Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Do the Auto Unions make $73 an hour?

Okay this is the number circulating that the UAW average worker makes $73 an hour. Story But didn't President Elect Obama say that he wants employers to pay for benefits for the American worker?  During the campaign  and according to his own site-
"Make employer contributions more fair by requiring large employers that do not offer coverage or make a meaningful contribution to the cost of quality health coverage for their employees to contribute a percentage of payroll toward the costs of their employees health care."

So,  why is everyone shocked by this?  This is what the Dems want.  They have consistently said that companies should be paying for benefits and good ones at that.  Has anyone heard of the Free Choice Act.  Obama said this is a huge priority to him.  Here is one article

This is a summary of what they believe the Free Choice act will do. 
Union workers earn higher wages and get more benefits than workers who don’t have a voice on
the job with a union.

Union workers’ median weekly earnings $833
Nonunion workers’ median weekly earnings $642
Union wage advantage 30%

Union women’s median weekly earnings $758
Nonunion women’s median weekly earnings $579
Union wage advantage for women 31%

African American union workers’ median weekly earnings $707
African American nonunion workers’ median weekly earnings $520
Union wage advantage for African Americans 36%

Latino union workers’ median weekly earnings $686
Latino nonunion workers’ median weekly earnings $469
Union wage advantage for Latinos 46%

Asian American union workers’ median weekly earnings $834
Asian American nonunion workers’ median weekly earnings $774
Union wage advantage for Asian Americans 8%

Union workers with employer-provided health insurance 80%
Nonunion workers with employer-provided health insurance 49%

Union health insurance advantage 63%
Union workers without health insurance coverage 2.5%
Nonunion workers without health insurance coverage 15%
Nonunion workers are five times more likely to lack health insurance coverage

Union workers with guaranteed (defined-benefit) pensions 68%
Nonunion workers with guaranteed (defined-benefit) pensions 14%
Union pension advantage 386%

Union workers with short-term disability benefits 62%
Nonunion workers with short-term disability benefits 35%
Union short-term disability benefits advantage 77%

Union workers’ average days of paid vacation 15 days
Nonunion workers’ average days of paid vacation 11.75 days
Union paid vacation advantage 28

So,  I believe the question is-President Elect Obama,  do you still believe in the Free Choice Act because if you do the government not the companies are going to be paying for these workers high rate of pay and benefits because they are not competative anymore.  Now that really is socialism.  But where is our government going to get the money?  

Robyn Honsey

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