AFL-CIO chief: Restore autoworker benefits

[Ed Barrow]

Source: Detroit News

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka called on Detroit's resurgent automakers today to restore benefits given up by their workers in an effort to return the companies to profitability.

"Just as there's shared sacrifice in periods of pain, there must be shared prosperity in periods of gain," he said today in an address to the United Auto Workers national convention, which opened today at Cobo Center. "We demand that they do right by the workers."

Trumka's comments reflect a growing feeling among autoworkers that the time has come to revisit the concessions made over the past three years -- particularly at Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co., both of which have returned to profitability after years of record losses.

Ford made more than $2.7 billion last year and posted a profit of nearly $2.1 billion in the first three months of this year. GM just posted its first quarterly profit -- $865 million -- since 2007.

Read more: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100614/AUTO01/6140406/AFL-CIO-chief--Restore-autoworker-benefits

[Dinger]

1. Yes, K & R (nt)

[doc03]

2. Here we go the auto industry finally shows some

seeds of recovery and the UAW wants to put them back in the hole.

[hootinholler]

6. What color is the sky in your world?

:shrug:

I'm pretty sure it's not the same as in mine.

-Hoot

[doc03]

9. I'm just going by my 40 years experience in the steel industry

our company filed bankruptcy 2 times and both times we emerged from bankruptcy the union demanded more benefits and put them right under again. I was laid off a year and finally this spring when I became 62 I signed up for my pension. I can say it now I don't work there any more, the USW shut our plant down and everyone that worked there knows it.

[Dappleganger]

3. Did the CEO's get their bonuses?

If so, give those union workers their bennies back!

[inna]

4. The whole idea is to maximize profits and increase exploitation of the working class.

Naked capitalism 101.

[Sherman A1]

5. Precisely

[Omaha Steve]

7. K&R!

[Capitalocracy]

8. This guy doesn't understand corporatocracy

"Just as there's shared sacrifice in periods of pain, there must be shared prosperity in periods of gain." No, no, no, you're not getting it. It's shared sacrifice, and private, personal profit. Bust is for you, boom is for them.

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[Scuba]

10. Lack of a National Health Plan puts our autoworkers - and makers - at a disadvantage!!!

[midnight]

11. Tell this to the banks. "there must be shared prosperity in periods of gain,"

[ShockediSay]

13. Are we {US} lending to the Goldman Sach's at virtually 0%

and yet their commercial banks are not lending to small business?

[Kingofalldems]

12. Kick this for the sneaky freepers