Several historic events are developing before our very eyes. One of them is in regard to the failure of the automakers. Michigan has had a strong industrial presence in the world partly based on our accessible waterways, and partly the enormity of the manufacture of automotive products as well as the vehicles themselves. However, as the old saying “the bigger they are, the harder they fall” goes, so too do our car maker’s successes. Perhaps the “harder they FAIL” might be more apropos. Michigan union workers have a serious problem to consider.
The billions of dollars paid by the taxpayer for the short term survival of GM and Chrysler was a shell game by our government, and both administrations had their reasons for supporting it. Bush, because the total collapse of the automotive sector on this watch would have been unacceptable, and the incoming Obama administration because they saw it as a means to an end; the nationalization of the largest sector of industry. The movement of taxpayer funds into the companies with “first rights” or “preferred” status, was to reduce the influence of former stockholders who would have been better served with an immediate bankruptcy in the latter part of 2008. The bleed losses the companies were expecting are essentially CONVERTING the ownership from stockholders to government and Union controlled pension obligation funds.
But THIS ownership by government is merely that of “control,” and perhaps not a total ownership which might be more classically used to demonstrate a fascist mission. The Chrysler failure resulting in its bankruptcy will now apparently result in the ownership of the automaker by the very unions which have guided the company into a profitless state. And as GM is soon to follow, the unions, alongside the government will soon be the operational owners and management of at least two of the automakers. Ford, wisely chose to remain independent of this scheme to defraud stockholders of their ownership stake by the government.
So as to not appear fascist, the Obama administration is going to cede operation control of these former giants of productivity to the very unions which destroyed them. There will likely be further controls added by government to enhance their competitiveness against Ford and other car makers. And employees of the new Union-Government partnership will see a new boss.. same as the old boss.. And will have been fooled again.
But this time, it will be worse. It will be worse because the employees will have no representation. They will have the negotiating equivalent of a lawyer suing on a plaintiff’s behalf.. suing himself, with a judge who also as a defendant. The dichotomy of representation against your representation arbitrated by an economically interested party is laughable, yet sorrowfully so. .
Isn’t it strange though, how the very set up in this situation so closely resembles the very problem we ALL face with an over reaching government? Consider that the dues paying employees contributing dues, a “tax” if you will, to have a voice in their representation, find themselves in opposition to those very same representatives who take the “tax” from them. What we are witnessing is a microcosm of government that lives so very completely in the unfolding developments, and theft of our voices.
So to the DUES PAYING MEMBERSHIP of the UAW here is a question: How long will you pay dues to your OWN employer till you have your own “Tea Party?”
