Far leftist Canadian labor union whiner Buzz Hargrove seems to be at odds (of course he’s “odd” in any case inasmuch as he seems very much like a communist to me) with his American union counterparts. Of course maybe that’s not odd, inasmuch as his American counterparts are inherently American, which seems very much like a capitalist country to Hargrove.
In a story at Canwest Global newspapers regarding the big sale of Chrysler to an American investment group, they speak of the American auto union boss looking forward:
Union representatives came out in support of the deal after waiting during the weekend for news on the sale.
“The transaction with Cerberus is in the best interests of our UAW members, the Chrysler Group and Daimler,” said Ron Gettelfinger, president of the United Autoworkers. “We are pleased that this decision has been made. Because our members and the management can now focus entirely on the development and manufacture of quality products for the future of the Chrysler Group.”
Meanwhile over at negativity central—Canada—the labor boss laments and complains and worries in this CTV.ca story and accompanying sad-faced TV show and li’l union propaganda minute on Newsnet:
Reacting to the news, Canadian Auto Workers union (CAW) President Buzz Hargrove said Monday that the deal was troubling.
“They own over 80 per cent, which means they own and control the company and they own and control the jobs of our members and that is very, very worrisome for our members, our families and the communities where our plants are at as well,” Hargrove told CTV Newsnet.
“It is the first time the private equity groups, in a big way, have come into the manufacturing of vehicles in North America and no one knows what that all means.”
Hargrove said the CAW would have preferred a company with a proven track record.
“We would’ve preferred someone who was in the industry that has a strong track record of job growth and growing the business,” he said.
I remember way back when Lee Iacocca was the boss at Chrysler, saving it from bankruptcy with the help of the federal government against my better advise, and he explained that the problem at Chrysler was that Chrysler was actually paying more money to people no longer even working for them—retired workers on Chrysler pensions—and on health care plans—than they were paying to current employees who were building those stupid badly-built K-cars. I remember thinking at the time that maybe the government of Canada ought to get a clue. But Chrysler is in good shape that way, in comparison to Canada, which is staring a future massive pension and health-care and social program funding crisis in the face.
In another (Vancouver Sun) story today regarding the sale:
Chrysler is saddled with more than $18 billion in unfunded retiree healthcare obligations … legacy costs of pensions and health care add $1,500 to $ 1,600 to the price of a car for U. S. automakers, said David Cole, director of the Center for Automotive Research outside Detroit. “There’s a lot more health care in a car than there is steel,” Cole said. “Unless they solve this problem, they really face the death of a thousand cuts. They’re not competitive.”
Canada has a nearly half-trillion dollar debt, a fertility rate that is less than replacement rate, and liberal governments bent on increasing social programs and benefits and entitlements and government-reliance policies.
A Fraser Institute study done a few years ago said:
According to the Fraser Institute’s yearly debt study, federal, provincial, and local governments have accumulated $785,261,000,000 ($785 billion) in direct debt and $3,401,884,000,000 ($3.4 trillion) in total liabilities. This translates into each man, woman, and child in Canada owing $113,532 in total liabilities – almost four times the average Canadian salary.
[…] Unfunded liabilities are the most serious concern
Most of the total liabilities are due to the unfunded liabilities of the health care system, Old Age Security, and the Canada Pension Plan. At their inception, these programs were based upon the assumption that the population demographics, economic growth rates, and wage increases prevalent in the 1960s would continue indefinitely…
Canada: Make babies! And don’t vote for liberal governments.
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