RUSH: The shoe on the other foot. I always love it when the shoe is on the other foot. This is from the World Socialist website. I check it frequently because I know so few other people do. The date is today. ‘Indianapolis Autoworkers Drive United Auto Workers Executives Out of Meeting.’ Now, we fantasized about this. When Obama gave General Motors to the United Auto Workers they became the executives and were gonna start negotiating union contracts? Heh-heh-heh-heh. We said, ‘Wait ’til this starts happening,’ and it has. ‘Workers at a [Obama] Motors stamping plant in Indianapolis, Indiana chased United Auto Workers executives out of a union meeting Sunday, after the UAW demanded workers accept a contract that would cut their wages in half.’ (laughing) Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!
‘As soon as three UAW International representatives took the podium, they were met with boos and shouts of opposition from many of the 631 workers currently employed at the plant. The officials, attempting to speak at the only informational meeting on the proposed contract changes, were forced out within minutes of taking the floor. The incident once again exposes the immense class divide between workers and union officials, who are working actively with the auto companies to drive down wages and eliminate benefits.’ (laughing) The shoe’s on the other foot. Now the UAW’s executives are the owners and they’re trying to tell their own brethren to take 50 cents on the dollar. The national UAW are the bosses. Now that they effectively own Obama Motors, they’re the ones riding the backs of the proletariat — and it shows up on the World Socialist website!
You have to love this. ‘A vote on the changes was originally scheduled for Monday, but was cancelled by the UAW after Sunday’s informational meeting made it clear that opposition was nearly unanimous.’ (laughing) ‘The new contract would, among other concessions, cut wages from an average of $29 an hour to $15.50.’ Now, that’s not quite correct. The new contract would cut the base wage, that’s the starting wage. The starting wage is $29. It would cut the starting wage from $29 to $15.50 an hour, which is still more than the other auto manufacturing plants in the area pay, including other Obama Motors plants. Needless to say, ladies and gentlemen, these figures do not include overtime or the lavish benefits and pensions packages and so forth.
‘[Obama] Motors, the UAW, and the state government have been working to sell the plant to JD Norman Industries, which was demanding the nearly 50 percent wage cuts –‘ Ah! That’s why they want to do it. They want to sell it. UAW management wants to sell the company, and so they’re getting UAW workers to take a 50% pay cut on the opening wage, just to stay profitable. The UAW, now that they own it, the executives want their bonuses based on profitability — and what are they doing? They’re asking for labor cuts! I love it when the shoe is on the other foot! You notice they’re not encouraging a strike?
They’re not doing what they would normally do if they were on the other side of the aisle. They’re acting just like management does in these situations everywhere around the world. Obama Motors ‘and the UAW are now denouncing workers for opposing the destruction of their living standards.’ Obama Motors ‘and the UAW are now denouncing workers for opposing the destruction of their living standards’! That’s in the story. That’s at the World Socialist website. So the World Socialists are upset at Obama Motors and the UAW executives because they say they want the workers to go along with the destruction of half of their living standards. Now, the only thing missing here… (laughing) The only thing missing… What’s the next thing that could happen?
The next thing that could happen is that the UAW management take a hint from their brethren, the owners of the National Football League, and consider a lockout. Lock out the rank-and-file! Lock them out before there’s a strike. (laughing) Yeah, I’m laughing at it. Yeah, I love it. Because I knew this was going to happen. We talked about it and I’ve been waiting for it — and you don’t see this anywhere else in State-Controlled Media, do you? You didn’t know this was happening, did you? Now, they might know it in Indiana. The local Indianapolis Drive-Bys might be writing about it, but you didn’t know about it. You have to go to the World Socialist website. Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh. Lock ’em out, UAW! (laughing) Lock ’em out before they strike. (laughing)
‘Limbaugh’s enjoying this way too much.’
That’s right. Although I don’t know that I could enjoy it ‘too much.’ (laughing) This is one of those stories that just keeps giving and giving and giving. (laughing)
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: I can just imagine when I get to my e-mail, there are going to be some people asking, ‘Are you really laughing at the misfortune of people who are having half their salaries taken away?’ Well, it may look like that but that’s not really what I’m laughing at. What I’m laughing at is the life lesson learned. The very people who used to go on strike over these kinds of proposals are now causing the very action that used to cause the strike — and they’re union people! They just now happen to be owners. Look what happened to them when they become owners: They learn that the single biggest cost in running a business is labor, and that if you’re not showing a profit, and if you need to very quickly, the first thing you can look to cut is labor costs.
It’s the way of the world. It just is. It’s a sad thing, but it just is. Add to this the reason they want to do it is they want to sell the company (laughing) because I’m sure there’s a premium they’re gonna get ’cause they’re selling this thing at a profit or hope to. So there’s an influx of cash but the new owners aren’t going to buy it at current wages. So there’s an economic lesson here being learned left and right. The sad thing is that nobody knows about it other than those of you listening here on the EIB Network. Now, who else…? You want to talk about chutzpah? Who else but the United Auto Workers would have the chutzpah to demand that they cut their salaries by half? The executives!
I don’t know that General Motors ever went that far. I don’t know that Chrysler went that far. They mighta laid people off. (interruption) Yeah, new hires. The new hires are given a significantly lower wage, and that’s what we’re talking about here, not people that have been around for quite a while. If the rank-and-file don’t accept this deal, outsource the jobs. (laughing) I mean, teach the lesson! (laughing) If they’re… (laughing) ‘I can’t believe Limbaugh is having so much fun over this.’ Look, I am not reveling here in the pain and discomfort of others. This is just too big a teachable moment. Because, you know, the ChiComs, the Vietnamese, and India all have cheaper labor. That’s why it’s over there.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: From the EIB Network archives. My website, Stack of Stuff Quick Hits Page on May 20th, 2009, I predicted this very thing would happen. It was May of 2009 when Obama gave Chrysler to the UAW. Now, get this. Get this. Snerdley, the UAW executives have said they will close the plant if the rank-and-file don’t take the deal. They’re gonna lock ’em out. I read further in the Socialist Worker story. They are going to close the plant if they don’t take the deal. Now, here’s the deal. We’re talking starting salary. The cut here is to starting wages, and it works out this way. The starting wage right now is 30 bucks an hour; they’re cutting it back to $15.50 an hour. $15.50 is $620 from 40-hour week, which is $32,240 a year. That’s starting. That does not include overtime or benefits. That’s the base starting salary. The median salary in the US is still somewhere under $40,000. This is a starting gig down from 30 bucks an hour to $15.50, and they’re gonna shut it down. Is there a conflict of interest here? I have to ask. The UAW shutting out its own workers? I mean, it’s not as though old General Motors execs are doing this. ‘Experts say that union leaders are worried about being in an uncomfortable position of being blamed by membership if management…’ (laughing) Management needs…? (laughing) Union management. There’s a conflict here. There’s no question.