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Nobody is saying it has nothing to do with it, just far less than we are being force fed to believe.
If people can't simply look around their towns and see every different brand at all three grades at various gas stations at the exact same price (I remember when this wasn't the case) and not see the price collusion (on the micro scale) and understand that is is also happening on a macro scale, then they are just succumbing to all the industry/government propaganda.
Oh I agree..........there is a lot geopolitical play behind the price of OIL in this country...........and in the world!
But I also look at the big picture and see that the Price of Oil is pegged to the American Dollar.......and how American's have ALWAYS enjoyed the lowest costs for fuel for non productions countries........and still are!
Not saying that I sleep soundly at night thinking big brother is watching out for me.................but...............when I read on this forum from those who blame the government that there is and OIL MAN in the white house.........but yet want government to solve this too......Its all a little contradicting, Both parties are part of this situation whether or not it is a problem.
That is a major obstacle for US automakers. Japan's workforce is non-union and the assembly plants for Japanese cars in America are also open shop.
US automakers pay top wages and benefits, whether they sell 100 or 100,000 cars.
Toyota has about 58,000 unionized workers in Japan, but they are not too keen on Detroit's version of the auto union, so no, they are not unionized in the US. Canada is putting pressure on them to unionize up there.
Save your breath if you are going to give me an anti-union rant.
You cant blame the unions for everything. I have belonged to a couple of worthless ones. But, for the sake of prevailing wage employment, it was well worth it!
I read recently that the $52 dollars an hour wages GM was paying were 68 percent of what workers were making in 1914, adjusted for inflation and taxes. Now they are expected to build cars for 19 percent of what workers were making in 1914.
My dad was a union man. He worked 6 days a week for 30 years, never called in sick unless he was near death, and always put the value of the company first. I do not know if this was a generational thing.......or just where he worked. But all the guys he worked with felt this way......work hard and be well compensated for it.
On the other side I see teachers union's consistantly crying poor and IMO are way too powerfull, I see that GM's union has basically held hostage this company from ever regaining their prominance in this world again.
As far as Japan goes I think its hard to compare Unions vs non unions. Don't these people just have a different culture all together. So these car companies may not have to deal with unions.............but the ceo's of these companies also don't make nearly as much as the ceo's here in America.
Japan is a culture that still honors a mutual benefit between worker and employer. Many Japanese devote their lives and loyalty to a single employer and that employer rewards the employee with retirement packages, paid sick leave, vacation time, medical expenses in some instances. It's also the Japanese culture. Loyalty and honor take precedent over everything else (yes, back stabbing does happen from time to time) so there really is not a need for unions. America hasn't been this way since what, the sixties?
I have worked both with unions and against unions; have seen the benefit to both sides as well as the horrors and uselessness of either side. It is my opinion that it is a shame that in this country some people need to unionize, if for anything to receive a decent wage.
And for that part that we can't, who should we blame? Environmentalists? Democrats? Women?
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