So after 15 years with my current employer I was laid off Monday along with 250 of my unlucky co-workers. Merry fricken Christmas. So at 40 its time to look into a career change. I have always wanted to go to law school but after looking at the cost of tuition thats simply out of the question. For now I think I’ll kick back and watch Big Bang Theory Re-runs…
Recently I have seen this $70 hour number in numerous articles relating to the auto bailout. I’m not supporting the bailout.. I don’t, and I’m not supporting unions, I don’t, but these numbers are completely bogus and that pisses me off. Below is an explanation of how they are comming up with this number. You could argue that a fair discussion might be had as to why public employees enjoy old fashioned retirement plans when virtually no-one in the private sectors gets one. Fireman, Police, Senators, Congressman, postal workers, civil service employees, they all enjoy retirement benefits that most of us could only dream off.. Particularly Congress who only works a few years to qualify for them…
$21 - $29 dollars an hour.
Entry level is now $12 an hour.
Average UAW Pay: $28, Not $70
During Government Bailout Talks, Wages of Auto Workers Are Exaggerated
By Michael Thompson, published Nov 22, 2008
Published Content: 322 Total Views: 128,941 Favorited By: 56 CPs
Nonunion people who work in places like big-box stores and fast-food restaurants and nursing homes are wondering why the government should bail out those highly paid United Auto Workers members. Indeed, financial aid for General Motors, Ford and Chrysler would spill down into the UAW ranks, the same as a bailout is preserving jobs on Wall Street for the likes of AIG and so forth. The problem is that average UAW pay is highly exaggerated.
Auto workers aren’t making $70 an hour. Some were known to work 70 hours a week during peak production of the past, but no, $70 an hour is a myth that somehow is lodging as fact among much of the general public.
Leaders of the United Auto Workers are striving to combat this myth. The UAW reports, and news organizations have confirmed, that the average wage for a veteran auto worker is $28 per hour. Many cashiers and nurse aides and burger flippers still will perceive that this is too high, but at least the number is in perspective. Furthermore, the Big Three automakers have negotiated to bring general entry level wages down to as low as $12 per hour.
As for generous benefits, yes, UAW members have some of the best benefits of any union. They don’t have to worry about visiting the doctor or paying for prescriptions. The cost of these benefits is the equivalent of roughly $10 per hour. Add the “bennies” to the base wage of $28 an hour, and you get a total of $38 per hour. When the Big Three auto executives state that the cost of health care adds up to $1,600 per vehicle sold (or unsold), they’re telling the truth.
How did the $70 per hour myth grow roots? Conservative analysts have chosen to divide the automakers’ total personnel expenses by the number of active workers. This means that $70 per hour statistic includes all pensions and benefits being paid to retirees - in other words, other people.
I hate all the recent press going to Netbooks.. These things are junk and here’s a good article on just that.. For anyone that is remotely tech savy this should be obvious but these things are getting alot of push even from tech sites.
Recently got back from a trip flying Monument Valley with a group of about 30 pilots. The scenery was fantastic but terrain / weather combination resulted in some of the most challenging and scary flying I have done to date. I bad decision here is likely to be your last.
Talk about putting lipstick on a pig! Their dressing this pig up real purty!
