coming big uaw strike?
Pole Position
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2,533
Likes: 1,358
From: IL
At the bottom line, consumers aren't migrating away from US brands because the price is 1% too high. And if that increment were the breaking point, then the car companies would have funneled some of their profits into cost control. Instead, they used it to finance $5,000,000,000 in stock buybacks—mostly to jack up executive pay, since a lot of CEO compensation is tied to the stock price.
Pole Position
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2,533
Likes: 1,358
From: IL
one of the most effective political con jobs over the last 50 years has been the steady and effective effort to convince the American middle class to vote and take positions against their own best interests but beneficial to the interests of those significantly wealthier than them.
quality generally-available healthcare that isn’t tied to your job and doesn’t bankrupt people: bad.
free or affordable four-year degrees or quality vocational training: bad
tax burdens that disproportionally fall on lower and more middle income families: good
Caps on social security taxes that massively benefit the wealthy at the expense on lower and more middle income families: good.
And so on. It’s clearly working, as you can see from many posts in this very thread. Most people are an unexpected pink slip on a Friday away from being royally screwed as soon as the following Monday, yet they’ve let themselves be manipulated to think it will never happen to them and that it’s ok that it happens to others.
remember, folks, that rising tides float all boats. It doesn’t need to be a zero sum game. Others don’t all need to lose for us all - individually and collectively- to win.
quality generally-available healthcare that isn’t tied to your job and doesn’t bankrupt people: bad.
free or affordable four-year degrees or quality vocational training: bad
tax burdens that disproportionally fall on lower and more middle income families: good
Caps on social security taxes that massively benefit the wealthy at the expense on lower and more middle income families: good.
And so on. It’s clearly working, as you can see from many posts in this very thread. Most people are an unexpected pink slip on a Friday away from being royally screwed as soon as the following Monday, yet they’ve let themselves be manipulated to think it will never happen to them and that it’s ok that it happens to others.
remember, folks, that rising tides float all boats. It doesn’t need to be a zero sum game. Others don’t all need to lose for us all - individually and collectively- to win.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,222
Likes: 220
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
OK, half a cigar. Technically, Stellantis is under a partnership between FCA and PSA.
Lead Lap
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,585
Likes: 24
From: Washington
Neither technically nor half a cigar. Stellantis formed from a merger of PSA and FCA. It is not a partnership of any sort but wholly new company. There's been some leadership changes involved and new talent has been hired since its formation. Now that the Tonale and Hornet have been unveiled, all new product from this point on has its origins in this new company built on shared technology and platforms that span all of the brands.
Last edited by TangoRed; Sep 18, 2023 at 01:41 PM.
According to a study by the Center for Automotive Research, the labor cost for building a vehicle typically accounts for about 8-12% of the total cost of a car.
Lead Lap
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,820
Likes: 247
From: NY
I agree that people should be paid fairly, but to ask for huge increases in additional to working 4 days a week is double dipping and greedy. The country hasnt seem a recession for far too long and people either forgot what its like to not have a job or are too young to experience layoffs and etc. I'm not saying people should be taken advantage of, but they shouldnt be greedy either or feel entitled.
Lead Lap
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,820
Likes: 247
From: NY
I would think the personnel cost will be very similar for both vehicles. I'm going to assume it takes significantly longer and needing more personnel to build an Escalade than an Escape .
The cost may be significantly higher than X% when benefits and taxes are factored in. Total personnel cost is X*1.4 and people tend to ignore it since it doesnt hit their bank account, in other words a $100k employee will cost the company around $140k.
The cost may be significantly higher than X% when benefits and taxes are factored in. Total personnel cost is X*1.4 and people tend to ignore it since it doesnt hit their bank account, in other words a $100k employee will cost the company around $140k.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 8,127
Likes: 223
From: New York
One thing i do agree with is CEO / Board / Executive Comp is way out of hand vs the average company workers. This is across every industry not just automotive. The truth is there are very few CEOs that deserve this compensation. Unfortunately the pay disparity has grown in absurd way between the top leaders and the rest.
The only way to correct this for government to incentivize companies to pay their employees more instead they punish them with excessive payroll taxes. Why not put a plan in place - we will lower the company’s tax burden X percent for X percent in pay increases to average workers not including executives. There are ways we can fix these issues if had some reasonable ppl in charge at these corporations and unions and politicians.
The only way to correct this for government to incentivize companies to pay their employees more instead they punish them with excessive payroll taxes. Why not put a plan in place - we will lower the company’s tax burden X percent for X percent in pay increases to average workers not including executives. There are ways we can fix these issues if had some reasonable ppl in charge at these corporations and unions and politicians.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,222
Likes: 220
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
So far, as I see it, the UAW has made one major error in the strike. Instead of striking at the three Ford/GM/Stellantis plants that they did (Wayne/Wentzville/Toledo), they should have, IMHO, hit the plants where the real profits are made by the companies...where the F-150, Silverado, and Ram trucks are made. The companies probably make more money on those three vehicles than anything else they sell.....hitting them there would make it far more likely to put the squeeze on them.
Last edited by mmarshall; Sep 19, 2023 at 11:50 AM.