Rachel Maddow: Robert Reich on Auto Workers Concessions

Rachel Maddow talks to Robert Reich about the GOP's attitude towards unions and the southers Senator's attitudes towards blue collar workers' salaries as opposed to white collar worker's salaries, and their interest in foreign companies located in their states.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Rachel
• Maddow
• Robert
• Reich
• Unions
• Auto
• Industry
• American
• Foreign
• Companies
• Tax
• Subsidies
• Union
• Busting

[patsaxon]

Any American made vehicle is way too expensive due to labor cost of the union workers. Why not have all American vehicle be made in China? Every American name brand is being made in China, it could save all of a lot of money and then the union workers will have no choice but to settle for minimum wage jobs like the rest of us had to do.

[Freakbaiter]

Robert Reich is just an example of the morons in charge today. He claims to be some kind of financial expert,but he can't seem to put the math to the failure of the American auto industry. Unskilled labor strangling the industry with high wages and benefits, and producing product with no pride in workmanship results in expensive junk. That's the reality here. And the industry cannot compete, so it is dying. Fuck the UAW, Obama, Reich, the Clintons and the rest of the socialist elite.

[cvjucla3]

I know that the new contract is not in effect, and I described why. You're first comment makes an assumption that the asian companies inside this country w/ U.S. workers working at them are somehow better than the Big three American companies that supply their workers w/ union representation. I clearly disagree w/ your assumption. Btw, why you think that I feel that because union workers make a few dollars more is necessarily a bad thing is beyond me. Mainly it is b/c I never said that.

[waltermh111]

You repeated what I said, then what the video said

Not to sound insulting, but what was your point?

Yes, US auto workers make a few dollars per hour more. Thats not a bad thing. Few sectors have all people in every company making all the same wages. Also, not every state has the same cost of living, so wages will be different in that way also

A sonic drive in in Louisiana makes $7/h but a McDonalds in Texas will pay $8 an hour for equal experience

Besides, the new contract isnt in effect yet

[cvjucla3]

Unions have historically protected workers from having corporations exploit them. The Asian auto corp. & Euro corp. inside the U.S. have Americans working at each auto facility, but w/o any union representation. One of the reasons the Auto Bailout failed today was b/c Republicans wanted to reduce the Big 3 workers wages to what the U.S. auto workers of the foreign companies earn. So, the union workers at the Big 3 make more than what the foreign companies in the U.S. pay their U.S. workers.

[waltermh111]

Just to respond to your union question, unions tend to appear when their is a need. I admit, while I am all for unions, they shouldnt hang around past their useful time. They should be easy to create, and become silent when not in need just keeping an eye on the future of the workers it serves.

For the asian companies, they pay their workers well, and treat them well, so they dont need unions right now.

[dawgnpony]

This video is from the original broadcast (6 PM PT). Several hours later, the loan/bailout failed because the UAW refused to accept the GOP demand that they fall in-line (wages and benefits) with the non-union workers of the foreign automakers that permeate the southern states. These are your senators that put ideology first and the American worker last! Hey McConnell (who happens to be married to Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao), enough with the $71 per hour lie!

[cvjucla3]

Good post, Heather. Yeah, why wasn't Corker asking all the bankers and CEOs to start taking pay cuts? Strange how the American tranplant auto plants of Foreign countries inside the U.S. don't seem to have any union representation.