United Auto Workers President lashes out at Senate Republicans

Realistically it was expected, but considering the country is divided on the bailout for auto makers, especially since those such as Honda with US plants are making a profit demonstrate that it is not the total automotive sector that is experiencing possible bankruptcy, United Auto Workers President Ronald A. Gettelfinger "condems" Senate GOP for not supporting the bail out:

Gettelfinger, at a news conference yesterday in Detroit, welcomed a statement from the White House that said the administration was willing to use funds targeted for bailing out the financial system to help the autoworkers. But he repeated his insistence that bankruptcy isn't an option, saying failure at any one automaker would force firms across the industry to collapse.

The Republican Senate proposal sought to cut UAW wages, bringing them in line -- or at "parity" -- with what workers earn at foreign-owned, non-unionized plants in the United States. A failure in Congress to reach an agreement on the wage-cut proposal Thursday night doomed the $14 billion industry rescue package.

"They believe workers are expendable and wages mean nothing," Gettelfinger said.

Let's be blunt, the average American who earns much less than these auto workers and does not have that kind of benefit or retirement package is having a hard time justifying this bailout without parity conditions. Many felt the same way about the Wall Street bailout, however, Congress did not listen then...

It's being promoted by some media sources as an Republican attempt to kill unions and it's really hard to separate the politics of unions for both parties when it comes to the UAW:

"This is the Democrats' first opportunity to pay off organized labor after the election," read an e-mail circulated Wednesday among Senate Republicans. "This is a precursor to card check and other items. Republicans should stand firm and take their first shot against organized labor, instead of taking their first blow from it."

One of the leading opponents of the auto bailout, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), said: "Year after year, union bosses have put their interests ahead of the workers they claim to represent. Congress never should have given these unions this much power, and now is the time to fix it."

It's understandable that states who have the foreign based automotive plants where workers do earn less would be less than supportive of spending federal dollars that would not appear to help their states. Despite the worst case scenario of what would happen to the overall economy if all or more than one Big Three Auto company went into bankruptcy.