I think the UAW has really brought the reality home to the rest of us that the billionaire class is thriving at the expense of the working class. Income inequality is a major issue in America and the basis for so much unrest. Bravo to the unions and President Biden for getting workers what they so deserve!
Probably because it's a tragedy of the commons situation. Companies get rich when they are subsidized by their own low-wage employees, as long as everybody else's employees make good money.
Henry Ford fought it, right up until he had to start paying his employees enough to buy what they made. THEN he got REALLY rich. "Trickle-down" was, is, and always will be stupid and unworkable. Bubble up works MUCH better - working people spend their money, the rich park it in stocks and bonds. The notion that they will invest their money in job-creation is a damaging myth.
Living in Michigan has been an eye-opener. In Ann Arbor, the grad instructors strike on March 29. The university of Michigan finally blinked on August 22. Those literally poor kids had to do without for five months -- FIVE MONTHS -- to get what they needed to live in a very expensive city. It is exciting to see the UAW, in six WEEKS, make such major inroads in their employment terms. We think this will help to continue the energizing of Detroit. The city is starting to rebound. Yay!!! This is the much broader impact of union employment contracts.
Thanks for clear analysis of the situation. The pandemic seems to have had some upsides. People are not going to take it anymore. They realize their worth.
On the other hand, I’m keeping my eyes on the folks in charge of the good of our country. Too much faith in them can lead to a blindness and that insatiable desire for money and power.
The bitter irony of Biden's avid support of unions is that while his administration is basking in the glow of labor improvements in the private sector, employment conditions within the federal government are not good. I know several federal employees, and they are all struggling to make ends meet. My wife is one of those employees. Every raise she has received since she began her job 4 years ago has been more than gobbled up by constant increases in her required contribution to our health care coverage. Next year, we will pay $1400 a month for our coverage, which comes with a hefty deductible and constant battles to get them to pay out for what they are supposed to cover. The pay itself is not competitive to begin with, and the threat of government shutdowns, when she is required to work without any idea how long her pay will be delayed. (If you feel inclined to comment that she should just go get a different job, then, please don't. Just don't, because there are plenty of reasons I'm not going to go into here for why that is not a realistic option.)
That's still the reality of most workers outside the auto industry, federal, state, local government employees, but also in the private industry. Now after the UAW and Hollywood wins, we have to work to address all of those. Even just for federal workers, Biden can't do that unilaterally.
What Trump would or wouldn't do is a fairly pathetic measure by which to assess any other president. There's a lot of decent things Trump wouldn't do; that doesn't mean Biden shouldn't be expected to do them either.
Of course Biden can't do it unilaterally, but at the very least he could 1) acknowledge it for the problem it is, and 2) stop directing his administration to aggressively push back on the federal worker unions who have filed lawsuits to resolve some of these issues.
I hear your frustration and pain. I sincerely hope there are some positive benefits that can soon flow to your wife's fed employment from these overall improvements!
Elect Democrats. That's it. As long as Republicans can get in the way of government workers, they will. Keep firmly in mind - they do not want any more government than is strictly necessary to protect the fortunes of their clientele. You know - the very, very rich.
Thanks for asking! I don't know that there's a lot to be done right yet, other than bringing the subject into conversation when doing so makes sense. I think we're at the stage with this where bringing it to people's attention is very helpful, as most people seem to think federal employment is really cushy.
Agreed. I am also a federal employee and have been for 18 years. I love my job and I do it because it is a service to the country and the American people, NOT for the money. I too will have to work during the shut down because I am an excepted employee. IT was hell during the trump shut down - 38 days without pay which really translates to 6 weeks because of the payroll service. It's not pretty.
Oh, wow, I feel for you. My wife didn't work for the gov during that month+ shutdown, but my niece did. I remember how hard it was for all federal employees. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't go through that again!
I'm happy for the unions successes; good for the country and the workers. I'm also happy that it seems to finally be brining attention to the success' of Bidenomics, and the media seems to finally be onboard.
This is great news! In this context, I would like to also remind of the VW plant in Chattanooga, TN, the only non-unionized VW plant in the world. When VW built it, management actually wanted the plant to unionize because it is part of their corporate culture, and generally of Germany's corporate ethos. During the union election, VW was barred by law from encouraging a yes vote, while local politicos heavily weighed in against unions.
Thank you for informing. There is so much to learn. It almost feels like the hippie days of rising up and not buying into the rhetoric. Then came Ronald Reagan. Let this momentum continue.
Actually, federal law. It's the same law that is supposed to prevent Amazon and Walmart from interfering with union elections; the law is written standpoint-neutral (it has to be to comply with the First Amendment). So employers are prevented from encouraging as well as from discouraging unions.
I'm glad that the unions are fighting back with regards to workers rights and the great division of wages between the workers and the suits ! It is definitely the time to strike with the millions in profits and big bonuses to the CEO'S and their cronies !! I can see lobbyists of buying more judges and congress members to enact more laws that will attempt to overturn gains made by the union 's actions !! I think the average American is tired of living paycheck to paycheck while CEO'S and corporations are making record profits on the backs of their workers !! Now watch those asshat douche bags repugnants fight back for " the good of the people " but really for their donors as they don't give a rat's ass about the people !!
I am very happy for the union workers and what they got. They deserve raises, they deserve COLA, they deserve to get rid of the tier system. However if people think these things are coming out of the millions the top levels get in bonuses they are, in part, mistaken. There will be concessions from those of us who are employees but not union. It's all smoke and mirrors. I will never complain about what I have but this talk that the money is coming from those at the top is not a true reality. That part of the system isn't talked about but still needs to be fixed.
All of these union wins means more money in workers' wallets, increasing their spending and saving and putting more dollars into the economy. That's REAL trickle down, right there. Or as Henry Ford once said, "the rising tide lifts all boats."
And let's hope that all the rank-and-file, who were joined by Joe Biden on the picket lines, don't revert to now familiar form and vote Republican next year...because tRump.
Great Post. The halcyon days of the billionaires and CEO millionaires are looking a little shaky. A bit like "Galloping Gertie."(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-zczJXSxnw)
“We can’t keep electing billionaires and millionaires that don’t have any understanding what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck and struggle to get by and expecting them to solve the problems of the working class.”
I totally agree with this. One of many reasons I like Joe Biden.
The new guy, Phillips is another rich white guy. He came from money, which opened doors for him. So yeah, maybe he did make money with the companies he started/inherited/whatever, but he had more of a leg up than 99% of the citizens of this country. He is without clue. Did he have a part-time job in high school? Did he work his way through college/graduate school? Did he ever work in an entry level position?
I have a question regarding the "two tier" system. What about it was different from the normal progression of pay from newbie to oldie via promotions? Was there a ceiling beyond which the newbies could not go no matter how deserving of promotion they were?
When it was implemented, it was essentially a 50% pay cut for new hires, and I forget how many years they would have to work to get to where someone who had hired in just a year earlier would have started at - but it was kind of a lot. The old heads got to keep what they had, so "two-tier", but there were also other concessions by them - health care and retirement benefits got slashed. By the time they were retired, the automakers would have had a half-price workforce.
I think the UAW has really brought the reality home to the rest of us that the billionaire class is thriving at the expense of the working class. Income inequality is a major issue in America and the basis for so much unrest. Bravo to the unions and President Biden for getting workers what they so deserve!
It is almost unbelievable to see the power being restored to workers. Very pleased with Joe Biden!!
Why don’t companies realize that the more money that we have to spend the richer they will become?
Probably because it's a tragedy of the commons situation. Companies get rich when they are subsidized by their own low-wage employees, as long as everybody else's employees make good money.
Henry Ford fought it, right up until he had to start paying his employees enough to buy what they made. THEN he got REALLY rich. "Trickle-down" was, is, and always will be stupid and unworkable. Bubble up works MUCH better - working people spend their money, the rich park it in stocks and bonds. The notion that they will invest their money in job-creation is a damaging myth.
Living in Michigan has been an eye-opener. In Ann Arbor, the grad instructors strike on March 29. The university of Michigan finally blinked on August 22. Those literally poor kids had to do without for five months -- FIVE MONTHS -- to get what they needed to live in a very expensive city. It is exciting to see the UAW, in six WEEKS, make such major inroads in their employment terms. We think this will help to continue the energizing of Detroit. The city is starting to rebound. Yay!!! This is the much broader impact of union employment contracts.
Thanks for clear analysis of the situation. The pandemic seems to have had some upsides. People are not going to take it anymore. They realize their worth.
On the other hand, I’m keeping my eyes on the folks in charge of the good of our country. Too much faith in them can lead to a blindness and that insatiable desire for money and power.
Eternal Vigilance
The bitter irony of Biden's avid support of unions is that while his administration is basking in the glow of labor improvements in the private sector, employment conditions within the federal government are not good. I know several federal employees, and they are all struggling to make ends meet. My wife is one of those employees. Every raise she has received since she began her job 4 years ago has been more than gobbled up by constant increases in her required contribution to our health care coverage. Next year, we will pay $1400 a month for our coverage, which comes with a hefty deductible and constant battles to get them to pay out for what they are supposed to cover. The pay itself is not competitive to begin with, and the threat of government shutdowns, when she is required to work without any idea how long her pay will be delayed. (If you feel inclined to comment that she should just go get a different job, then, please don't. Just don't, because there are plenty of reasons I'm not going to go into here for why that is not a realistic option.)
That's still the reality of most workers outside the auto industry, federal, state, local government employees, but also in the private industry. Now after the UAW and Hollywood wins, we have to work to address all of those. Even just for federal workers, Biden can't do that unilaterally.
And Trump wouldn’t do it even if he could. He hates federal workers.
What Trump would or wouldn't do is a fairly pathetic measure by which to assess any other president. There's a lot of decent things Trump wouldn't do; that doesn't mean Biden shouldn't be expected to do them either.
I totally agree with your comment.
I expect Biden to do the right and decent thing. Always. (As I expect all elected officials to do the same).
My comment was intended to point out the vast difference between the two. I can see now how it might have been misinterpreted.
No worries - thanks for clarifying!
Of course Biden can't do it unilaterally, but at the very least he could 1) acknowledge it for the problem it is, and 2) stop directing his administration to aggressively push back on the federal worker unions who have filed lawsuits to resolve some of these issues.
This is indeed a concern and I hope that in some way the UAW events will have a positive effect for all workers.
I hope so too. The growing trend will hopefully spread to other sectors that don't have a robust pro-union culture already.
I hear your frustration and pain. I sincerely hope there are some positive benefits that can soon flow to your wife's fed employment from these overall improvements!
What steps can we take as individual voters to advocate for government employees? Do you and your wife have any suggestions?
Elect Democrats. That's it. As long as Republicans can get in the way of government workers, they will. Keep firmly in mind - they do not want any more government than is strictly necessary to protect the fortunes of their clientele. You know - the very, very rich.
Yup, but even Dems need their feet held to the fire in many cases.
Thanks for asking! I don't know that there's a lot to be done right yet, other than bringing the subject into conversation when doing so makes sense. I think we're at the stage with this where bringing it to people's attention is very helpful, as most people seem to think federal employment is really cushy.
Agreed. I am also a federal employee and have been for 18 years. I love my job and I do it because it is a service to the country and the American people, NOT for the money. I too will have to work during the shut down because I am an excepted employee. IT was hell during the trump shut down - 38 days without pay which really translates to 6 weeks because of the payroll service. It's not pretty.
Oh, wow, I feel for you. My wife didn't work for the gov during that month+ shutdown, but my niece did. I remember how hard it was for all federal employees. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't go through that again!
I'm happy for the unions successes; good for the country and the workers. I'm also happy that it seems to finally be brining attention to the success' of Bidenomics, and the media seems to finally be onboard.
I’m not sure the media is, but let’s keep reminding them of the good news.
Now if only reporting, scuttlebutt and sound bites would match reality....oh, how far we would go (H/T Dr Seuss)
This is great news! In this context, I would like to also remind of the VW plant in Chattanooga, TN, the only non-unionized VW plant in the world. When VW built it, management actually wanted the plant to unionize because it is part of their corporate culture, and generally of Germany's corporate ethos. During the union election, VW was barred by law from encouraging a yes vote, while local politicos heavily weighed in against unions.
Thank you for informing. There is so much to learn. It almost feels like the hippie days of rising up and not buying into the rhetoric. Then came Ronald Reagan. Let this momentum continue.
In the old days they weighed in with the national guard. $$ are the new machine guns
Barred by state law, I would guess? Tennessee, after all....
Actually, federal law. It's the same law that is supposed to prevent Amazon and Walmart from interfering with union elections; the law is written standpoint-neutral (it has to be to comply with the First Amendment). So employers are prevented from encouraging as well as from discouraging unions.
Thanks for the information.
Some good news at last.
Great news! 👍🏻👍🏻
I'm glad that the unions are fighting back with regards to workers rights and the great division of wages between the workers and the suits ! It is definitely the time to strike with the millions in profits and big bonuses to the CEO'S and their cronies !! I can see lobbyists of buying more judges and congress members to enact more laws that will attempt to overturn gains made by the union 's actions !! I think the average American is tired of living paycheck to paycheck while CEO'S and corporations are making record profits on the backs of their workers !! Now watch those asshat douche bags repugnants fight back for " the good of the people " but really for their donors as they don't give a rat's ass about the people !!
I am very happy for the union workers and what they got. They deserve raises, they deserve COLA, they deserve to get rid of the tier system. However if people think these things are coming out of the millions the top levels get in bonuses they are, in part, mistaken. There will be concessions from those of us who are employees but not union. It's all smoke and mirrors. I will never complain about what I have but this talk that the money is coming from those at the top is not a true reality. That part of the system isn't talked about but still needs to be fixed.
All of these union wins means more money in workers' wallets, increasing their spending and saving and putting more dollars into the economy. That's REAL trickle down, right there. Or as Henry Ford once said, "the rising tide lifts all boats."
And let's hope that all the rank-and-file, who were joined by Joe Biden on the picket lines, don't revert to now familiar form and vote Republican next year...because tRump.
Great Post. The halcyon days of the billionaires and CEO millionaires are looking a little shaky. A bit like "Galloping Gertie."(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-zczJXSxnw)
Great news.
“We can’t keep electing billionaires and millionaires that don’t have any understanding what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck and struggle to get by and expecting them to solve the problems of the working class.”
I totally agree with this. One of many reasons I like Joe Biden.
The new guy, Phillips is another rich white guy. He came from money, which opened doors for him. So yeah, maybe he did make money with the companies he started/inherited/whatever, but he had more of a leg up than 99% of the citizens of this country. He is without clue. Did he have a part-time job in high school? Did he work his way through college/graduate school? Did he ever work in an entry level position?
We do not need anymore trumps/musks/etc.
He is the epitome of "born on third base, thinks he hit a triple".
Well put.
I have a question regarding the "two tier" system. What about it was different from the normal progression of pay from newbie to oldie via promotions? Was there a ceiling beyond which the newbies could not go no matter how deserving of promotion they were?
When it was implemented, it was essentially a 50% pay cut for new hires, and I forget how many years they would have to work to get to where someone who had hired in just a year earlier would have started at - but it was kind of a lot. The old heads got to keep what they had, so "two-tier", but there were also other concessions by them - health care and retirement benefits got slashed. By the time they were retired, the automakers would have had a half-price workforce.
Good news is very welcome.