My company is looking to wage concessions on our next contract; they want to change from a pension to a cash balance for retirement, they want at least a $3.00/hour cut to maintain existing numbers. For the present they have a 1.5-1 manager/engineer to the plant union workers, they continue to hire more salaried people as we are told to expect layoffs go figure.

This is all a big game for upper management to see how far we will squeeze.

Had the MoCo left Wisconsin their sales would have dropped in the toilet and they would be with Indian and the others O.O.B.

 

Everybody thinks they are worth what they are paid if not more. In most cases it's just not true. I used to do contract work in the GM Fairfax Plant here in Kansas City. I talked to a woman that installed seat belts all day long with a pneumatic ratchet. She was pulling down around $25 an hour plus benefits. Now, do you really think that job is worth $25 an hour? I think not. It's the same at the Harley plants. The majority of it is not skilled labor. It's repetitive jobs doing the same thing all day long. It's time it came to an end.

 

Seems that this post has turned from a congratulations to Harley-Davidson for staying in Wisconsin to a union/non-union debate.

I have been a member of a Union in Chicago for the past 19 years. Unions were formed in the reasoning that their is strength in numbers. Unions have fought for a five day work week, overtime after 40 hours (unless your salary), two days off, healthcare, pensions, ect...

Whatever the unions have fought for since their existence the non-union worker has benefited from.

If we were not in a recession right now, and times were like they were a few years back, this would not even be an issue. However, the economy is horrible, jobs are scarce and retirements are drying up fast.

My union has made many deals with building owners to keep its members working. We voted and passed a deal that members would take 15 days off a year for the next 3 years; in exchange, management would freeze current salaries but not lay off employees without a 90 day notice.

Does the above sound fair - I think so and I am union......

Difficult times call for difficult decisions; I would much rather take 15 days off a year and have a pay freeze then sit at home all day looking at a tv that won't work because the electric bill can't be paid.

Morale of story - Union or non-union, employee or management, we are all in this together. If we start playing one against the other we accomplish nothing! The only way we will start to recover is if we come together as a country, put our own feelings aside and unite as one so our economy can grow again.

If you have a job/career right now, do what you can to preserve it because nothing is guaranteed. If you are searching for a job, I hope you get it and you will..

Good luck to all and ride safe

 

You don't know what you're talking bout. check your facts before spouting off about profit.

 

I see this as a union success story. The union bargained with management for the best deal they could for their workers. The workers, realizing the real threat of losing their jobs, voted for and accepted the deal. MoCo stays put, most of the workers remain employed at a livable wage. In seven years the economy might be recovered enough for new negotiations giving back what the workers lost.

 

UM HEY TOOHDOCTHC, I PUT UP THE LINK DIRECT FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ABOUT $21 Million in 2nd QUARTER PROFITS for HD, I AM SURE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT! I DID NOT MAKE UP THE INFORMATION I ONLY PASSED IT ON! MAYBE THE MO CO DISPUTES THESE FIGURES AS YOU DO, FIGURES DON'T LIE BUT LIARS FIGURE.............NOW GO FIGURE..............

 

Maybe YOU could tell us about profit. I'd like to be educated.

 

Perfect! Now would be a good time for HD to go ahead and plan their move.

 

$21 million profit isn't that much for a large corporation, what is the percent of profit for sales or investment. If shareholders are only making 2 or 3 percent on their investment they'll sell all their shares& the MOCO goes under. It takes money to make money, if they don't have investors to back them they go out of business. MOCO can't go to their suppliers & say sell me your parts or raw materials & we'll pay you for them when we sell the motorcycle, just like they can't tell the workers to work & you'll get paid when we sell the bike you built. It takes money to make money, & that money is always at risk, just like the GM shareholders who got squat when GM went under & had to get bailed out. If you can't make more money investing & risking your money in a business you might as well put it in the bank & draw 2 or 3 percent. It's just like everyone thinking the rich can pay all the taxes, but if they have to pay a 80% tax rate like some do in Europe, why should they bother to risk $10 million to make $500K & give the government $400K & only make $100K. They'll just sit on their money & not invest it in businesses & then what do you think will happen to this GREAT COUNTRY? By the way I'm not rich, I drive a truck for a living, but I'm tired of the government spending all of my kid's money, because that's who's going to have to pay for all of this B.S. that's going on now.

 

Must be reading one of them Conservative Rags Huh!
I just read an article in a Liberal Rag that stated some CEO's make up to 500 times what the Guy on the assembly line makes
Hypocrites and Double Standards
Ya Know like Free-Market and Wall Street Bail-Out