The new Corvettes and Unions

2.7RACER · 08-23-2005, 08:24 PM

A comment was made by a frequent contributor to this BBS about the new Corvette and the Union labor that assembled it. Insinuating that the Corvettes implied lack of long term reliability was due to union labor.
I would remind everyone that our precious Porsche's are assembled by union labor as well.
In fact I'm sure many if not most of the parts are built by union labor as well.
I would further suggest to this individual, whom I shall not name, that the decision makers that decide just how good a Corvette could be are not in unions, they are management.
The union guys use the parts supplied to them and put them together with the hardware supplied to them. They don't make the decisions as to the quality of these parts.
The same can be said about Porsche's or most any other car maker around the world.
Bottom line if you have a problem with a particular car, it is unlikely it was because of a failure of the union guy on the line.
Who made the decision to leave power on the cruise switch that is burning up Ford trucks.
I suppose a union guy is to blame for Explorers turning over.
Put the blame where it belongs, at the feet of the people paid to make the decisions, management.

Oh Haha · 08-24-2005, 05:01 AM

I think the union reference came from some posts that were up a few months ago discussing pros and cons of the union shop and what, possibly, they have done to help along the destruction of the Big Three. I deal with various UAW shops daily as a service provider. I am in management. I agree that most big decisions are made by the upper management but the worker on the line, in a lot of shops that I deal with, have an attitude of "I don't care, I still get paid".
Richard Shoemaker, UAW, Pres., announced yesterday that the union will HAVE to find ways to help cut the costs of healthcare if they want the jobs to survive. Our local news team talked to a few guys coming out of the plant. One said " I will pay more for my copay if they want to compensate me for it." WTH?????? They just don't get it. Look, my job is to feed these people. If they aren't working, neither are we. That means I have to start laying off my people and so on down the line. Fortunately, we have other non-automotive business that is picking up at a good pace.

Steeve · 08-24-2005, 05:29 AM

Such is the way now, unfortunately. No one wants accountability for their own actions. "Don't blame me, it's all management's fault..."

Strip out the unions, pay them what they're really worth, and send 'em packin' when they don't do the job to spec. I love living in a "right to work" state!! Unions don't have a prayer here.