PLEASE DESCRIBE THE NEW LABOR DAY TO ME.

By JAK

I wish all of you who labored daily in this year of 2009 a day of rest and relaxation. Labor day has become a day I don't really understand anymore, or I should say it is getting more and more difficult to understand what is going on. A day or two ago I read a piece, a very convincing piece about the labor unions being the cause of General Motors demise. I doubt it, but it was well written by an obviously intelligent man about a union out of control, and documenting the final knife in the jugular taking voluntary lay-offs while receiving 95 percent of their pay as the coup d'etat for the company.

I don't think so. If I can put in my one and half cents (down from 2 cents before recession) on the matter, I remember years ago when the Japanese were starting to burst GM's bubble of invincibility and GM, in a move of such arrogance it boggles my mind even today, years after and years before the Japanese finished them off. You could almost hear them in the board room saying we can leave off the glove box door, and perhaps making full size tires an extra. The name of that monstrosity, the answer to Japan and their Honda and Toyota was the General Motors Chevette. In the meantime, while snapping their suspenders and lighting up a big fat cigar, and saying something like, "that oughta take care of those foreigners for a while. We'll start a 'Buy America' campaign and everything will be fine", as they line up for more big fat bonuses. The arrogance of it still reverberates today as they close factory after factory.

More of our economic dilemmas which I don't claim that I understand what is going on. The labor unions, which yes, I think are still in business, maybe for the sole purpose of being one of the free markets pinatas, still around and so easy to blame.

The Free market, roaring through the world like Pattons army of tanks, has in 2008 and 2009 all but demolished the banking system, the aforementioned auto industry, and the housing market. Now they want to blame it on the 'Government', even though the free market has swindled trillions of dollars from victims too numerous to mention. It must be because of that new untested socialists- leaning guy from Chicago.

But back to my premise. I'm still waiting for someone to tell me and about a kazillion other citizens of the good ole USA how this great thing NAFTA, which takes jobs to other lands and raises the wages of people in Zambezi or Columbia, is good for us. Bill Clinton was all for it, and Dubya Bush along with his Dad ditto.

Anyways Happy Labor Day citizens, whatever that means in 2009.


Comment...Just read your interesting article about Labor Day. I well remember, back when GM was having trouble selling their cars, president, (daddy) Bush, Lee Iaccoca et al went to Japan and arrogantly demanded they buy American cars. Daddy Bush threw up all over the place and the Japanese quietly agreed to buy more GM products. President Regan rapidly slapped a $2,000
tax on Japanese autos. The results were that Japan sold more vehicles than ever.

I had the misfortune to own a Chevette and it was a piece of junk. Had starter problems from the start. The GM people couldn't find the problem and on my own, I discovered an engineering flaw. The starter mother mounting bolds were just slightly off resulting in the solenoid not engaging the fly wheel. I wouldn't have a GM product if they gave it to me.

I have worked with a union contract and without one and believe me, union contracts are better...Argus