> You have any idea about UAW's track record recently
> organizing in auto? I know under Bob King the organizing
> department had some success with independent part
> suppliers a few years ago
All I know is what I read in the papers, which isn't much. Since the parts suppliers are really just creatures of the larger companies anyway, the strategy (and it seems a logical one to me -- contrary to Labor Notes-style carping, and especially in the absence of any better and more credible strategy) is to bring pressure to bear on Ford and GM to in turn pressure the parts suppliers. My understanding is that this has had more success with Ford than with GM, though even there it looks like the union will be forced to take concessions when the parts suppliers are in trouble; take Ford's bailout/reabsorption of Visteon, for example:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0506070298jun07,1,3601890.story?coll=chi-business-hed
- - - - - - - - - - John Lacny http://www.johnlacny.com
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