GM throws down gauntlet to autoworkers

[TexasTowelie]

General Motors wants a new labor agreement that will allow it to sharply expand the number of low-paid contract workers and impose much higher out-of-pocket health care costs on its 52,000 hourly workers in the US. This was revealed by the industry publication Automotive News, which posted an article Wednesday, titled, “GM pushes for more temp workers as UAW talks loom.”

Negotiations between the United Auto Workers union and the Big Three automakers are set to begin next month for 155,000 GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler workers.

Citing unnamed corporate insiders “familiar with the automaker’s thinking,” Automotive News writes, “GM is looking for more factories to adopt agreements like the one used by its electric-car plant in Orion, Mich. There, workers employed by a subsidiary called GM Subsystems LLC, pay staff in the plant less money for jobs such as handling parts and materials before they go to the assembly line. Four of GM’s 33 U.S. plants have such contracts now.”

“If GM can hire more temporary workers who are paid less and aren’t on the same health care plan, the automaker argues that it can offer job security for its unionized employees. GM would also like to find ways to reduce its roughly $900 million annual health care bill for union employees, including by getting greater contributions from workers, the people said.”

Read more: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/06/21/auto-j21.html

[Meadowoak]

1. So much winning!!

[RDANGELO]

2. This is why we will eventually get to a universal health care system.

Businesses don't really want to pay for it. They do it because it is expected of them. They are continuously trying to pay less for it. The co-pays, deductible and premiums continue to rise.

[msongs]

3. one would think huge corporations would advocate for single payer or something like it. nt

[Ohiogal]

4. I never understood why

huge corporations wouldn’t advocate for universal health care. You’d think they would welcome not having to pay that huge healthcare expense.

[rampartc]

5. it is probably in their spreadsheets

they do want to decrease their health care costs but not at the expense of increased taxes. at some point, as the corporate taxes approach 0%. they will cease caring that "their money" is being used on citizens.

[stopdiggin]

6. I think corporate would go for it

Reading just recently that the problem is actually with the workers. Most of the folks that are covered with a plan at work are generally pretty happy with what they've got, and extremely apprehensive about losing what they have to go to something else. This probably goes double for union workers .. many of whom feel they've fought long and hard for the benefits (including healthcare) that they have now. Corporate would probably love to see single payer .. but it might not be real smart to say so right at the moment.

[True Blue American]

8. You are right

On all points.

[Sherman A1]

9. Agreed

It would be less expensive in the long run for them.

[True Blue American]

7. Having watched

These negotiations all my life there is nothing new. It is simply a first offer.

Also having a Son sit in on these negotiations I can tell you it is a long drawn out process involving
Attorney’s on both sides. Hiring temporary workers undermine the Unions.

And yes, we need a Universal Health care. The patchwork system we now have is hurting everyone.