unionized workers were given the same proposal during the last contract negotiation and they turned it down outright. The really amusing part was Bombardier's management couched the move as a "privilege" being given to the non-union worker.

Yeah...I'll keep my overtime pay, 'kay? Thanks.