Day: May 31, 2008

Lessons From The AAM Strike

American Axle workers began to return to work earlier this week, after the end of a three-month walkout in Michigan and New York. The struggle—one of the longest walkouts in the auto industry in decades—ended in a bitter defeat for the workers.

More than half of the returning 3,650 workers, including 1,100 in Detroit, will lose their jobs. The remaining will see their wages cut from $28 an hour to $18.50 and in some locations as low as $10.

In a conference call to Wall Street investors Wednesday corporate CEO Richard Dauch said the new deal would reduce all-in labor costs by 50 percent—saving the company $300 million. “I am pleased to report,” he boasted, “we have achieved all of these goals.”

That the hated contract was ratified by a 78 percent margin was testimony to the lack of confidence in the United Auto Workers union to obtain anything better if workers remained on strike. Even before the walkout began, the UAW signaled its willingness to impose substantial wage cuts. Then the union left workers isolated on the picket lines for 87 days and paid meager strike benefits of $200 a week. In the end, the UAW brought back the concessions agreement and told workers, “Take it or leave it.”

Acting on the belief that there was no alternative, workers voted for the deal with most opting to take the buyout now or in the near future. Many, no doubt, will join the migration of ex-auto workers out of Michigan, where 143,000 auto jobs—or 45 percent of the total—have been wiped out since 1999.

The UAW betrayal at American Axle—like at Delphi and the Big Three concessions before it—will be used to set a new benchmark for the permanent lowering of wages. Hit by high gas prices, the credit crunch and slumping sales, General Motors and Ford have already announced sharp reductions in the production of light trucks and SUVs.

This is only a prelude to a new round of mass layoffs, bankruptcies and concession demands in the auto industry, the airlines and the rest of the US economy. The corporate executives and investors will not be satisfied until the auto industry is a low-wage sector in which workers have no benefits or job security.

The needs of the working class—for decent paying jobs, health care, education, housing and a world free from war—must take precedence over the selfish and destruction drive for individual profit. The guiding principle must be the fight for social equality, the elimination of poverty, and the raising of the living standards of the world’s people through the conscious and rational use of mankind’s productive resources.

The existing Unions are impotent!  They do not serve the workers as they were suppose to.  I say it is time for a change.  The workers need strong representation and leadership.  Not only do they need it, but they must step up and demand it!

A Few Societal Thoughts

Just a bit of the info that is sadly missing in the news. Average Americans have known for years that the economy, their economy has been in the toilet, while the media tells them how well the economy is doing; but that is for those with 7 figure incomes.

The income divide between white and black families has grown again and for the last 30 yrs it has continue to widen. The equality that has been promised for a 100 yrs has never quite made it to the mainstream.

Let us look at crime–the number of policemen killed in the line of duty has gone up and those killed with a firearm are as follows:

NY–22
Fla–18
CA–12
LA–8

The deaths are up by 31% and deaths by firearm is up 37%. Something to think about.

Maybe it is just a coincidence, but the top 3 states are lead by Repubs–just saying, not accusing.  So please do not get your panties in a wad!

political Quote Of The Week

Since the birth place of democracy was Greece, I thought I would quote one of the founding fathers of democracy.

Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers.
Aristotle

If true, then like socialism, it has never been tried.

Liberal vs Conservative

Are a liberal or a conservative? How about Republican or Democrat? Does it matter? Actually, it does not! With the approaching primaries and then the election, I have been thinking about this very subject for awhile. There seems to be very little that separates the two parties, other than minor emotional bullsh*t.

Really? Why? Look at the candidates in the upcoming election. The major candidates are corporate liberals. Rudy or Hilary, not much difference between the two. One is “liberal” repub and the other is a “conservative” dem. Ask why corporate owned media is pushing ex-candidate Romney and Clinton. Why does the media want a cat fight between Obama and Clinton?

Actually, the whole system is lead and controlled by corporate liberals. And they have been in control since 1933. Their control is extended by such organizations as the Council on Foreign Affairs.

Why do I say this? Well, they both approve of moderate trade unions, integration of minorities, moderate welfare, heavy involvement in the economy, foreign aid. Again there is minor differences on how they think these policies should be used.

Corporate liberals control both the Republican and Democratic parties. Only once did it deviate from this formula; that was in 1964 when the Repub nominee was Goldwater over the corportate choice of Rockefeller. And then they lost control of the dems in 1972 when McGovern was picked over Humphrey or Muskie.

The upper class right wing and the corporate liberals have basically the same direction for policy. The differences center on whose approach is best for the maximization of profits and necessary conditions for the continuation of the upper class rule.

Now there is the upper class left wing–they function as the innovators and the guardians of class rule. Their innovations are basically on how to stabilize capitalism and the define the acceptable limits of the left’s boundary. They also spend a major amount of time and resources opposing any third party that would jeopardize the control of the corporate liberals. Especially any third party that will not defend a big business controlled foreign policy.

If there is any doubt about this, then I suggest looking at the candidates that are running now. Any of the major candidates have a platform that does not favor the upper class. Remember, I said major. That would be Clinton, Giuliani, Obama, McCain, Romney, Edwards can be eliminated somewhat, he is a bit of an anomely. There will be NO difference in whoever you elect, there will be only minor differences in their approach.

This whole two party thing is just f*cking silly! The whole partisan, us against them, thing is just as damn silly. No matter where you put you vote; you will be voting for the same people, the corporate liberals.

Put a little thought into your vote. Stop listening to the bovine fecal matter that impresses you. Learn where to put your vote, so that the American people, your children and grandchildren, will have a descent life.  The standing two party system has actually help few and given the American the crisis they are now facing.

McCain’s “League Of Democracies”

Gaining ground this political season is a proposed League of Democracies designed to strengthen support for the next president’s overseas agenda and ensure a global leadership role for the United States.

John McCain, the virtually certain Republican presidential nominee, has endorsed the concept of a new global compact of more than 100 democratic countries to advance shared views and has discussed the idea with French and British leaders.

Barack Obama, who has a lead in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, has not taken a stand. But Anthony Lake, one of Obama’s policy advisers, has spoken in favor of the idea.

Analysts at think tanks in Washington and elsewhere envision a league focused on maintaining peace and limiting U.S. military intervention, such as the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

But missing so far are specific, proposed steps to turn the idea into reality, such as where to have a headquarters, who would finance the league and how its membership would be decided.

Thinking……thinking….is this not what the UN is for?  Why waste time and resources starting something that is already up and functioning?  If this is part of McCain’s foreign policy then we are in as much trouble as with Bush.