Windsor-Russian Roulette
After my third campaign I became convinced that there would never be a Conservative victory in Windsor until the unions and their political sheep disappeared. It looks like all the world that a huge piece of them - the CAW - are about to commit suicide.
Today a letter from Chrysler execs went out to the shop floor and pleaded with them for some painful, but common sense measures. In exchange is a pledge to maintain employment levels in Canada, while the other side of the coin is the end of Chrysler Canada. The union still believes it is in a position to play poker, even though its hand is effectively dead. Its response was outrage that the company should want to talk directly to its employees, and a letter-burning show of defiance outside the plant gates.
The show of heads at the burning is indicative of the roots of the problem. It was peopled mainly by the union hangers-on. About a hundred in all. Many of the remaining 1500 employees in the plant at that time, feel as I do, that we are not being properly represented by people who understand economics, diplomacy, or even cards. The status quo for the union indoctrinates is to repeat verbatim whatever "Kenny" (Lewenza) says, and spit vitriol at anyone who publicly disagrees.
An electronic union rag called autoworker.net is papered with vile comments about anyone who presents a dissenting opinion. Chrysler execs, minister Clement, a local newscommentator, Chris Vanderdoelen who speaks too plainly for this bunch, automotive consultants Tony Faria of the U of W, and anyone else heard with an original thought, is the enemy. When the rubble has finally settled from this final confrontation, I have not the least doubt that another great Satan will have been born in the eyes of the union sycophants. They already hate Conservatives, and will now particularly despise Tony Clement. Future union electoral propaganda, which was already worthy of history’s dictators, will now know no bounds. The only question remaining is, will there be anyone left to hear them?
Some credit for this sordid situation, also goes to the two NDP MPs which the union manages to prop up at federal elections. They attended the letter-burning. Evidently embarassment is an emotion they long since surrendered, just like their pride. Inert in politics because of their fourth party status, and useless in the evolution of this city, they are content to be seen by their protectors, mouthing inanities. Tony Clement was an obvious, cheer-inducing target, so let’s blame him for being over-involved in this scenario. He should not be taking an active part, stated one of the two. Who exactly, then should be the taxpayer’s representative in this farce? Certainly not two dippers!
The final act of folly, or negligence, by the union intelligentsia, is to ignore the increasingly negative reaction of the general public. They don’t have the company on their side, or the city, or probably the majority of their members who are now looking over the precipice. But more than that, the taxpayer is dead set against this bailout. The correct reaction, however painful, would be some humility right now. Instead these fools are setting fire to their futures.
PS: I am still a CAW member, for your information, and no, I am not anti-union. I am against putting such power in the hands of fools.
April 17th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
As a young apprentice in the UK I remember being asked to vote on a ballot sheet for my National representatives.
I had never heard of the people on the ballot and my only information was that underneath it said how long the candidate had been a union delegate.
I think I picked the guys with even years of service.
At all levels my Union expected me to accept everything they told me and to vote in favor of whatever they recommended.
I don’t think much has changed!
April 17th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Interesting blog, being from Windsor as well I understand the power of the union in Windsor. I believe that unions are supposed to serve an important purpose in the management-managed interactions but I feel that the current state of the unions is such that they don’t even know what the people they’re supposed to represent even want.
Remember the Casino Windsor strike where the union completely misread what the strikers wanted? And the embarrassing rejection of the union-approved deal?
April 17th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Those men and women are in for a big shock when they apply for EI. and find out that only about 35,000.00 of their wages are insurable. Look at your T4, and find out. I think a lot of those workers think, ok, I can make do on 50 or 75% of my wages and have no idea of the shock in store.
Somebody better smarten them us PDQ.
What would happen if those 1500 that did not join the letter burning brigade picked a couple of leaders and they went to management and said, we are willing to take your deal, and to hell with the union.
April 17th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
MaryT
As a member of this union, I was ostracized to the point where union officials would not even talk to me during the federal election because I was a Conservative candidate. It will take a person of great courage to stand up to these idiots.
April 18th, 2009 at 12:47 am
I’ve spoken here before, and I’m glad to see there are yet more people willing to stand against the CAW idiocy. I still nurture a faint flicker of hope in the darkness that something may yet happen…
April 18th, 2009 at 2:57 am
[…] certain we’ll hear something angry and red-faced from Ken Lewenza very […]
April 18th, 2009 at 8:58 am
I fully concur with Rick, the CAW is playing with peoples lives…they hold no cards but they still believe it’s the 60’s and 70’s when they blackmailed the big three for ever more salaries and benefits…Unfortunately the present day reality of globalization has changed everything its no longer the big three it’s the World…ACCEPT IT CAW.
But lets not forget how we got to this point.
The problems with Chrysler and the rest of the auto industry can not be solely placed on the shoulders of the unions.
Every stake holder can take away part of the blame. Legislators, Corporate Management, Unions, and the Consumer.
Government:
No clear trade policies, foreign competitors were allowed into North America who had very different ways of funding pensions and healthcare for their respective work force leaving North American companies at a per vehicle $2000 disadvantage. Very distorted CAFÉ regulations and ever fluctuating fuel prices which do not lend itself to a clear product plans for corporations e.g. last year when fuel prices were high HYBRIDS were selling at a premium…now you can not give them away. Companies can not react this fast to these type of market fluctuations.
Need clear and consistent North American CAFÉ/ Emission regulations and fuel price strategy.
Management:
Management was too greedy about getting promoted and receiving the next big bonus checks…instead of planning 20 years out. Incompetent/inexperienced people ran the companies and its departments from product planning, production, finance and human resources who bargained away the shop to the unions. CEO’s went on shopping sprees accumulation fancy foreign brands so thy personally could drive an Austin Martin’s instead of a Taurus. Lack of focus on customer needs and wants was the biggest issue. Need very competent management focused on clear results with top notch board oversight not appointed cronies that only rubber stamps everything.
Unions:
Unions were also to blame for adding all types of costly crap into the contracts over the years…from weeks off, legal coverage, GEN banks to pay people not even working, 95% pay for being laid off, cushy union positions to unqualified union cronies for counseling, Ergonomics, trainers to place tapes in a VCR to only push a button…most of this could be outsourced to true professionals for less. High absentee rates and phony injury claims. The worst thing is ridiculous work rules, were people can not do something because its not authorized by the union. All these things made us unproductive over the years and hourly labor which should be variable has now become a fixed cost which makes the North American manufactures very un competitive is the New Global World.
Consumers:
Consumers are also to blame, I am from Europe and Europeans are more loyal to there brands, Italian buy Fiat’s even though they are a crappy product…In France they buy Renault’s even though they are crappy but I do not understand North Americans if we continue to out-source all our industries what will we do as a tax base to fund all of our grandiose entitlements and military…there are only so many Wal-Mart jobs to go around.
In closing we need to ask ourselves…Do we want to be a major Economy in this world, than we need to produce things and we are all in this together Government, Corporations, Workers and Consumers…together we either sink or swim, so lets fix our industries together and move on. That includes the CAW…lets be part of the solution.
BH
May 26th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Speaking of E.I. Are you not suppossed to be ready willing and able to work. Rick could work with his seniority but CHOOSE to be laidoff out of line of seniority. Typical Conservative stealing money from the taxpayers. I’ll be sure to pass this along to revenue Canada
May 26th, 2009 at 10:55 am
I don’t know who Mr. Truth is, but just for the record: I was laid off before the bankruptcy shutdown, when my entire training group was put on the back burner. The only option I had to continue working, was to surrender my job and post back to the line. Since posting has yet to occur, this was not possible, and I doubt that Mr. Truth would be very truthful if he were to say that he would have taken low man’s job.
January 3rd, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Hi Rick,
It’s been a long time. Trying to find your email address. Can you respond so that we can get in touch?
Regards,
Karl