... Not sure if serious ...

Hello, everyone,

well, this information consists of basically 2 articlkes :

The original one ( it's an exclusive ! ) : http://www.handelsblatt.com/politik...-senator-corker-ruegt-volkswagen/8893150.html

The second one by Reuters, you know, that big news company : http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/06/us-autos-uaw-vw-idUSBRE9950A320131006

The thing is, that both are writing differently over the same thing.

And "the same thing" is that Volkswagen wants to build up a system like the German "Gewerkschaft" in their manufacturies.

Which was heavily criticized by one Senator Corker.

Here in Germany, this sounds like a joke, like an U.S. Senator trying to firbit any Gewerkschaft in German automobile manufacturies at all.

The Reuters article, though states that he personally believes that the U.S. equivalent of the German Gewerkschaft is co-responsible for the decline if the U.S. motorautomobile manufacturies.

As an example for the German system : This is the biggest "umbrella-society" under which the major worker unions are set :
DGB : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederation_of_German_Trade_Unions
Official english-language site of the DGB : http://en.dgb.de/

Can someone please enlighten me why this is written about in such different manners ?

Alrik

I think that criticism is just a display of xenophobia.
Why shouldn't the model work everywhere? It's not like it's coming from some country with disastrous economy.

Xenophobia? Puh-leeze. Tennessee has gotten numerous automotive plants over the past couple decades simply because their anti-UAW stance (allowing for a cheaper, more flexible workforce) made the state attractive for business. If VW wants to get in bed with the UAW now, that's their funeral and they're welcome to it, but the precedent puts all of Tennessee's automotive manufacturing at risk. A senator from that state absolutely should be very concerned.

Thinking that the UAW has anything in common with Euro unions is naive at best. Do little research about the way they do business these days before working up that holier-than-thou indignation.

dteowner said:

Xenophobia?

Click to expand...

Exactly. Irrational and paranoic fear from everything that's different.
If they're not doing something illegal, if it's not some con art of a sort, let them do what they want. Besides, it doesn't touch your own pocket. Or does it?

It's not irrational by any stretch. One need look no further than Detroit to see the impact of the UAW as it operates today. Since I work in automotive, I suppose I have a personal interest in the ongoing success of automotive manufacturing in the USA, but my financial link to the issue is negligible at best, contrary to your vague accusation.

You really should take a look at the UAW's real-world stances before joining the solidarity parade. Clinging to your ignorant xenophobia claim just makes you look silly.

I do wonder if it's really the UAW which caused this ? Could the reason be something else ? Like ... people not having enough money to buy cars anymore ?

There's plenty of blame to go around, Alrik. The union made a lot of really stupid and really expensive demands; on the other hand, management signed those stupid labor contracts. There's supposed to be a balance there. The UAW went all kinds of crazy with their demands, but management didn't do their part by saying "no". Do you blame the UAW for acting like a 3-year-old, or do you blame management for not being the adult?

The irony is that the union locals are all run by the skilled trades guys and they very definitely look out for #1. The "average Joe" that busts his butt on the assembly line every day gets very little direct benefit (and not that much indirect) from being a part of the UAW. It's more about maintaining their hierarchy (and living it up on the rank-and-file's union dues) than improving the conditions for "the common man".

Strangely enough, in most of the southern states where the UAW is weak, it's the workers that don't want to unionize. Management doesn't have to block it. The workers are generally treated fairly and wages/benefits are generally better than anything else in the region so they don't need a union and they're smart enough to see how destructive the UAW generally is.