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Is Retired UAW Autoworker Dad Public Enemy No. 1? |
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When you think of “Public Enemy No. 1,” you picture a Depression-era John Dillinger or maybe the UniBomber. But David R. Radtke says he has learned some shocking news—his dad, a retired UAW autoworker, might fit that bill.
Says Radtke:
“I have a confession. My father is an autoworker. I know that some people will recoil in disgust upon learning that fact, but it gets worse—he’s a retired UAW autoworker, and he and my mother live on a pension and have retiree health care benefits that supplement Medicare. In other words, he is public enemy No. 1 to Sens. Richard Shelby, Bob Corker and Jim DeMint.
“According to these senators, my dad and his cadre of active and retired UAW-represented autoworkers are responsible for this country’s economic downturn.”
In a new AFL-CIO guest column, Radtke, a Michigan attorney and member of the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee, describes the dastardly exploits that marked his high school-educated, blue collar father’s life—30 years of working his tail off, taking care of his family, educating his kids and earning a well-deserved retirement.
He says his dad and millions of other hardworking men and women like his father are despised and attacked by the right, sometimes the left, the rich and even poor in “America’s version of class warfare.”
His dad’s life, Radtke says, has really been the embodiment of the American Dream.
Most of my parents’ friends live much the same life. They are now in their 70s, and they have modest, secure lives. They have lived what I was taught to be the promise of this country. Each generation progresses from the previous. Every person who works has financial security, decent health care and a dignified retirement. I learned this lesson in the public schools I attended and have heard it in speeches made by many politicians.
So, when did it become acceptable to be against that ideal? How can U.S. senators stand on the Senate floor and denounce millions of Americans like my dad? Workers who spent their lives raising families, paying taxes, adding to their communities and laboring in good union jobs for a middle class life—the vaunted American Dream. Well, it’s not acceptable, and it is those senators who should be denounced.
Click here to read Radtke’s entire column.
7 Comments
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Amen Brother Radtke!! It’s these radical right wingers that are the biggest enemy of the average American. Al-qaeda and the Taliban can’t hold a candle to a republican, when it comes to terrorizing workers. Workers aren’t going to take it anymore! We’re standing up for freedom and dignity and we will prevail against these unAmerican ideologues of the radical right.
Here’s what I find interesting.
As a matter of fact, I even wrote an article about it earlier this morning.
I believe it was the Ford CEO, but I’m not sure that stated somewhere that labor was but a small portion of the total cost of building an automobile.
Perhaps ya’ll need to go on the offensive and get your companies annual reports for the last 20 years and do a pie chart for each year, and as a summary that shows how many percent labor is as compared to the rest of the operating results.
If its small like the FORD CEO stated, you have all the ammunition that you need.
On another subject, I have added a new article titled “Wall of Shame or Suspected TREASON list” at http://www.KeepAmericaAtWork.com and I need ya’lls help in designing and building this database so that we will have the ammunition that our political and corporate leaders cannot disagree with.
Thanks,
Virgil
http://www.KeepAmericaAtWork.com
If this guy Madoff, the guy who “Ponzied” $50 billion in investments is found guilty and goes to jail, shouldn’t the same fate await other Wall Street types perpetrating the same or similar fraud? For that matter, shouldn’t those auto execs who signed labor contracts with UAW labor go the same route, too; for signing agreements they knew they’d never be able to fulfill. It’s maleficence, failure to honor fiduciary responsibility, for corporate officers to incur an unfundable liability, knowing, for the most part, they’d never have to pay-off? Don’t knuckle, UAW.
Everyone is “missing the boat” on the Auto Industry bailout! As usual the workers and the Union are taking the “heat” instead of the Execs. The anymosity and reluctance to help them comes as a direct result of the Auto Industry Execs’ arrogance and stupidity in running their companies. They have refused to build more fuel efficient and/or alternative energy fueled vehicles. They have continued to agressively market gas guzzling SUV’s and Trucks gambling on the public to continue to buy these over fuel efficient or alternastive vehicles and now they are in the ditch. The stupidity of the big three companies is the same as it has been since the 1970’s when we were also faced with fuel shortages. It is this arrogance that keeps people from having any sympathy for them. Unfortunately this is going to kill jobs for not only their workers but workers in all of the ancillary industries which support and feed into auto making. I hope Congress will respond to this crisis, not for the Greedy Execs but on behalf of the thousands and thousands of workers who did not make those arrogant and greedy Industry decisions. The UAW needs to also step up to the plate and denounce the arrogance of the Industry and get out of bed with them. After all they ar the United Auto WORKERS not the United Auto Manufacturers.
David Radtke said it for this father and all of us retirees:
“His dad’s life, has really been the embodiment of the American Dream.”
Lets keep this dream alive:
“The UAW needs to also step up to the plate and denounce the arrogance of the Industry and get out of bed with them. After all they ar the United Auto WORKERS not the United Auto Manufacturers.”
To jgordon: good points! The relationship between the UAW and GM management reminds me of the story of “The Emperor’s clothes.” Everyone is afraid to challenge their arrogance. I think GM has a pretty good drive train in all their cars but the interiors are weak. Cheap plastic parts that pop out of place or squeak. Honda is a lot nicer. Don’t they look at anything their competition makes to compare? Malibu is an excellent car but for a Chevy, it’s not cheap. Therefore, there is no reason the interior couldn’t be better than Honda.
The republican senators next step for the retired UAW is simple, soilent green!
I know David. He is what we call in the south a shirt-tail relative related by marriage. I’ve been to Tigers games with him and find him a fine fellow. I’m on the opposite side of the political fence from him and disagree with him on almost everything. Except this time.
I agree with the sentiment David expresses. It is absolutely absurd for our so-called representative government to rail against retirees and those who (whether we agree with unions or not) legally negotiated with their employers for wages and benefits.
The facts are, though, that Detroit automakers are not competetive in the U.S. precisely because of those wages, benefits, and other general obligations. Ask yourself why GM, and Ford are very competetive in Europe? The answer is relatively easily answered by the words “level playing field”.
The villains, if there are any, are the management of the not-so-big-three who agreed to those wages and benefits while Toyota, Nissan, BMW, and Mercedes built factories in which these benefits-particularly those for retirees-were in line with major american companies whose labor was not represented by the UAW.
Is it realistic or even possible that the management of the big three didn’t know what the foreign auto makers were doing? Preposterous!
The short term mentality of the auto manufacturing companies is the true reason we are where we are.
I don’t even want to talk about the difference in qualiy and design between the automakers.
The only people to blame in this fiasco is the management of Chrysler, Ford and GM.
The only people that ultimately will be hurt are the employees of the automakers and the taxpayer. But it will be relatively short term pain.
Americans have long ago fallen out of love with American automobiles. When GM is forced into bankruptcy-as it surely must be- the American public will miss them about as much as we now miss Montgomery Ward, Sambo’s restaurants, and Color Tile…..which is to say “not at all”.
Finally, I have to say that I would love to buy an American branded and manufactured automobile….I just can’t think of a reason to do so.