The Brian Sullivan Blog
  • December 19, 2008 11:53 AM EST by Brian Sullivan

    Breaking: UAW Unhappy with Auto Loan Terms; Asking for Changes

    This just crossing ... the UAW is unhappy with some terms of the auto loan and will ask President-Elect Barack Obama to change some of the terms it views as 'unfair.'

    The union demanded the loan - got it  less than 2 hours ago - and now wants it changed.  You can't make this stuff up, folks.

    Below is the official UAW release.   It's clear they believe the incoming administration will help them change what they view as 'unfair' terms.

    INTERNATIONAL UNION, UNITED AUTOMOBILE, AEROSPACE & AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT WORKERS OF AMERICA – UAW
    RON GETTELFINGER, President ELIZABETH BUNN, Secretary-Treasurer
    VICE PRESIDENTS: GENERAL HOLIEFIELD • BOB KING • CAL RAPSON • JIMMY SETTLES • TERRY THURMAN
    IN REPLY REFER TO
    1757 N STREET, N.W.
    WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036
    TELEPHONE: (202) 828-8500
    FAX (202) 293-3457

    For immediate release December 19, 2008 UAW applauds auto loans, but says workers must not be singled out for unfair conditions DETROIT – “We’re pleased that the Bush administration has acted today to provide urgently needed emergency bridge loans to America’s auto companies and to pursue a process for restructuring outside of bankruptcy,” said UAW President Ron Gettelfinger. “This will keep the doors of America’s factories open, keep Americans working and prevent the devastating economic consequences for millions of Americans and thousands of businesses that would have resulted from a liquidation of operations by one or more auto companies.” The UAW, Gettelfinger said, is reviewing the documents released today. "All stakeholders – management, directors, bondholders, suppliers, dealers, workers – will have to participate in shared sacrifices to help the industry move forward," he said, noting that UAW members have already made substantial sacrifices to help make the domestic auto companies more competitive. “While we appreciate that President Bush has taken the emergency action needed to help America’s auto companies weather the current financial crisis, we are disappointed that he has added unfair conditions singling out workers,” said Gettelfinger. “These conditions were not included in the bipartisan legislation endorsed by the White House, which passed the House of Representatives and which won support from a majority of senators.” “We will work with the Obama administration and the new Congress to ensure that these unfair conditions are removed," said Gettelfinger, "as we join in the coming months with all stakeholders to create a viable future for the U.S. auto industry."

Cliff Grand

Wake up UAW. The rest of the world is realistic, you should be too. Nothing is guranteeded. Time for the greed to stop starting with your whole industry.

December 19, 2008 at 1:42 pm

mike

Well... if the UAW is unhappy, then maybe I should go easier on the White House for giving them this Xmas gift in the 1st place? Then again maybe the package didn't include a big enough raise or large enough increase in benefits? In the meantime maybe the extra January shut-downs will help the local economies?... The union autoworkers will still get almost full pay -- maybe more than usual disposable if you figure in reduced costs from not having to get to/from work etc... Hopefully with all the paid free time they'll get out and spend more -- at least more than they normally would during the annual 2 week Xmas shut-downs for re-tooling and such. You did know they shut down every year for 2 weeks didn't you?... You didn't buy the month long disaster press releases wholesale, did you? Now I'm not saying 2 weeks of no production isn't a bad sign, but 2 weeks sounds so much less, well, theatrical.

December 19, 2008 at 1:41 pm

mabbott

Gettlefinger claims "Unfair" treament for a minority of American workers by the government??? I'll tell him what is unfair is that the taxpayers of American have had to bail having to bail a single industry. We are screaming"unfair" to use our money - this is called taxation without representation Can Obama and Congress clean up this mess to get the taxpayers off the hook from "porking up" any industry. The stimulus/bailout is really a pork out - it is the government's way of rewarding any industry that votes them into office. Wthe holiday season upon us, I say to Gettlefinger, Congress, the White House -- Happy Porking Season!

December 19, 2008 at 1:37 pm

moving

Odd...you don't see this story on many other news sites....this should be a headline

December 19, 2008 at 1:18 pm

John Lenerz

I am so tired of the UAW's wining that I will not buy another car made by their union if they do not get in line with the foreign auto makers labor force. There are not many workers in any other industry making the money with the benefits that they are. It makes me sick when I hear their complaints. Let them all go down the drain as far as I'm concerned. If they would have made good cars in the first place there wouldn't be this trouble. My 2005 Malibou trunk release doesn't work, the radio won't play when I use the rear defrost and I've had 2 brake jobs in 76,000 miles and they are proud of their work?? Give me a break.

December 19, 2008 at 1:08 pm

Britt

I'm confused by the following statement: “These conditions were not included in the bipartisan legislation endorsed by the White House, which passed the House of Representatives and which won support from a majority of senators.” If it won support from a majority (i.e. more were for it than were against it) of senators, how did it not pass?

December 19, 2008 at 1:02 pm

moving

Great UAW I don't like it either...let's just pull the "loan" and let them file chapter 11. The UAW seems to be operating in an alternative universe.

December 19, 2008 at 12:58 pm

Charles Shepherd

It's simple. They either live with the terms or they lose their jobs. We are all taking cuts in pay to survive, so why shouldn't these workers have to do the same if they want my tax money. If you want your job, make the sacrifice or end up in the unemployment line with the millions of others.

December 19, 2008 at 12:33 pm

about this blog

  • Brian Sullivan joined FOX Business Network (FBN) in April 2008 as an anchor. He co-anchors the 10am-12pm ET hours of the FOX Business block. Prior to joining FBN, Sullivan served as an anchor for Bloomberg Television where he hosted the programs Morning Call and In Focus.

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