Auto mechanics strike reaches second month after union rejects offer
July 24, 2012 at 7:00 pm in Duluth News Tribune
A mechanics strike against several car dealerships in the Miller Hill Mall area has moved into its second month after the union rejected the dealers’ revised final offer.
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so…. bad economy…people holding onto cars longer because of it…. car makers overproducing and stuffing dealers lots to boost the corporate profit line not the dealers …..no revenue from repair shop…. out of business …out a job
lack of knowledge on how business’ operate and whats needed to operate the business by people in Duluth has always boggled my mind. Almost all business’ don’t have some magical pile of cash laying around. they operate on a line of credit. Once that’s used up , they’re done operating.
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Union workers are paid by the hour, and they are keenly aware of this fact. The “industry” book they refer to estimates the time needed to do a job; the mechanics drag their feet and use every last minute.
Requiring full productivity isn’t wrong. Giving less than your best effort certainly is.
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Most workers are paid by the hour. They are also keenly aware of this fact.
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Enough about you. Let’s move on.
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Since it’s a well known fact that American workers are the most productive in the world, that would make you…..wrong.
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K H Garman said:
“Most workers are lazy and are just there to receive a paycheck. If they could, they would sleep all day until it’s time to clock out.”
While that may be true for you on a personal level, it’s rarely appropriate to lump all people together and put a label on them.
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“it’s rarely appropriate” to behave as you do.
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You are yet again, dead wrong, and your ignorant bias is showing. You heard the word “union” and your mind already made up with preconceived erroneous assumptions.
Auto techs do get paid on a book rate but it’s set up so that the more they hustle the more money they make. If the book rate is 45 minutes for a repair and they can do it in half the time, they still get paid for the 45 minutes. On other hand as you insinuated because you think all union workers are sloths clearly, if drags feet or runs into a problem and takes 30 minutes longer, they still only get paid for the 45 minute rate.
They also have to invest in their own tools and often do in order to cut their times. A good tech has to be quick, work smart and be full of energy, the complete opposite of your picture of union workers. My race engine builder is one of top Benz master techs in mid west and I’m a pretty good wrench and worked along side of him plenty of times and he never ceased to amaze me how fast he was while making it appear effortless. They also don’t get paid if not working or if not enough work in shop which also contrary to your assumed bias that union workers get paid for just sitting around. Good ones can make real good money but it’s all set up to reward the quick and fast and punish those that are too slow and their paychecks all reflect it.
The problem with this setup is what everyone experiences~ they don’t get paid for diagnostics and will often look for quickest fix they know can beat rate on. So you end up paying for several repairs and going back with same problem until the correct component is replaced though some dealerships do reward techs for less call backs.
It’s astounding how many others here spouting off ignorant nonsense because they heard the word “union” and so they figured that’s all they needed to know. Tsk, tsk…wish could say are in good company…but can’t…just a bunch of bigoted ingnorance against unions…and apparently, folks not bright enough to google something before shooting their mouths off acting like they know what talking about..coughcough.
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This format screwey at times and why usually put addressee in first line but didn’t this time, my post was addressed to Winner not to Levi as appears…arrgh.
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lol dont worry no offense taken im bright enough to take context into the equation when reading a response
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How can 43 people dislike that comment? Lots of sand bagging in this world I guess.
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I always thought that when I drove down to the twin cities and saved $2000 on my new car it was due to competition down there. Now I know it is the dealerships up here being forced to deal with and pay unionized labor. I hope that new VW dealership is not a union shop as I am looking to buy a VW next year and wouldn’t mind skipping the drive south. I hope the strikers do not get unemployment during or after this event. Have a nice day.
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Twin Cities dealerships are union as well. The prices are lower for the reason you truly believe…competition.
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oo olive when you spew nonsense expect to be corrected…when you car (under warranty) needs to be serviced by those very union mechanics you might hold a different view about whether or not you want the best people available to work on your car.
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what ever happen to walking the picket line? you don’t sit in shorts and filp flops.I hope the dealers hold the line on wages.
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These aren’t unfair labor practices. Unfair is these mechanics sitting out with a sign whining about their job while plenty of hardworking people in Duluth can’t get a job. I’m tired of unions trying to strong arm their employers.
Get off of your chair and go back to work.
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thats funny i thought people didnt have a job because they dont have the required skills for the job. If they want the mechanics union job then get the skills to become a mechanic and then they will hire you instead of paying the union. Theres a reason most corporations actually engage in concessions with unions (and likewise with workers as well)….its because they both realize they need each other when all is said and done.
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Not all skilled laborers are in a union, and not all union members are skilled laborers. Many people can work a trade and not be a union member.
I wonder how long the dealerships in town will put up with this strike before they go out and hire non-union mechanics much like Northwest did a bunch of years ago.
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Enron said:
“I wonder how long the dealerships in town will put up with this strike before they go out and hire non-union mechanics much like Northwest did a bunch of years ago.”
More than likely, dealer contracts with the manufacturers call for a union shop.
Even if they don’t, they are bound to require a certain level of proficiency and certification for the mechanics that do warranty work.
Finding a lot of non-union, unemployed mechanics with those qualifications may be a difficult task.
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good point i forgot to mention yes…but in this case i would say being in THIS union does require you to be very skilled actually. But yes not all union members are skilled i can definitely attest to that. But that is also not the point of some unions. Obviously some unions are all made up of unskilled laborers (i.e. the hospitality workers union).
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I was wondering…just how much smarts does it take to plug a car into a computer…and does that require union wages?
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Bryan Jon Maciewski said:
“I was wondering…just how much smarts does it take to plug a car into a computer…and does that require union wages?”
You’d probably have to try it and find out. Better be careful though. Doing it the wrong way will probably blow out the computer in your car and damage a very expensive piece of equipment that you’d be responsible for replacing.
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I did something like that with jumper cables once. That was not a good thing.
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Buy a Toyota. Stay away from VW.
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I think it’s reasonable to assume that “an independent manual used for years” was actually written for more than the purpose of making sure the mechanics didn’t have to work too hard.
I’m not sure who the dealerships are hoping to undercut by doing away with those standards.
I know every time I bring my vehicle to a shop, even a little, local 2-3 man shop, the first thing they do is go to that manual/computer program to see how much time it should take to fix when they are making up their estimate.
If I’m bringing my vehicle in for service, I don’t want someone standing behind the mechanic, telling him to just hurry up and get the thing out of there.
I want the mechanic to take his time and make sure he’s gotten it done right the first time.
I’m never sure why some people seem to resent or envy union workers. It’s not like it’s some exclusive club. Anyone willing to put in the time, effort and money to actually become proficient in a trade can belong.
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My problem isn’t with the principle of a labor union. My problem is that I don’t feel you get what you pay for with union labor anymore. Many here would agree that hiring union labor comes at a premium. For every union trade out there I can find a non-union equivalent that will cost less and have the same quality if not better quality workmanship.
More over, we are all keenly aware of ‘that guy’ on a union job site that does barely enough to get by. In the private sector, ‘that guy’ would be fired. But in a Union, his job is protected along with everyone else’s.
When the economy is still recovering, it puts a sour taste in peoples’ mouths to see people on strike. I haven’t had a raise in a few years. I haven’t had an increase in employer contributions for retirement. My health insurance costs of gone up, resulting in a net loss in anual income. So to see the UAW on strike over health insurance contributions and something as simple as how long a book says it should take to change a spark plug on a ’98 Chevy seems like a slap in the face to those of us that have sacrificed raises to keep a job and those that are unable to get a job.
Let’s face it. Unions have a PR problem. If I pay a premium for service and quality, I should get premium service and top notch quality. People should be proud to hire union labor, and Union’s need to be out there touting why they’re the best money can buy. Unions should have the best tools, the most educated and hardest working tradesmen, a strong reputation for getting the job done right the first time and on time, and a willingness to negotiate fairly. Sadly, I don’t feel that this is the case anymore, and that Unions are only good for strong arming employers and driving up costs.
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Merv, why does it mean I’m being exploited?? I still make a livable wage. I still get vacation. I still have health insurance. I still have a reasonable expectation of job security. If I demand that my employer keep up or make increases to all of my benefits regardless of the cost to the organization, we both loose.
You never see in the news when a union successfully negotiates a new contract with their employer without striking. Is that because it rarely happens? Or is it because if the Union doesn’t get what they think is “fair” than they go on strike?
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Enron said:
“You never see in the news when a union successfully negotiates a new contract with their employer without striking.”
That’s because it’s not newsworthy….it’s standard operating procedure.
The reason strikes make the news is because they are outside the norm.
Think of the vast number of unions that exist just within the city/county and then…..think of the paltry number of strikes there are in any given year.
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Enron said:
My problem isn’t with the principle of a labor union. My problem is that I don’t feel you get what you pay for with union labor anymore.
But, aren’t those really just “personal opinions” rather than facts?
“More over, we are all keenly aware of ‘that guy’ on a union job site that does barely enough to get by. In the private sector, ‘that guy’ would be fired. But in a Union, his job is protected along with everyone else’s.”
Don’t kid yourself…”that guy” exists in EVERY work place. He’s the bosses son/nephew/son in law, the guy that kisses butt, etc.
To demonize unions or union workers in general because of the occasional slacker is nonsense
“When the economy is still recovering, it puts a sour taste in peoples’ mouths to see people on strike.”
Why? Are people less entitled to a fair days wage for a fair days work because the economy is ‘recovering’?
Are you noticing any CEO’s or upper management of any corporation taking any decreases in salary because we’re in ‘recovery’?
“I haven’t had a raise in a few years. I haven’t had an increase in employer contributions for retirement. My health insurance costs of gone up, resulting in a net loss in annual income.”
And you really believe that’s how it should be? You are content with that situation?
Has your employer taken the same pay reductions that you have?
“those of us that have sacrificed raises to keep a job and those that are unable to get a job.”
See, that in a nutshell is pretty much the problem we’re facing today.
Instead of the mindset that corporations should treat their workers fairly and they should have some commitment to them, we’ve somehow started thinking that people should just be happy/satisfied/grateful to have a job…no matter the wages or working conditions.
Why is the ‘gratitude’ only on the part of the workers? Without workers, not one company anywhere could survive.
It really wasn’t that long ago when a person could expect to retire from the same employer he started his working life with. Companies valued their workers and in return, they got respect, commitment and a quality product.
Nowadays, according to the corporations, everyone is expendable. If you aren’t properly grateful just to have a job and don’t want to work in cr@ppy conditions for low wages, too bad. They’ll just ship your job to a country where people will.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Katydid,
First off, let me say that I respect your point of view and have read your posts a few times now and find some valid points in them, and I hope you have done the same with mine.
That said, I think the fundamental difference between you and me is the age old glass half full/glass half empty. I’ve made my points because I start off by trusting that my employer is capping pay raises and holding the line on health insurance for the good of the business. I also trust that management is being treated the same as me. Maybe that’s nieve, but that’s me. Until I see evidence to the contrary, I usually give people the benefit of the doubt.
The arguments you have made contrary to mine seem to indicate your belief that every employer/executive is out to maximize his/her personal gain at the expense of the average worker. I firmly believe that you and I could spend all day supporting our arguments and citing examples that support our particular points of view.
The disparity between the haves and the have nots is as old as time itself, which at its core is really what this is all about. Have a job vs unemployed. Raise vs no raise. Pension vs no pension. Working wage vs executive salary. Are there examples of egregious abuses of the system? Absolutely. Corruption and unethical behavior are now common place in many white color executive circles.
However, I cannot and will not support a system where the ‘have nots’ are entitled to a piece of everything the ‘haves’ have earned just because they have not. If we have nothing to stive for, nothing to excel in, nothing to become “the best” at, then we all become have nots. If I want to become a manager/executive, than I need to educate myself to that level. I’ve met many successful business people that work 10x harder than I ever would want to, should I get paid the same for my 40 hours a week?
Trade unions protect workers rights, that’s their function. A mechanic should be paid a fair wage for a fair day’s work. A mechanic should not be compensated or given a raise based on the executive running the dealership. Striking should be an absolute last resort, and I feel that strikes are used now more than ever, and it may not always be the fault of the union…
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You wrote….”I’ve made my points because I start off by trusting that my employer is capping pay raises and holding the line on health insurance for the good of the business. I also trust that management is being treated the same as me. Maybe that’s nieve, but that’s me.”
I think you may be naive in this case…..your employer is doing what is best for him/them (in most cases)…especially in the case of corporations where its about short term money making schemes for ceos all the way down to brokers and such and not about the health of the company in the long run. Wages never keep pace with profits never have and probably never will. I find it funny that worker productivity is increasing constantly as labor is downsized and leaving the workers who are left to pick up the slack that was created by the downsizing yet the employees increased workload doesnt translate into higher wages (unless your the ceo who approved the downsizing then you get a bonus!!). And its never for the good of the corporation its for the good of the shareholders (matter of fact its illegal for the corp not to be).
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agreed again enron except for one thing…the private sector guy doing nothing does not get fired half of the time still….i have seen it alot in my jobs. In the private sector nepotism can come into play as well but yeah you do pay a premium for union made…But i’d rather pay more for something made well that will last longer then pay for shoddily made products that you have to replace quicker.
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“Kolar Toyota/Honda/Scion in Hermantown”
DNT editors might want to do some more research, because it is Hyundai, not Honda.
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What this article seems to ignore is that the management at Kolar is currently on trial for deliberately removing parts of a contract that was signed 4 years ago. Kolar is claiming that the workers union agreed 4 years ago to cut all employer funded health coverage, making employees pay for 100% of their coverage. To my knowledge, the workers aren’t fighting for any increases of any kind – they just want to maintain what they have. But Kolar wants them to work for less. I wonder why this lawsuit was overlooked in this article.
Also… to all the people who think that unions are no longer relevant, I would argue that they’re more relevant than ever. Our economy is facing death from 1,000 cuts. Now, the only employers that are hiring offer little more than part-time, minimum wage employment with no benefits whatsoever. Yet corporate executives and their shareholders are making record profits?! Employees should get paid for the full value they earn… not a fraction of what they earn after all the big-wigs take their share off the top. In Minneapolis, Jimmy John’s employees attempted to unionize a couple years ago, because they were threatened with termination if they didn’t work while they were sick. If this new economy based on class warfare against the working poor doesn’t change, I suspect we will see more attempts to unionize and more justification for doing so.
So, instead of asking “Are unions still pertinent today?” one should ask the opposite question: “How would our current predicament look from the perspective of an organized labor force?” No small business can survive if their customer base is paid too little to afford the products or services they’re selling.
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Merv~~ thanks for adding necessary back story and for squelching the fools here bashing on unions and winding up their nonsense of all union workers are lazy, dumb, do nothing greedy SOB’s who get paid big bucks for doing nothing schtick. Guess what news channel they listen to..LMAO…guess who’s paying lot’s of money to fuel anti-union rhetoric and play up negative stereotypes…oh, rhetorical…know ya’ know the answers and again, thanks.
“Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. “…Mark Twain
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Well thank you fastone. We would all be better off if more people did their own research and actually LISTENED to what other people have to stay… in this case, the strikers. You can learn a lot. Unfortunately, most people would rather just hear what others have to say just long enough to shove their own predetermined worldview down their throats without listening whatsoever. That’s the lazy man’s way of talking politics, yet it is reinforced by all of the heavily-funded propagandeers that you allude to.
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Probably more than the smarts required to post an anonymous comment on a dnt news thread.
Read computer, then follow a complex repair sequence unique to each problem and make/model.
I can guarantee you the rigors of an auto mechanic far exceed those of the average salesperson.
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I don’t know about that Nathan, it takes a lot of acting skill for a salesman to lie with a straight face…
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Just drove by one of the dealerships over lunch and there was a sign “Hard to soar when you work for a Turkey”. Interesting tactics.
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Blah blah blah blah. Same union rhetoric. I think I’ve heard every single union in Duluth say “It’s not about the money”. BS!! It’s ALWAYS about the money. Just like the nurses union…”it’s about patient care, it’s not about the money.” There was a hefty raise in that contract by the end of the “negotiations”. I hope they hire people who actually value their jobs and working for a living to fill these spots. Let the slugs sit on the curb as long as they want.
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So if the Dealership prevails will the shop rate lower..? Let’s see $100 hour, Mechanic gets $25 with included benefits. Where does the rest go…? Sure , sure I know the owner build & maintains building so don’t go there, but he also get to depreciate on taxes.. Just remember dealers don’t make their money off selling new cars, most comes off repairs and used cars……
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Funny how the same folks who claimed, “I’m not against unions, just public unions”, are now complaining about a market union.
There is nothing wrong with a market union. If you pony up and protect a Co-worker in your office by demanding something of management, then you are exercising the same principle…strength in numbers.
For the record, I take issue with public unions, although admittedly not strongly.
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I could care less about the unions and management at these dealerships. Let me elaborate on a recent experience. Earlier this year I priced out getting a new transponder ignition key from a dealership with a union shop in Hermantown that is on strike. The blank transponder key was quoted at $59 from dealer parts department and another $129 to program the key from the service department. This seemed rather expensive so I googled the make/model/year of my car and found the exact same transponder key blank for $9 plus shipping/handling. Next I called several locksmiths and found one that cut and programmed the key for $20. I can understand brick and mortar businesses providing services that are worth a little more for convenience, however, charging 4-5 times as much for parts and service is simply price gouging. Hard for me to have sympathy for anyone at these dealerships. I don’t care if you view the ownership as taking advantage the union workers or the union workers making the business uncompetitive, the products and services they provide are not worth the 75%+ markup.
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Fastone: The dealership makes the extra money from increased productivity, not the auto techs. Like i said, the mechanics are paid by the hour–not by the job. You made my argument for me. Thanks.
Just because a book says it should take four hours to replace a water pump doesn’t mean that it will. Thus why I love my mechanic–he charges for the ACTUAL time it takes, and even allows me to buy my own parts.
Is he a union shop? Nope. Is he busy non-stop? Yep. Is he honest? As the day is long.
Anyone paying a dealership to repair their vehicles is getting shafted.
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2 x the winner….I agree with your last line 100%. Dealerships are for warranty work only unless you have deep pockets.
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Winner…Nice try but you are still wrong and STOP always stating and “claiming” am wrong with not a thing in your hand…that’s a childs and fools game…they do get paid on their book rates per job and make more if beat the book rate exactly like I said. I’ve even posted that people need to google before shooting off their mouths acting like know what talking about…~shakes head~
The truth about industry standard flat rate ~.
http://autorepair.about.com/od/yourmechanic/a/def_flat_rate.htm
Yes, the dealership also profits more the more work they can crank out…DUH!…the tech only gets about 1/3 of the billing rate and the rest goes to dealer but still has incentive to hustle and punished monetarily if loafs and dealership incentive is to make sure they’re always busy and not loafing.
Since this exchange has now got placed at end of thread by you let me remind you and anyone just reading this that you started by claiming the “union” techs just dragged their feet because “union” insinuated were loafers because “union” and getting paid by the hour regardless, which was totally untrue and just your blind and unfounded prejudice against unions speaking. Again, if they’re not cranking out repairs faster then rate schedule says their income goes down and there’s no union protection like you think of if are “loafing” or not cranking out enough work at the dealership they will fire the guy and hire someone who can hustle in a heartbeat. That also supported in link above but spent few years of youth working at dealerships btw, loafers they are not.
It’s actually a tough gig and is for the quick and fast which also means the younger…unless is Ferrari dealership…or extremely skilled tech…you don’t see a lot if any gray hairs at a dealership working a service bay….they get tired of grind and go independent.
You say your mechanic charges you for the time it takes which assumes means by the hour, which most independents do ..but based on your nonsense about union workers dragging their feet because get paid anyway by the hour, where’s your wrenches incentive and isn’t that what he’s doing, billing for time regardless? Mmmm? His incentive should of course be to do the job right while having you pay for his time to do so with objective of keeping you a happy repeat customer which appears has done, but he also isn’t giving 2/3rds away to dealership …BUT..he doesn’t work faster because he’s not union and the union tech doesn’t move slower because he’s union…the very opposite of your suppositions is the likely norm since your independent is billing you for his time. SMH!!
I think is bad advise to tell anyone in general to avoid dealers and go strictly to independents, keep your blind prejudice based just on unions to yourself, there’s good and bad of course in both examples but it depends. If you take a car under factory warranty to anywhere besides dealer for even oil changes, you are running a gamble if have a warranty claim because it WILL influence the dealerships decision how to handle your claim and it could be denied. Nothing anyone could think of regarding cars haven’t done and I mean that, but don’t touch a car under warranty and take to dealership and gotten warranty work covered even after out of warranty mileage because of it.
For general repair and replace stuff after warranty, independents can be as said a money saver. If for something more complicated and first time the independent seeing this problem, you could be paying for him to learn how to fix it through trial and error. Independents don’t obviously have all the correct factory tools for every model made for every repair nor all the factorty repair bulletins. If there’s a hard fast rule upon deciding which way to go it should be based on will this be the first or the 100th time this person has made this type of repair on this exact model vehicle? NOT…he’s better because non-union and they’re bad because they’re union. Some of best and worst wrenches known been independents and some of them are because not good enough to cut it at dealership…some because were too good to be tied to dealership….and more then once had to teach someone at dealerhip how to do something…it all depends but it certainly doesn’t depend on whether are union or not, or independent or not…
“I’m not sure I want popular opinion on my side — I’ve noticed those with the most opinions often have the fewest facts.” …Bethania McKenstry
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I am really impressed with the tone on this subject in Duluth. On the Forks board they are currently slaughtering the ACSC union employees. It has been this way from the first day forward. Whether the union is right or wrong I don’t feel the need to tear people down.
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Nice novel. A 2008 Labor World article about the previous Krenzen contract speaks specifically of hourly wages.
If you did a little research, you’d find that dealerships and shops use different systems of compensation. Try again, FO.
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Winner~ The point of contention was your initial ignorance bashing on auto techs because of your prejudice towards unions and I know independent shops can charge hourly but that wasn’t the point, it was as always your biased ignorance and I quote you..~~”The “industry” book they refer to estimates the time needed to do a job; the mechanics drag their feet and use every last minute. Requiring full productivity isn’t wrong. Giving less than your best effort certainly is.”
That statement was wrong as already explained and proved with link to support my position. Your snide comments about me doing my research is as unfounded as your bias is above about auto techs because are union. No dealership allows techs to drag their feet and waste time, that costs them profits and they’ll fire the guy in a heartbeat if not booking enough and as always you have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve given not only detailed explanation of how dealerships work but provided link to support it and besides there isn’t a thing regarding cars that you could even think of that haven’t done and that includes working at two dealerships in my youth and good friend of 30 years is a dealership top tech. You got ignorant prejudice, misinformation and some reference without a link to some article over 4 years ago with an ambiguous statement that means nothing and then have gall to claim I need to do my research? Am beginning to think you’re a child or addled.
Speaking of research coughcough…the very article we’re supposed to be referring to before folks dragged it into a let’s look stupid and bash on union workers party..clearly says and quote ~”But an even bigger issue is the dealers’ proposed changes to contract language regarding the times technicians have to do repairs, veering away from an independent manual used for years, Soiney said.” ~~
Also more on story …
http://www.brakeandfrontend.com/Article/102036/technicians_at_minnesota_auto_dealerships_go_on_strike.aspx
“But the biggest sticking point is that dealerships want to reduce the times mechanics have to do repairs, veering away from industry guidelines used for years, according to the strikers. “They want to eliminate wording in the contract so they can charge whatever they want and pay us whatever they want,” Freeman said. Kevin Bushe, a mechanic and union steward at Krenzen, summed it up this way: “They’re not giving mechanics enough time to do the work. That’s the main deal.”
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Gee nothing seems to support your initial statement that they drag their feet because they’re paid by the hour. It’s about their book rate. They’re striking because the dealerships want to change the rate schedule so they can make more but the techs make less…and if bothered to read or do research you will see that it’s the dealerships been trying to change wording of original contracts and beat down their techs and take more money from them NOT the tech union trying to take unfair advantage of dealerships.
By own admission you don’t even darken the doorway of dealerships…so this never had anything to do with you having a clue what talking about and everything to do with you hating when heard “union”.
“Any fool can criticize condemn and complain, and most fools do” Dale Carnegie
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Hey, smart guy…….I know the owners, sales people AND technicians at Krenzen and Kolar PERSONALLY. I am keenly aware of how the techs are compensated:
IT IS AN HOURLY WAGE. NOT BY THE JOB/PERCENTAGE BOOK RATE.
You’re correct: The point of contention isn’t compensation, smart guy. It is Krenzen/Kolar requiring that the job be done as fast as safely possible. Knowing the service department personnel as I do, I am privvy to many facts–such as the fact that Kolar can and will tell you they’ve started working on your vehicle before they actually do, not to mention billing you for said time. They will also bill for time over and above “the book” if it takes longer than it should. Why? Because their clientele is wealthier than most, and much of their work is warrantied and reimbursed by the automakers (or other warranty issuer).
Will the dealerships continue to bill based on “the book”? Yep. Do they pay their techs a percentage of “the book” regardless of how long it took? Nope. They are paid an hourly wage, not by the job. If you don’t think those dealership techs drag their feet, watch them some time. There’s a reason that unions stage “work slowdowns”–especially at dealerships. Most of them are not guaranteed 40 hours per week if the repair jobs aren’t available.
For the record, I don’t despise ALL unions. Just the ones that are based solely on seniority-based work rules.
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wow…same old tired cliche…
“If it wasnt for the unions…”
Barf
I watched my wifes “unbiased” union spend millions on trying to recall walker…wow.
Unions exist for theselves today..nothing more.
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I worked for several unions: AFSCME and the UFCW most prominently. Neither did anything but protect the interests of the most senior members. I was chastised for working harder than others, reprimanded for going above and beyond my job duties and rebuked by my union steward when I brought to light the unfairness of the level of union dues paid by part time and seasonal workers versus full time workers.
If there is a system that flourishes on shady dealings, preserving the status quo and looking out for themselves before others, the labor union rackets would be it.
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Wow, you’re just a bundle of blind prejudice . So you feel you have rationalization to make broad sweeping generalizations about unions and explains your axe to grind…but you’re still wrong about how auto techs work and you still made castigating erroneous statements about them solely because you heard they were union and so you decided to preach from pulpit of the Church of the Immaculate Assumption.
Also….citing personal experiences solely as some means of supporting your argument is NOT supporting your position, that’s childs nonsense. I can type am really an astronaut posting from space station, ooops, I just did LOL…but that doesn’t mean I am or is true. I just thought would point that out even though your little ditty did nothing to support your first false statements. Same applies for your constant nipping at my heels and typing am wrong without proving anything…but guess that makes you feel better doing so and apparently you feel some twisted vindication for past experience by bashing on unions all the time. Guess you never heard of letting it go…LOL.
All sweeping generalizations are wrong, including this one. As was your first statements about auto techs based on your clear bias. Ironically, as pointed out they actually get rewarded for hustling as much as can, get monetarily rewarded for it and get sacked if don’t, completely the opposite of your initial post and obviously completely the opposite of your narrow picture of all union workers.
Are all unions good? Of course not and would never claim they are, that’s a sweeping generalization. Same applies for your claiming are all bad , or claiming all private sector employees work harder…that’s all just nonense and ignorance to state such.
Too many conservatives here are spewing and supporting sweeping generalizations that been fed for a political agenda on unions. Hooray for Walker for sticking it to those lazy no good public employees right? And three cheers to the conservative Wisconites and Walker for also crippling the purchasing power of the largest group of employees and CONSUMERS in the state and totally destroyed their consumer confidence on top of that. There’s a reason that he’s not creating jobs, there’s a reason that Wisconsin been leading nation in job loss and last place in job creation…you conservatives need to think things through…what was really accomplished in Wisconsin with all the union bashing is equivilant of shooting one’s self in both feet.
There’s graft and kickbacks and fraud and embezzlment and theft and dirty politics and lying and loafing and cheating and favoritism that is ALL happening in every large private corporation almost every day that doesn’t have a single union employee. To claim all unions are bad and private sector is all good is pretty naive view of world and small minded.
But then maybe am wrong because you had a bad experience so you would know…~rolls eyes~…
“If 50 million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing” Anatole France
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Why don’t unions start their own business why do they always leach off of someone else’s business, we are in a depression who’s the idiot union bigwig that couldn’t wait to see what the economy does, altho the union bigwigs don’t go without wages when there is a strike they sit back smoke cigars and laugh at the morons not getting payed.
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It’s too bad that that the conservatives have turned the workers against each other. Who is the real enemy after all…is it your fellow working class person?
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