Toyota's Chairman: "Raise Japanese car prices to help American Manufacturers"

[dawgs77]

Originally Posted by Still thinkin

Dawgs
It sounds to me like you are one of many drivers who are a credit to the profession. Unfortunately the afore mentioned "driving schools" along with the corporate, profit first mentality ( that is probably the best reason to have unions) has made true truck drivers a dying breed. I appologize if I came off sounding like a union basher but you have to admit that the most visible members are usually the abusers. I work for a large corporation and my job is non union, but I firmly believe that if they could get away with it that the company would cut and gouge wages and benefits wherever they could. In the same breath I also believe that dead wieght should be removed.

There, I hope I made my stance clear.

Mike M.

I hear you!!! In my opinion MY experience with MY Local has been great. And hey man there is no doubt that there are slackers out there that use the system. We have a point system...and there are people that know how to work it and stay right on top of it.

But the majority at Martin Brower are not this way...there is a group...but most are just hard working individuals that don't carry a point total, they just show up and do there job.

And I have heard of bad Locals. Our contract was up in August last year and it's always a little stressful. Let me mention that with 30 years of CBA's between MB's employees and the company it has never come down to a strike.

During our negotiations and meetings it was not the Union that wanted to strike. It was the younger employees. It seemed to be more of a game to them. Our .45 a year raise just wasn't good enought for them. Our contract is a Warehouse/Driver Contract. Drivers were all for it but the young warehouse workers weren't. Our warehouse employees make tops in the valley. It was fustrating to see someone 20 years old complaining about there wages. Not many 20 year olds with no education make $50-60K a year.

But the Union and the older employees prevailed. We did sanction a strike because of the want in the new contract to make the employees pay $185 a month. But as soon as we sanctioned the strike with IBT the company dropped it's request and were all happy for another three years. There's good and bad about it. But over all, MY experience has been great.

[92TripleBlack]

Most union guys I have met act like old Soviet Union employees. They follow the old Soviet saying,: We pretend to work and they pretend to pay us. Only in this case they get paid.

[dawgs77]

Originally Posted by 92TripleBlack

Unless you work for a corporation where its paid for. They get HMOs which cost a few grand a year per employee. If you are paying for your healthcare seperately, thank your union. Bet you weren't paying that in your computer job. No pity. But as Still Thinkin said, corporations would gouge if they could. But they can't. And he's not uniion. Why aren't they gouging him, me, or anyone else that isn't union if we don't have the union protection? Because they know they will loose everyone to the guy across the street who does offer benefits so to keep employees they strike a natural balance. Unions kill that balance trying to force it. Eventually, you end up at the same place, but with loads of costs, legal fees, wacky rules, etc. In the end, very inefficient for the same thing and those inefficient costs get dumped on us all.

Boy they must have much cheaper health care back there then in California. Healthcare will cost you a minimum $300 per person here with a $20 co-pay. Do a pay anythign for health care....NOT A PENNY!! My whole family is covered by my plan. Wife and two kids. Did I have to pay for it when I worked in Computers.....sure did....about $140 of it a month. And this was just for me my whole family wasn't on that one.

Again....your a business owner aren't you?! That or you are in management...which is it...

[dawgs77]

Originally Posted by 92TripleBlack

Most union guys I have met act like old Soviet Union employees. They follow the old Soviet saying,: We pretend to work and they pretend to pay us. Only in this case they get paid.

Me and 99% of the employees at Martin Brower would work circles around you bro.....that's fact not fiction. So sit at your desk and just keep crying. Your simply entertaining me. It sounds like to me your refering to State or Federal workers. Because you just can't do that even at a Union Job. Can't get fired.....we've had several in the last year....so please...I have no ideal were you get your misleading info..but it's entertaining.

[92TripleBlack]

Originally Posted by dawgs77

Boy they must have much cheaper health care back there then in California. Healthcare will cost you a minimum $300 per person here with a $20 co-pay. Do a pay anythign for health care....NOT A PENNY!! My whole family is covered by my plan. Wife and two kids. Did I have to pay for it when I worked in Computers.....sure did....about $140 of it a month. And this was just for me my whole family wasn't on that one.

Again....your a business owner aren't you?! That or you are in management...which is it...

Neither, sales. I don't pay for it but I do, you do, we all do. The benefit is included as a package you get. This package includes salary and other benefits. I've seen the stated cost of the benefits. $5k a year for everything. This is health, legal, life insurance, etc. Full boat. It costs more, $50 a month, for extra family members. Aetna HMO.

[92TripleBlack]

Originally Posted by dawgs77

Me and 99% of the employees at Martin Brower would work circles around you bro.....that's fact not fiction. So sit at your desk and just keep crying. Your simply entertaining me. It sounds like to me your refering to State or Federal workers. Because you just can't do that even at a Union Job. Can't get fired.....we've had several in the last year....so please...I have no ideal were you get your misleading info..but it's entertaining.

You don't know what I do so don't talk crap. I drive for a living. I'm in sales. 15 hour days, 5 days a week. I work for a large financial firm and have worked in construction, retail sales, restaurants, setting up events, etc. Most of my jobs have been union over the past 20 years. I also have a degree in Economics from Rutgers, 5 securities licenses, and a financial designation. I understand the true impact and implications of unions. I also know the vast majority of union guys show up, go through the motions, and go home. They get excessive breaks, lunches, etc. throughout the day. Painters in unions must use small rollers and brushes so they don't finish too fast. This makes jobs last longer providing more man hours so more painters can be out there. I know the tricks.

[dawgs77]

I think we are looking at different types of union employees in different industries. We have expectations that have to be adhered to. We have off load rates that must be met. Our warehousemen have pick rates they must abide by. And it's not a slow pace.

Now granted...we are not contractors contracted to do specific jobs. However a painting company also has expectations and gets fined for not meeting them. But it's a dead issue...

[dawgs77]

Originally Posted by 92TripleBlack

Neither, sales. I don't pay for it but I do, you do, we all do. The benefit is included as a package you get. This package includes salary and other benefits. I've seen the stated cost of the benefits. $5k a year for everything. This is health, legal, life insurance, etc. Full boat. It costs more, $50 a month, for extra family members. Aetna HMO.

I'd liek to know were you get this info.....my company can't get that type of rates and neither can I. I was an independent contractor once....and beleive me...it wasn't that cheap.....not even close.

[92TripleBlack]

I work for a large financial firm, 10,000+ employees. I use an HMO, not traditional health insurance. Anyone who uses traditional is crazy anyway. I also don't live in California where everything is outrageously expensive. Heck, I don't even have state income tax. Maybe you are skewed to thinking $70k is a regular income for a normal family and $40k is low. In most of the country, $40k is a lot of money. You live like a king on $70k. Lets see, can of soda is 50 cents, dryclean shirt 99 cents, gas $2.15 a gallon, single family 2500 square foot home is $250K, etc. Porterhouse steak $8.99 a pound, Sausage egg and cheese at McDonalds is 99 cents. Sales tax is 6.5 cents. Property tax 1.75%. What is it like there?

[PA Titan]

I just wanted to say that every union employee I know has been laid off or is retiring to avoid layoffs. My dad worked 12 years in a major union factory that is being outsourced to china. When the plans were announced the union leaders sold out the workers for bribes and protecting their own position. The two Union electricians I know were laid off for the last year and now one is working about 1000 miles away in kentucky. The teamster is going to retire before his shop closes because of being unable to compete against nonunion employers. That is why I did not join the union- I would love to make $30 an hour but they can't compete in nonprotected industries in todays market. Besides I am a Journeyman electrician so I can easily change employers or work for myself if need be.

[92TripleBlack]

Originally Posted by PA Titan

I just wanted to say that every union employee I know has been laid off or is retiring to avoid layoffs. My dad worked 12 years in a major union factory that is being outsourced to china. When the plans were announced the union leaders sold out the workers for bribes and protecting their own position. The two Union electricians I know were laid off for the last year and now one is working about 1000 miles away in kentucky. The teamster is going to retire before his shop closes because of being unable to compete against nonunion employers. That is why I did not join the union- I would love to make $30 an hour but they can't compete in nonprotected industries in todays market. Besides I am a Journeyman electrician so I can easily change employers or work for myself if need be.

Good for you and exactly my point.

[dawgs77]

Originally Posted by 92TripleBlack

I work for a large financial firm, 10,000+ employees. I use an HMO, not traditional health insurance. Anyone who uses traditional is crazy anyway. I also don't live in California where everything is outrageously expensive. Heck, I don't even have state income tax. Maybe you are skewed to thinking $70k is a regular income for a normal family and $40k is low. In most of the country, $40k is a lot of money. You live like a king on $70k. Lets see, can of soda is 50 cents, dryclean shirt 99 cents, gas $2.15 a gallon, single family 2500 square foot home is $250K, etc. Porterhouse steak $8.99 a pound, Sausage egg and cheese at McDonalds is 99 cents. Sales tax is 6.5 cents. Property tax 1.75%. What is it like there?

Your going to tell me you can get a 2500 sq ft home in Orlando Florida for 250K..... I just looked....they all seem over 300...so everything is about what it is here.

But anyways were going to have to just agree to disagree. I have not seen any layoffs or any bad stuff. But that don't mean it happens. There are good unions...as apparently luckily I have. What are you calling a traditional Health insurance policy. There either PPO or HMO. I have a HMO in Kaiser...and if memory serves me right...PPO's are more expensive. I'm licensed in the state of California to sell insurance. When I did computers it was for a chain of Agents. And they wanted me to understand what they did so I did the studying and got licensed. However it's not active any longer cause I don't do the yearly credits. No interest in selling insurance. I had no clue premiums would range so widely from state to state. But you can't touch a policy here for under $300 a month and that's just for yourself. If you think I'm blowing smoke....look me up on the Ca Dept of Insurance

Ronald Rossi

I'm appointed through Allstate, Allied, Safeco, Rain and Hail, and others. However, I don't and never did, other then my own, insurance.

[92TripleBlack]

Originally Posted by dawgs77

Your going to tell me you can get a 2500 sq ft home in Orlando Florida for 250K..... I just looked....they all seem over 300...so everything is about what it is here.

But anyways were going to have to just agree to disagree. I have not seen any layoffs or any bad stuff. But that don't mean it happens. There are good unions...as apparently luckily I have. What are you calling a traditional Health insurance policy. There either PPO or HMO. I have a HMO in Kaiser...and if memory serves me right...PPO's are more expensive. I'm licensed in the state of California to sell insurance. When I did computers it was for a chain of Agents. And they wanted me to understand what they did so I did the studying and got licensed. However it's not active any longer cause I don't do the yearly credits. No interest in selling insurance. I had no clue premiums would range so widely from state to state. But you can't touch a policy here for under $300 a month and that's just for yourself. If you think I'm blowing smoke....look me up on the Ca Dept of Insurance

Ronald Rossi

I'm appointed through Allstate, Allied, Safeco, Rain and Hail, and others. However, I don't and never did, other then my own, insurance.

California leads the country in highest costing homes. Here's some quotes and an article.
And a recent report from the National Association of Home Builders found that Californians own 41 percent of the nation's million-dollar homes. The state's homebuilders say that's indicative of several factors leading to higher home prices.

"In light of our state's strong rate of home appreciation, ever-increasing demand, and rising land and regulatory costs, I'd venture that the number of million-dollar homes here has probably doubled since the 2000 Census," said Bob Rivinius, CEO of the California Building Industry Association.

The NAHB points out that you'll get more house for your money in other states.

" ... So a million-dollar home in California may be comparably equipped to a high six-figure home in some other market - the difference being entirely in land and regulatory costs," said Jerry Howard, CEO and Executive Vice President of the NAHB.

Here's an article. http://www.justaskjohn.com/article.cfm?artID=70
Basically, you get about 50% to double or more for the same money in Florida. You wouldn't believe what you can get in Kansas. I just left NYC area a couple years ago. Our house prices are generally lower there than in California and when I came to Florida I saw the huge difference. $40k in Florida is $100k in NYC. Prices are going up however. My house is up $140k since September and its still a pile of sand waiting to be built.

I also just left Prudential Insurance after being there 9 years. I was talking about my cost for Aetna HMO vs. PPO. Most people don't know what PPO means. California must just have extrodinarily high health insurance. Beautiful scenery though.

[jpup]

My health insurance is $33 a month for everything. It's not the best in the world but it's a lot cheaper than what you guys are talking about. I think a family of 3 or more is about $99. I live in KY and work for a non union company. $70k a year is a lot of money where I live. I would say that the average family might make about $50 combined and be considered middle class.

[GO_VOLS!]

Originally Posted by comperk

Oh, I also forgot. Yes, the cost of a GM car includes about $1500 for health insurance. A Japanese car has about $500 cost per car. Why? Japan has a national health care system. For all of the anti anything slightly looking socialist people, a little word of wisdom, our private health care system has failed and will continue to fail. We are a bit of a socialist state ourselves, social security, medicare, medicaid, etc. My point is that it is worth a real close look.

bye.

Um. I work for a "foreign car company" and I have the same health care that I did when I worked at Ford. How can Japan subsidise my health benefits when I live in Alabama?!

Also, talk to any Canadian and they'll tell you that their healthcare system sucks! To support it, Canadians are taxed at about 50% of their annual income. Is that what you want? IMHO, the less $ the govt takes from me, the less they get to pump into their own corrupt pockets, waste on decorations around their offices, and pour into some 3rd world country that usually tries to kill Americans. Can I get an AMEN?!