Will UAW Strike?

[5030]

I stand corrected, having breakfast with my dad, retired UAW. He said that since they voted for the strike, it's a voluntary layoff and do not get unemployment. Atleast here in MI

Michigan is broke anyway. Our illustrious governor took care of that and no, I didn't vote for her either. In fact I didn't vote for anyone in the last election for governor as there was not a viable candidate from either party. Michigan as well as Ohio and possibly Indiana are posed to take a helluva hit financially as their already depleted government coffers will really be drained now.

The sun still rises and sets just like clockwork, just not for the folks that have no income presently. Nothing changes for me or my wife. Life goes on unabated.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

100% correct, but then the government is broke so it must be 'funny money' right? Keep in mind that at least 75% of the T2-T3 suppliers are not unionized either so their employees are 100% at will employees.

Very quiet up here in Michigan, no one is publicly talking about anything, not even the local papers contain anything which I find interesting. It is like it's a bad dream and everyone wakes up and it's all good again. Got news for everyone, it ain't.

I believe Fain was counting on the Canadian Auto workers to strike as well and so far that has not happened so Fain lost that pillar of solidarity. Looks to me like they will accept the new contract that Fords has bargained for and I believe that is why he stated that Fords was negotiating in 'good faith' and has went after GM and Stellantis instead.

Don't matter much as the JIT supply chain is now broken and the flow of parts and sub assemblies from T2 and T3 suppliers will end and probably soon so the workers that are still on the job will get laid off anyway, especially if the strike continues for a protracted amount of time.

Everyone looses and I mean everyone except theT2 and offshore but located here automakers. I'm sure they are all smiling presently.

If the union action kills off half of T2 and T3 suppliers ICE production lines will slow down or grind to a halt and ICE prices will increase EV sales to 90% market share faster than is already the case.

The German OEMs are in the process of shutting down local EV production and just build them in their newer more efficient China factories then shipping them to Europe.

Why would the union work to kill off the North America automotive industry?

That's not good for our kids or national security in my view.

 

[Torvy]

Supposedly Toyota is coming out with a hybrid that will go 100 miles on a charge. Probably 2-3 yrs out.

I have two EV's; one GM Bolt I used for local driving and now a Tesla Y which I can use for longer trips given the supercharging network.
I also live in East Texas.

It's not just putting around here. I mean the Western US. It's fine for seeing my kids in the Metroplex, but daughter in Lubbock? Over 400 miles. Brother, 700+. Parents, 700+. Sisters over 1700. Godmother over 900. These are fairly common trips for me. Bare minimum it means an extra 30 minutes for every 600 miles. Real world is much worse because you get slow charge after 80% and they want you to charge at 20%. So in real terms, you only get 60% of your range when traveling.

That's is IF there is a supercharger and IF it is a available and IF there is no weather or driving conditions (like mountains) that suck power. For your life it may work fine. For my life, a PI hybrid means I can make 1 stop or less to all but my sisters and those stops will take more time for me to go inside to pee than to fill the 10 gallon tank. If I cannot charge, no big deal because I can use 100% gas (or, rather the gas + non plug in functionality) for as long as I want or need. Zero to full charge on a home basic charger is about 5 hours. Best of both worlds. Toyota was right and we are all going to pay for not listening. The infrastructure (I mean generation) is simply too far behind to push full EV. It would take 10 years of a concerted effort to fast track real power improvements before EV is remotely rational as the way most people get around the US.

 

[5030]

If the union action kills off half of T2 and T3 suppliers ICE production lines will slow down or grind to a halt and ICE prices will increase EV sales to 90% market share faster than is already the case.

The German OEMs are in the process of shutting down local EV production and just build them in their newer more efficient China factories then shipping them to Europe.

Why would the union work to kill off the North America automotive industry?

That's not good for our kids or national security in my view.

Unionized labor has always had 'tunnel vision'. They never look at the long game, only the short one.

Candidly, I would NEVER even consider buying a Chinese built vehicle. The issue with that is, the Chinese need constant oversight or they slide into the poor build versus maximum profit philosophy. Good example are cordless tools and copycat welders. Amazon is flooded with that stuff and while most cordless tools are made over there, there is a distinct difference between ones made with continuous oversight and those that are not.

Same applies to vehicles.

What I wonder about is if made in China, they have to be shipped to other countries and the International Maritime Association is about to impose strict sanctions and regulations on the shipment of EV's in RORO ships. Look at the Fermantle Highway disaster for guidance.

 

[5030]

I will say that of all retailers, Harbor Freight applies strict oversight to the stuff they have made and sell from China and Taiwan. Just bought a Vulcan TIG welder from them and it's a quality inverter unit, priced hundreds less that a comparable Lincoln or ESAB unit. It is amazing what they can build so long as they are watched closely. Of course the 'American Icon' Lincoln is loaded with offshore built parts inside too. They dropped the 'Made in USA' stamp to 'Assembled in USA' instead.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

EV production will decimate the ranks of the UAW, and the administration is pushing it hard. This is a very interesting position for both sides to find themselves in. I seriously don’t see EV sales popping due to issues with ICE production. The economy is slowing, the big 3 have plenty of stock, this is great timing for management, and not so much for the workers being crushed by Bidenomics.

 

[Hay Dude]

If the union action kills off half of T2 and T3 suppliers ICE production lines will slow down or grind to a halt and ICE prices will increase EV sales to 90% market share faster than is already the case.

The German OEMs are in the process of shutting down local EV production and just build them in their newer more efficient China factories then shipping them to Europe.

Why would the union work to kill off the North America automotive industry?

That's not good for our kids or national security in my view.

I too wonder why a parasite kills off its host.

Honestly in the case of the bad unions, I think there’s money and pol__cal power to be had and the union bosses love to get very wealthy & powerful. I’d doubt there’s little care for the rank & file union guy.

 

[5030]

I find this administration's position interesting. The current sitting President is supposedly organized labor (union) friendly but at the same time is working to decimate the unionized labor segment.

Of course with this administration, double talk seems to be the norm anyway.

 

[5030]

No one is buying the way overpriced vehicles anyway unless they are extremely flush and that really isn't the norm today. People for te most part are just getting by and I see credit card debt as well as repossessions and foreclosures are at an all time high and are getting worse.

I read that HD cannot find enough repossession agents to repossess all the delinquent motorcycles they sold that people cannot or will not pay for.

Of course then, what do you do with all the used and probably abused bikes anyway?

I was quite taken back at the retail price of a dressed HD. I'd never even consider forking out 30 grand for any motorcycle, Milwaukee iron or not.

And... HD took a bath on their EV bike. No one wants them.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

HD took a bath on their EV bike?
I'm shocked!

 

[5030]

HD took a bath on their EV bike?
I'm shocked!

They probably could have sold them if... They added boom box speakers making the loud exhaust noises most Hardley's make. No HD rider wants a silent bike that I know of. Every one that passes me or I see on the street is making obnoxious noise.

Loud pipes save lives............ Totally bunko.

 

[lilranch2001]

HD took a bath on their EV bike?
I'm shocked!

Lol how many “green” bikers have you ever met?

 

[Pixguy]

Look at this local Chevy dealer's deal. Affordable monyhly lease payment for the PU but over 12k due at signing. Even the cheap sedans are over 6k due at signing. Nuts

 

[5030]

None actually. I guess HD really missed the mark on the EV bike, but then, Willie has missed the mark quite a few times.

 

[5030]

Look at this local Chevy dealer's deal. Affordable monyhly lease payment for the PU but over 12k due at signing. Even the cheap sedans are over 6k due at signing. Nuts

View attachment 822903

If I had 12 grand for a down payment, I'd sure not blow it on something that depreciates around 30% when you drive it off the dealer's lot.

I do have that and more but it will never be 'blown' on a vehicle.

We buy 100% off lease vehicles. My wife just bought late last year, a Chevy Suburban LTZ, fully loaded, every option (it has buttons we still haven't figured out what they do) and a new Burb lists well over 100 grand (LTZ). 2 year off lease, low mileage, dealer maintained and she bought it for well under 50 grand and paid cash. We don't do finance, never have. Sure, it has a big V8 and it gets poor mileage but she can afford to fill it up. It actually gets 21 which surprised me. I did do the cylinder cut out delete on it right away. Terrible design on GM's part to increase their CAFE rating. It's all wheel drive as well.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Fords is and will keep on loosing money due mostly to legacy costs which the non union transplants from offshore don't have to deal with at all. Not just loosing on EV's, loosing on everything with wheels and so is GM. Stellantis, not so much because they keep reorganizing as 'other companies' and at the same time, they carefully shed their built in legacy costs discreetly.

That is an interesting take. I can see people peacefully separating into regions of like mindness. Should that actually occur our natural focus may shift from policing the world to focusing on North America concerns

The kids of today are keanliy aware of our generational screw ups with decades of meaningless wars and bankrupting the USA.

Should California faults open up, Yellowstone blow itself to smitterrings, New Madrid fault physically split the continent resulting in waves that took East and West Coast shipping industries out then our imaginary problems currently being discussed would vaporize.

 

[lilranch2001]

I do not think our current problems are imaginary………

I kinda think you may have your head up your … tho

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I do not think our current problems are imaginary………

I kinda think you may have your head up your … tho

Do you agree however they are man-made and not natural calamities?

 

[lilranch2001]

Well duh

You said imaginary!

 

[Joel/ak]

One thing to consider also that the UAW president gets 10% or so of the signing bonuses. My brother got 12 grand on the last contract signing times how many????

I'm not UAW, rest of my family is or retired from UAW. I only drive ford's, rest of them are Chevy all the way.

I'm the black sheep of the family