Canadian Auto Workers president Ken Lewenza said he is concerned auto workers may be unfairly targeted by the conditions attached to the U.S. aid package. He said it is “ridiculous” to suggest the Detroit Three need to bring their labour costs in line with those at U.S. plants run by Japanese auto makers.
“This isn't about wages and benefits of workers,” Mr. Lewenza said in an interview. “We could work for nothing and we wouldn't sell another vehicle.”
The Detroit Three's Canadian auto plants have improved productivity enormously over the past decade and the CAW would like to focus on making further gains, he said. And he has an answer ready for Mr. Harper and Mr. McGuinty in the event they ask his members to make concessions: “We will maintain our competitive advantage in Canada without being dictated [to] by government,” he said.
Let's repeat that. CAW, while begging for money from the government for their unskilled labourers during a recession says: “We will maintain our competitive advantage in Canada without being dictated [to] by government.”
This is getting personal. Go to hell CAW!
I guess unions are oblivious to public relations and the potential it can play in this. Sadly, their arrogance might be justified because it doesn't look like there's going to be much of a public outcry over this. It's infuriating.
ReplyDeleteHe is right in one sense. It isn't really about labor costs. If they built cars worth buying, this may be much different. People pay a premium for Toyotas, Honda's, and Bimmers for a reason. US/Canadian cars generally suck.
ReplyDeleteIs it labor costs that consistently put them in the Consumer Reports dumpster? Who in their right mind buys a Chevy these days?
They can't build better cars because the cost of building them is too much because of high labour costs. People still buy chevys. GM was the number one seller in the US last year.
ReplyDeletehttp://online.wsj.com/mdc/public/page/2_3022-autosales.html