Ford takes Chrysler’s side, opposes GM deal with CAW (Canadian Auto Workers)

[rollingrock]

50 bucks an hour? I didn't know auto workers made that much.



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03/13/2009, 1:20 PM
CAW News
Ford takes Chrysler’s side, opposes GM-CAW deal


Ford Motor Company, agreeing with statements made yesterday by Chrysler, says that a deal struck earlier this with with the Canadian Auto Workers union doesn’t go far enough to save the automakers enough money. All three automakers have been forced to seek concessions from their unions to survive the market downturn.

“We believe the recently negotiated agreement between General Motors Canada and the Canadian Auto Workers will not keep Ford’s Canadian operations competitive in today’s global economy,” Joe Hinrichs, Ford group vice president for global manufacturing and labor affairs, said in a statement.

Ford has already reached a deal with the United Auto Workers in the United States that forces much higher concessions on its plant workers than the GM-CAW deal, which freezes wages, cuts paid time off and shifts some health care costs to employees.

Average wages at Ford plants in Canada are about $55.12 per hour, according to Automotive News’ research. The UAW will cut its average hourly wages in the United States to $50 by 2011 as part of the concessions, which also close the controversial, costly jobs bank.

www.leftlanenews.com/ford-takes-chryslers-side-opposes-gm-caw-deal.html

[Vinca]

1. I've got a sudden urge to assemble a vehicle. nt

[ejpoeta]

2. interesting. so the canadian workers will make more because

canada has universal healthcare and the car companies don't have to worry about health insurance. but we should keep our system, huh.

[whoneedstickets]

3. $50/hour is total compensation and labor costs.

including payroll taxes, health, disability insurances etc. etc.

[rollingrock]

5. Yeah, but the article refers to $50 per hour wages (not cost) for GM workers

Well, I looked it up and whoever wrote that article seems to be full of it.
Sorry for posting such a misleading article.




Let's start with the fact that it's not $70 per hour in wages. According to Kristin Dziczek of the Center for Automative Research--who was my primary source for the figures you are about to read--average wages for workers at Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors were just $28 per hour as of 2007. That works out to a little less than $60,000 a year in gross income--hardly outrageous, particularly when you consider the physical demands of automobile assembly work and the skills most workers must acquire over the course of their careers.

www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/24/opinion/main4630103.shtml


also,

[haele]

4. It's cost of wages rather than take home or even gross -

My gross wage may be $24 an hour, however, my cost is around $47. That's the cost of everything my employer "provides" me as benefits plus my stated wages. I pay taxes on the $24 an hour minus the tax exemptions the IRS allows me to take out before taxing my take home. My employer pays their portion of FICA and Employment taxes on my $24 an hour before any tax-exempt deductions.
They either get deductions or have to pay fees on the added $23 an hour for benefits they provide to me.
And if some folks get their way, my wages would be considered around $35 or $40 an hour because of the "medical benefits" my employer provides me.

Haele

[rollingrock]

6. Must be poorly written

the article says '$50 an hour wages for US workers.'