Clinton County Republican Party

I'm going to use a soft touch on this article because goons sent by union bosses are scary people. But in the category of "What were they thinking" (as opposed to my original way of putting it, "86% of UAW Local 602 are clueless" - I'm glad I didn't put it that way, that really sounded mean), the union voters, in all their wisdom, have decided that striking would be a great idea:

United Auto Workers Local 602 President Bill Reed said 86 percent of workers voting approved a strike authorization measure. Voting wrapped up this morning.

...

"We've sat and listened to the needs of the business, and we feel that what we're asking for is more than fair and equitable and we'd like to have their respect to recognize us and come back to the table and talk," said Local 602 President Bill Reed.

Left out was the implicit threat of GM executives knees being in imminent danger of being broken.

I have no idea what the sticking points are. I would assume that since GM has been profitable for the first time in years because of poor business decisions (ahem, the Volt) and the horrible weight of union contracts of years past, it is time, once again, for The Man to pay the big bucks for the highly skilled labor that could not easily be moved out of the country and done in Mexico at a fraction of the price.

Note to liberals: That was sarcasm.

I would like to address the union workers. I have never been part of a union, but really, it's not bad out here in the wilds of the non-union workforce. We don't scramble for scraps and huddle around fire barrels to keep warm. I happily enjoy the fact that none of my money is taken out of my paycheck for union dues, though I do admit that I pay federal taxes, and both your union dues and my federal taxes eventually end up at the same place, the pockets of Democrats.

What happens is that if you are a valuable member of the company, each year at review time, you are given a raise if you have proven yourself to be able to increase the companies ability to profit. Sometimes, if the company has not done well in the year previously, there are no raises or they are small. It happens. There are no contractual disputes, not votes are taken. If I was really annoyed at my company, I could search for a different employer.  On the other hand, I can be fired immediately if I performed poorly, or I could be fired without cause. Them's the breaks.

This decision doesn't appear to be well-timed. I suppose the union leadership gave a great "ra ra" speech, or quoted Marx, or put something in the Kool-Aid, or whatever it is they do. But voluntarily giving up work in a down economy (Obama's economy) doesn't sound like a well thought out decision. Not something those of us living in the wilds of scary capitalism would do.