UAW President On Labor's Sacrifices

CBS Evening News: Katie Couric Interviews Ron Gettelfinger

(CBS)  Ron Gettelfinger rose a from chassis-line repairman at a Ford plant in Louisville to become president of the United Automobile Workers Union, representing more than 1 million members. CBS News anchor Katie Couric spoke with him today.

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Couric: The perception, Mr. Gettelfinger, is that because your union would rather see the auto companies go under than take a pay cut. True or false?

Gettelfinger: That's totally false, Katie. And incidentally, this was an emergency bridge loan that would get us through this economic downturn that our entire nation finds itself in.

Couric: Having said that, UAW members average 42 paid days off a year, including five weeks of vacation and 17 holidays. Do you think, Mr. Gettelfinger, this may seem excessive in light of current economic conditions and the condition of the U.S. auto industry right now?

Gettelfinger: Well, you know, I would like to compare that to the Congress of the United States, but I won't do that. What I will say to you is this: We have made it unequivocally clear that as long as all stakeholders are willing to come back to the bargaining table, we're willing to be there. We're willing to do more.

Couric You're insisting, really, that labor has been asked to sacrifice too much and more than anyone else?

Gettelfinger: I want to be clear: Labor has made a tremendous amount of sacrifice in the past. Are we willing to do more? Yes, we will. But I don't even know what that means until we get the right people at the table.

Couric: You support intervention from the White House and the Treasury Department to stave off bankruptcy. Why do you think that's so important?

Gettelfinger: Customers will not buy an automobile from a bankrupt company. When one of these companies goes into Chapter 11, they're going to go from there to Chapter 7, and they're going to dissolve. The company will no longer exist.

Couric: And you think that will lead to the demise of the other big three automakers?

Gettelfinger: I think for sure it would take two of them down. There's no question in my mind that if General Motors and/or Chrysler goes into bankruptcy, it's all over for those two companies.

[jsd330]

As a former UAW member I don''t like gettlefinger and never have. The uaw members don''t vote for the international president, he is basicly appointed. I have listend to this man speak before and beleive me he is no public speaker, and he should in no way be a president of an international union.This guy couldn''t hold a candle to the former presidents of the UAW.
He didn''t bother saying that it takes 20 years to get 4 weeks vacation and the other week is personal time, to be used as sick days,for doctors appointments or family business.In another post a person with 40 years at GM gets 2080 a month retirement and that includes social security, with money taken out for healthcare , survivor benefits and taxes. Also depending on how long that UAW member has been retired it might be a lot less, there are no built in raises or cost of living increases in the UAW pension plan. So before you form an opinion get the real story, don''t go by what the media spin doctors tell you.

[fxstb00]

many people forget all of the busted heads and deaths union members suffered years ago to let all workers in this country have an 8 hour work day, vacation days, sick days, paid holidays, etc., if unions go, we are all going to suffer except the corporations. we must stand together as one for this. let the congress cut their full pay lifetime pensions and health care first. who else gets that kind of retirement?

[claremontdav]

The Big-3, the UAW and Congress wants the taxpayer to pick up the tab for their collective misdeeds and incompetence. If I had to place blame for what has happened, I would put the Big-3 top management at the top of the list, with the UAW not far behind.

The only thing that this bailout will do will be to perpetuate the manufacture of cars no one wants to buy by unskilled and semi-skilled workers earning $70 per hour (including benefits).

[claremontdav]

The Big-3, the UAW and Congress wants the taxpayer to pick up the tab for their collective misdeeds and incompetence. If I had to place blame for what has happened, I would put the Big-3 top management at the top of the list, with the UAW not far behind.

The only thing that this bailout will do will be to perpetuate the manufacture of cars no one wants to buy by unskilled and semi-skilled workers earning $70 per hour (including benefits).

[thelubeguy]

It appears that Senators Shelby and Corker have made this issue all about breaking the union rather than dealing with the real issue of the lack of credit available for car loans. Since the UAW has come to the forefront of this issue, and it is starting to create a serious divide amongst people in the country, I think CBS should go back and revisit the labor movement in America. Is it a coincidence that the the Wagoner Act that legalized collective bargaining was passed in 1935 during the midst of the Great Depression? Now in the midst of this "Great Recession", Congress is working to dissolve the union. Many of us may disagree with the strength of unions in America, but the reality is that they are largely responsible for creating the middle class and redistributing wealth which has increased the standard of living for everyone.

[prc1177]

As a 40 yr veteran of GM & the UAW, we have made concessions for the company more times than I can count, do we need to give up more? Yes. Should we take wages lower than the those foreign competitors in the US? No, however we do need to give up benefits that will put our total hourly cost in line with our competitors. Please remember this crisis was created by our elected officials and billions of dollars have been given to Wall Street, AIG, Citigroup, every major bank, etc. The auto industry is asking for a loan. When Chrysler got a loan in the 70s the economy was not in the mess it''s in now, you could still get loans from banks. During those times the UAW took wages freezes and gave back many benefits only to see the Exectives given large bonuses. It''s strange no one is talking about the executives money only the guy on the line''s $28 per hour. Once again Toyota''s workers make $30 per hour. My pension after 40 yrs is $2080. I wonder how many of those Senator or Congreemen could make a day on the assembly line.

[marrianna1]

Hey Dragontail, you mean it really isn''t hard work being a reader????

[dragontailju]

I understand that labor accounts for 10% of a new cars cost.Maybe the problem can be found in the remaining 90%! Hey Katie,how many days do you get off along with your multimillion salary.Remember your work consists only of setting behind a desk reporting news that someone else has gathered.Pretty comfortable isn''t it?

[marrianna1]

After 9/11 here are what these companies gave to the victims and the Red Cross
1.GM $20 million (half employee contributions) and a fleet of vehicles
2.Ford $20 million (half from employees)and a fleet
3. Daimler Chrysler $10 million
4.Harley Davidson $1 million and 30 new bikes to NYPD
5.Volkswagon $2 million
6.Hundai $300,000
7.Audi 0
8.BMW 0
9.Daewoo 0
10.Fiat 0
11.Honda 0
12.Isuzu 0
13.Mitsubishi 0
14.Nissan 0
15.Porsche 0
16.Subaru 0
17.Suzuki 0
18.Toyota 0
Help save America, Buy GM, Ford or Chrysler if you need a new car

[hello_fr_pi]

http://storyofstuff.com/ it takes a while to watch but one of the reasons we are in this situation is because we thought we needed all this stuff. higher wages for more stuff, work more for more stuff. new models are cars come out the year prior, more stuff.

[marrianna1]

I worked 20 years at GM before I had 5 weeks vacation a year, wish our union president had made that clear. Also, for you naysayers out there, we haven''t had a pay raise in over 6 years now. We have had diminishing numbers in our workforce and continually have more work added to our jobs. The new hires are making 14 dollars an hour. Is cutting pay in half enough of a sacrifice?

[jimandvictor]

Let us see 42 paid vacation days,5 weeks of vacation,17 holidays, almost 27 dollars an hour and that does not include a benefit packages that most people with serious skills working in places like Somilia,Liberia,Alaska,the North Sea and many very dangerious places would envy.

Gettlefinger...Well, I would like to compare our wages and benefits with the Congress of the United States.

Well...speaking for myself and I have a college degree...I would have to compare my rages with a custodian or police officer working for Congress. This is not about Congress...this is about your everyday hard working American citizens. Lets you and the union get a grip and join the real world Gettlefinger.

[hitoyou11]

Will someone please ask this guy and the auto execs why the above is true when Chryler and Lee Iocacca proved differently in the late 1970s. Then Chrysler went into Chapter 11 and emerged a much better company.


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Posted by ramos937

You can''t ask a man the lies all the time any thing. He will just LIE to you some more. You would think all those old scum bags would remenber what happen back in in the 70''s, maybe that is why they can''t remenber, they have been in congress yo LONG, it is time to get them OUT.

[hitoyou11]

This lying MF should be in JAIL. He is worst then BUSH are Ronald Reagan the idiot.

[ramos937]

Gettelfinger: Customers will not buy an automobile from a bankrupt company. When one of these companies goes into Chapter 11, they''re going to go from there to Chapter 7, and they''re going to dissolve. The company will no longer exist
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Will someone please ask this guy and the auto execs why the above is true when Chryler and Lee Iocacca proved differently in the late 1970s. Then Chrysler went into Chapter 11 and emerged a much better company.