Rockler Visit

They're a dying breed, Leon.. literally dying....

Reply to
Robatoy
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Since it's the "same workers" it tells me more about design and management rather than workers "spoiled with over paid jobs".

Reply to
Nova

They're a dying breed, Leon.. literally dying....

My neighbor here in Houston went with wife for a family reunion in Michigan. Many of her relatives have worked for the auto industry up there for many years and they are all hurting. They all admitted that they saw this coming for many years and were not blaming anyone as they had it way too good for far too long.

Reply to
Leon

It tells me that the Honda and Toyota could afford more R&D and better quality products because employee benefits were not choking the ever living day lights out of all the profit. 5 years ago it was reported that GM was paying in excess of $3K per car built just to pay for employee benefits, that did not include their pay.

Reply to
Leon

Wages and benefits for the Toyota and Honda US workers are pretty much on par with those of the UAW workers. Some items from:

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"Toyota Motor Corp. gave workers at its largest U.S. plant bonuses of $6,000 to $8,000, boosting the average pay at the Georgetown, KY, plant to the equivalent of $30 an hour. That compares with a $27 hourly average for UAW workers, most of whom did not receive profit-sharing checks last year."

"Workers for foreign automakers don't pay union dues, but they do share the costs of insurance and retirement plans. UAW-represented autoworkers get health insurance and a full pension after 30 years -- valuable perks they will fight to keep during contract negotiations this year.

But even accounting for Toyota employees' health care spending -- $700 per year on average, according to the company -- the Georgetown workers still made more in 2006."

"Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. are not far behind Toyota and UAW pay levels. Comparable wages have long been one way foreign companies fight off UAW organizing efforts."

"Toyota pays high wages in part to avoid the UAW," Shaiken said, adding that economists would refer to Toyota's high wages as the "union threat effect," meaning companies pay union-comparable wages to fend off organizing efforts and the risk of a strike."

"Assembly workers for Detroit automakers last year remained a bit ahead of Honda's U.S. hourly workers, who made an average $24.25 an hour, or $26.20 with the $4,485 bonus they received. In November, Honda paid bonuses for the 21st consecutive year, the longest streak in U.S. auto history, said Ed Miller, Honda spokesman.

Nissan workers are paid $24 an hour in Mississippi and $26 an hour in Tennessee, but company officials would not disclose employee bonuses.

Reply to
Nova

A customer of mine ( a countertop for his 'cottage' on the Canadian side) is a bankruptcy lawyer in Michigan. I listened and was gobsmacked by some of the stories. I had NO idea that there had been such catastrophic damage done in the last 8 years.

Reply to
Robatoy

1973 ... there were more NY, NJ, MI, FL, and OH plates during rush hour traffic in Houston then there were TX plates.

The more things change ...

Reply to
Swingman

Along about that time, spent a few days in Houston calling on the engineering houses chasing some jobs.

Damn the pickings were easy.

Thought for a minute I had arrived with a carpet bag.

I swear, had I spent another week there, might still be in Houston rather than SoCal.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

Health care benefits cost the auto industry so much money that earlier this year I heard someone refer to GM as a health care provider that happens to make cars.

Dave in Houston

Reply to
Dave in Houston

I remember the joke, "Will the last person leaving Michigan please turn out the lights!"

Dave in Houston

Reply to
Dave in Houston

Actually that was Seattle.

They turned out the the lights on Detroit with the riots.

They just never turned them back on.

40+ years later, they are still off.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

On a billboard in 1971. Boeing had been badly hit by cancellation of the SST. Company I worked for in Oregon got hit by cancellation of a Boeing contract. Reverberated all over the PNW.

I lived in Toledo at the time and a friend bought a watch reputedly stolen during the riots: an "Eglin" :(.

Reply to
LD

I remember a bumper sticker that was unique to those northern license plates. Last one out, turn out the lights!

Reply to
Leon

But do Honda and Toyota pay family health insurance even after the employee dies?

Reply to
Leon

I think the "NATIVE TEXAN" bumper sticker was born as a result of the northern invasion.

Dave in Houston

Reply to
Dave in Houston

That I don't know but I found this interesting:

"Toyota Motor Corporation?s health care costs have doubled over the past five years to more than $11,000 a year per U.S. worker. In its newest plant, The Detroit News reports,(2) Toyota has taken a new approach, building a clinic at the factory that provides services, including vision checks, dental care, laboratory tests, physical therapy, and even pediatric care. Companies adopting such practices spend more up front for primary care and drugs, but the cost is more than offset by a drop in costly hospitalization and specialty care expenses. On-site clinics are also expected to reduce absenteeism. Moreover, Toyota clinic physicians will not be remunerated on the basis of how many patients they see??the U.S. health care system?s prevailing payment structure?but rather encourage more time with doctors."

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Reply to
Nova

kinda puts paid to the excuse 'too sick to go to work' on monday mornings.

Reply to
charlie

Wow. What's next? I owe my soul to the company store?

Dave in Houston

Reply to
Dave in Houston

Seeing as they are on the company's payroll, somebody's interests will be served more? The patient?

Reply to
Robatoy

That's how Kaiser got started in WWII.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

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