<html><body> <DIV>But don't the competitors in Germany and Japan have high labor costs as well?  Isn't Mercedes owned Chrysler doing better than the big two? SR</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">-------------- Original message -------------- <BR><BR><BR>> I've got to say, I don't really know how the unions should respond. <BR>> High auto industry wages - average hourly earnings (excluding <BR>> benefits) in "transportation equipment" are over $22, with UAW wages <BR>> much higher, compared with an average wage of $16 - are a relic of <BR>> the long-gone days when the big three were a near-monopoly. They've <BR>> been ratcheted down over the years, but it now looks like we're in <BR>> the final stages of the process. Short of really major changes in the <BR>> economic system, I just don't see how it can be stopped. Maybe some <BR>> other folks can come up with some good ideas. <BR>> <BR>> Doug <BR>> ___________________________________ <BR>> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk </BLOCKQUOTE></body></html>