[PEN-L:6882] Re: GM-CAW agreement

[Rudy Fichtenbaum <Fichtenbaum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Blair Sandler wrote:
>
> I'm having a deja vu: in their "job security" agreement with GM, the CAW
> agree to let GM cut jobs if (1) productivity increases; (2) technology
> changes; (3) market share declines; or (4) a product line is discontinued.
> It's not clear to me what the CAW gained, especially since GM is also
> allowed to get rid oftwo parts plants they wanted to sell.
>
> Maybe I just don't get this process, but time and time again I see unions
> making various sorts of concessions in exchange for "job security" promises
> of one sort or another that, as far as I can tell, don't amount to a hill
> of beans. It seems as if, no less than corporations are alleged to do,
> unions take a very short-term view, protecting temporarily the status of
> existing workers at the cost of the union and workers' long-term power. Am
> I just wrong about this and in fact unions are winning significant
> concessions from corporations regarding long term job security for workers,
> or are these various promises on the part of the corporations little more
> than rhetorical dressing so the unions can save face?
>
> On the other hand, CAW workers got health and some other benefits for
> same-sex partners.
>
> Blair
>
> Blair Sandler
> blairs@xxxxxxx
Blair,

Although I haven't seen the details of the CAW agreement I would tend to
agree with
your first assessment.  Giving health and other benefits for same sex
partners is
probably not that costly for GM because 1) all Canadians are covered by
Medicare and
2) there probably are not that many people who will use the benefits.

Rudy
--
Rudy Fichtenbaum         E-Mail: Fichtenbaum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Department of Economics  Phone: 513-873-3085
Wright State University  FAX: 513-873-3545
Dayton OH 45435