I’m An Auto Worker — And I Only Get By Thanks To Welfare
May 15, 2016
Philadonna Wade
Presidential candidates from both parties swept through my state last month, stumping about the need to bring more factory jobs to Ohio and across the country.
They forgot to mention one thing: Many of the new factory jobs that politicians celebrate at ribbon cuttings across the country pay barely more than what you find at McDonalds or Wal-Mart today.
Take it from me. As a production worker at an auto parts plant in northeast Ohio, Im paid just $9.50 an hour. By looking at my paycheck, you would never guess that I build cars for a living.
And Im not alone. A study released this week finds that more than one-third of manufacturing workers in America are paid so little that they rely on public assistance. That fact rings true for me and for many of the people I know working in the manufacturing industry today.
I work 40 hours a week, but Im able to provide dinner for myself and my children each night only because of the $480 I receive in food stamps each month. My family relies on government-subsidized housing in order to keep a roof over our heads. Visits to the doctor are an option only because of Medicaid. If were cold in the winter, we can turn on the heat only because I qualify for energy assistance.
more...
http://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/im-an-auto-worker-and-i-only-get-by-thanks-to-welfare/
JonathanRackham
(1,604 posts)Are there non union auto manufacturing jobs?
Edit. My bad, these are not union jobs. Read further down the article.
I always thought auto manufacturing jobs were all unionized.
LiberalFighter
(50,504 posts)In the past, many of those jobs were part of the Big 3 manufacturing system.
bvar22
(39,909 posts)What always goes overlooked is the concessions that were demanded from Auto Unions and workers.
One of the many concessions was that "New Hires" receive a significant lower pay for the same jobs that used to be protected by Unions,
and that new plants need not be Union Shops at all.
Yes. The Auto Industry was "saved".....on the backs of the Workers,
unlike the Wall Street Banks which got their Bailout No Strings Attached.
As background, unions made significant concessions in the years prior to and during the bailout to restore the auto manufacturers to profitability. Eye care coverage and dental coverage were lost and significant wage reductions were conceded as well, including lower wages for new hires who now make about half the $29 that longtime union workers make. (As of last year, the wages of new hires were increased to $17 an hour.)
Instead of guaranteed annual raises, the unions now get profit sharing, which means they get nothing in unprofitable and lean years. An infamously unproductive job bank was eliminated, where laid off workers sat getting paid for doing nothing often for months at a time until work picked up again. Cost of living adjustments were suspended and overtime no longer paid until workers worked over 40 hours. Pensions were eliminated and replaced by 401(k)s for new hires. Strikes were banned at GM and Chrysler under the terms of the government bailout.
How much were these concessions worth to the companies? Chrysler reportedly won health care concessions granted to Ford and GM in 2005 that were valued at $340 million annually for the automaker. Factory wages and benefits now cost the Big Three automakers around $20 less an hour per worker than they did four years ago, bringing labor costs and benefits in line with non-union auto manufacturers like competitors Honda and Toyota. Specifically, Chrysler has managed to reduce its hourly labor costs in the past four years from $76 per hour to $49 per hour through buyouts of union workers who have been on the job for many years. As a result of this restructuring, GM will lower its break even point to 10 million annual car sales from in excess of 16 million before the restructuring. While concessions in salary and benefits were significant, it is important to remember that labor costs make up only ten percent of producing a new vehicle.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marvin-meadors/did-president-obama-hand-_b_1317910.html
(The above is just the Tip of the Iceberg of concessions demanded from Auto Workers)
Double Standard between the Wall Street Bailout and the Auto Industry Bailout?
You bet.
SammyWinstonJack
(44,129 posts)appalachiablue
(41,053 posts)Thanks for the longer post on the full scope of the 'auto rescue.' How many people don't realize any or all of this I wonder.
progressoid
(49,825 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)And this is why we are fighting for Bernie. He won't stand for this. Hillary will.
One of the many concessions was that "New Hires" receive a significant lower pay for the same jobs that used to be protected by Unions,
and that new plants need not be Union Shops at all.
Yes. The Auto Industry was "saved".....on the backs of the Workers,
unlike the Wall Street Banks which got their Bailout No Strings Attached.
Yes. and this is not talked about, even here.
Jitter65
(3,089 posts)know this.
Response to Jitter65 (Reply #6)
guyton This message was self-deleted by its author.
Baobab
(4,667 posts)Its impossible for people to compete with machines.
We're headed towards a world where machines will do most of the building of other machines, and likely do a very good job of it.
Pauldg47
(640 posts)doc03
(35,148 posts)the loss of manufacturing jobs but more the loss of jobs represented by unions that have killed the middle class.
I worked just short of 40 years in a steel company represented by the USWA. It was a struggle from the day
Ronald Reagan took office. Before Reagan pension plans were carried as a liability but under Reagan
pensions were changed to an asset. That is when the corporate raiders started taking over companies and
raiding pension funds. In 1985 the company filed bankruptcy and offered us about 1/3 of our pay to keep
working. We went on strike for 100 days and managed to save most of our wages but lost our pension.
In 1995 after we came out of bankruptcy the company had accumulated over $600 million in cash reserves
so we asked for a new defined benefit (DB) plan. The (DB) plan was estimated to cost about $130 million
but no they wouldn't agree. So in 1995 we went on strike again for 10 1/2 months and won a new (DB) plan. Then
all went well until 2003 when they go bankrupt again and the bankruptcy court allowed them to freeze our plan and the
company was sold. But the union was able to accept us into a multi-employer plan for the next 6 years until they liquidated
because of the Bush Depression in early 2009. So thanks to the union I get the first 1985 (DB) pension from the PGBC. The former owner of the company still pays our 1995 (DB) pension and I get another from the USWA for the last 6 years. So because of a union I have been able to retire with dignity and have a good Medicare supplement that the Union was able to negotiate for us retirees.
But yet here on DU supposedly a Democratic site I see people that are opposed to unions.
appalachiablue
(41,053 posts)and businesses knew it was gold when he was elected and went straight to work. ~ There are people around who aren't supportive of unions which is most disappointing and more.
Person 2713
(3,263 posts)that are missed . Jobs without benefits , good pay and pensions are not the same as what was here before
Oh yes horrors they had to pay dues
Baobab
(4,667 posts)Not all jobs, just most of them?
For good. Due to various kinds of automation.
Thats what's happening. very rapidly. Much faster than people realize.
The Jungle 1
(4,552 posts)This will not work. All the money at the top has never worked.
Republicans are destroying America.
Kip Humphrey
(4,753 posts)Dustlawyer
(10,493 posts)that they qualify for food stamps and other government (taxpayer paid for) benefits. The middle class is paying for all of this because corporations and the very wealthy are not paying their fair share and getting us to subsidies their employees! How is that for mooching?