As the Automotive Guy at Hoover’s, if there’s anything more boring and tedious than a Detroit-based automaker detailing its latest restructuring plan, it’s talk about strikes. Sure. Strikes seem exciting. “Oh, no! How will we maintain the flow of Chevy Tahoes? We’re all gonna die!” Calm down, people. The main story here is workers want to keep their high-paying jobs, their job security, and their state-of-the-art health care and retirement benefits. GM wants to still exist in 10 years. So who has who in the proverbial headlock? As determined as UAW Local 652 President Chris “Tiny” Sherwood looks*, my money’s on General Motors.
*Props to Harold Foster at Lansing Labor News (pdf) for the excellent pic of Tiny!
UPDATE — Late in the game Monday the Teamsters union said they will not cross UAW picket lines. GM has a backlog of cars so a UAW work stoppage is scary but not terrifying. However, the idea of the Teamsters refusing to drive finished cars to dealer lots is terrifying. Maybe we’re all gonna die after all!
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