by Neil Licht

Created on: May 05, 2009   Last Updated: May 08, 2009

No

Isn't this the same union that advocates for wages, contract that have seniority, no firing or layoffs clauses, and health care at a cost that can not be maintained? Isn't this the same union that visably saw the emergence of robotic car building, resisted converting to it yet kept asking for more income? Isn't this part of what opened the door for Japanese competition by car companies that use automation not lots of labor to make a car?

Isn't this the same union that fought management on concessions, advocated for worker rights despite market share very visibly dwindling, more pay for assembly line workers v competitive phase outs of labor intensive and costly manufacturing? Isn't this the same union that stands in the way of reducing the corporations share of health insurance costs? Ignoring a truly competive environment and clinging to yesterday, aren't these the "hard won" union negotiated agreements that fly in the face of real cost vs sales needed to cover these real costs?

How would a mentality such as that ever be able to run any business in a globally competitive economy let alone a failing business, cut people if needed, cut wages, automate away jobs. all necessary just to compete in a global economy? The premise is absolutely wrong and borders on nonsensical conceptually because the Union is not an owner-manager-change mentality group, in its core, it's a fight all of that mentality in its core philosophy and reason for being. Failure at saving Chrysler therefore is a given because union management skills and core beliefs are the direct opposite of what it takes to manage, grow, profitably retool and run a business in the face of much more streamlined global competition.

Expertise in fighting management is no credential for expertise in fighting competition.

Unions are based on keeping the status quo, not giving any of it away. In the face of imminent bankruptcy, has anyone "UNION" stepped up to the plate and taken serious hits on their own to save their car company? Has the union ever tried to change directions in its negotiations from SUV manufacturing to Hybrids? Smaller cars? Did they care about whether or not their products were marketable? No! It's not their job to care, its their job to build what they are told to build.

There is virtually nothing in the union's history, action, or reason for being that has equipped it to run Chrysler and change it into what the buying public can trust and want. They are not equipped to run the manufacturer, only argue with it and this is not the trait that will save a company nor is it the environment that the forsight can be hatched from needed to manage change.

Sorry, but bye bye Chrysler. Unions do not grow business managers nor profit oriented management skills.

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