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Thanks, Bob Corker:
SPRING HILL, Tennessee (CNN) — General Motors idled it Spring Hill, Tennessee, facility as part of its bankruptcy plan Monday, leaving hundreds of employees — and thousands of residents who rely on the plant’s economic thrust — in limbo.
Spring Hill, about 35 miles south of Nashville, is a town built on the jobs that the plant provides. The town has seen its population jump more than 1,600 percent in the almost 20 years since GM sent the first Saturn down the assembly line in June 1990.
Along with Shelby and DeMint, Corker made "Union" a four letter word during the auto hearings.
The UAW is sitting on $1.2 billion in assets. They spent none of that money when the spotlight was on labor during the bailout discussion, when they could have made a powerful argument about the need for universal health care and the competitive advantage foreign automakers have on that front. They stood by idly while anti-EFCA forces swarmed the issue and set labor back 20 years.
The least they could do is pledge a couple million to making the lives of Corker et al. miserable, and Spring Hill, Tennessee would be a great place to start.
(via Atrios)
17 Comments
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You know though that Corker and Shelby will offer some mealy-mouth gibberish if anyone points out how wonderfully they helped their constituents throughout all of this. /s
Sadly, labour doesn’t have the balls to stand up to these people.
What are they waiting for? I thought “dry powder” was passe’. Let’s roll, UAW.
I’m afraid you’re probably correct.
Way too many organizations on the ‘left’ have spent way too many years being cowed by the right-wing.
I don’t think it’s that. I wouldn’t consider any union other than the IWW on the “left” today. Union leadership has been in bed with the corporations for years. That’s where their bread is buttered. The days of John Lewis are long gone. I view the SEIU as just another type of collaborator. I wouldn’t be surprised if the leadership supported Corkhead and Shellface in their respective states.
Well, that is why I put the quotes around left.
Gotta go feed the squirrels and do chores.
Namaste
The Saturn operation, now up for closure, is unionized (UAW). Tennessee is a right-to-work (for less) state where unions have a very tough time organizing.
Wobblies
That reminds me of Utah Phillips
Talking NPR Blues
http://video.google.com/videop…..9063255069
Great call.
How sad. The union of Walter Reuther standing idly by. Damnit.
I’m a card carryin’ Wobbly an’ proud of it.
Wobblies do not produce cars.
Hear, hear, Jane! This is NARAL writ large.
Unions are a vry small percent of the labor force. The UAW is going to find itself in the unemployment line as well.
It is sad and will only lead to loss of many rrights in the work place.
I still think GM plants should convert solar panels for the home and business. With storage. Why have power provided by an energy company that exists to enlarge CEO’s as Kenny boy Lay of Enron fame.
Thanks Jane.
Bullseye!
Well, since the feds have forced GM to raid the pension fund of the retired workers (which is illegal under ERISA) to give all the actual money in there to JP Morgan Chase and Citi, and gave the UAW a bunch of worthless shares of GM stock in return – they will need to keep their money to pay out the now defunct pensions of their members.
It’s supposed to be illegal to do this. Hope the bankruptcy judge puts a stop to it but….