Ben & Jen
On google.com news there’sthis headline
“J.Lo and Ben Look Forward to Next Film”
Let’s see, that makes the score
6 Billion to 2.
Wednesday, August 06, 2003
Tuesday, August 05, 2003
Hof's Ramblings on Contract Negotiations - Part One
Michigan Teachers earn more than UAW Legal Services Attorneys
From an article in the July 5, 2003 Detroit Free Press
"The average teacher in Michigan earns $52,497 a year, more than $8,000 above the national average of $44,367, the survey shows. "
"The AFT said teacher salaries would be lower than those of white-collar peers -- such as accountants and engineers -- even if teachers worked a 12-month year. Factoring in an additional 35 days, the average teacher salary would be $52,541, the survey said. "
Lower than those of white-collar peers? In the words of Fluffy the Guinea pig, "I DON'T THINK SO!"
We at local 3357 are at a disadvantage on contract bargaining time when we negotiate in Detroit. We are always the visiting team. We're away from our work and families. The Plan's negotiators can go home to their families at night, and get their work done on breaks. It is a horrid negotiating practice and one that we were crazy to ever adopt. It would be better for us to pool our support behind the Michigan group, stay home & save money than to go up to Michigan for protracted bargaining sessions at contract renegotiation time.
This article suggests that we may be lucky to have Michigan brethren to do pattern bargaining. If the Michigan teachers bargain substantially higher than the national average, then there is potential for Michigan UAW LSP attorneys to do the same thing.
It would be interesting to use teacher contracts as a reference when setting up our contracts. Teachers start much lower than attorneys, in the 30s, but the Michigan public school teachers top out well over $60,000, with bonuses for a masters degree etc. These contracts are publicly available on the web. Very few other professionals collectively bargain.
As a second touchstone, we can use the UAW's own contracts. We need to make it clear to the UAW members that we make less than they do. Not only do we make less, but on the last contract, they received double the raise that we did. Secondly, we do not have the pension benefits or other side benefits that they do.
How about the argument: "If I can hire as many lawyers as I want for $45000, why should I pay AFSCME 3357 members $60,000." The answer is reflected in the whole nature of collective bargaining.
I can hire all the high school graduates that I want to do auto assembly for $35000 a year, why should I pay them $50,000 - because that's what the union held out for, and I agreed. Ditto teachers. Nonunion teachers make substantially less than unionized teachers. Why should unionized attorneys make the same OR less than nonunionized attorneys?
Part of the answer is that we have historically not even considered playing the strike clause. Ok, that's fine (even though UAW-represented legal services lawyers struck in New York.)
There are other alternatives - informational picketing, working without a contract, disbanding and forming a professional association. I hope to discuss these in future installments.
The Plan is likely to take a hard line at contract negotiations. It will be challenging to come out with a favorable contract. The auto industry is contracting. Healthcare costs are skyrocketing. Nevertheless, we can't give up come contract time. Each one of us has to challenge ourselves to say no to a marginal offer.
Michigan Teachers earn more than UAW Legal Services Attorneys
From an article in the July 5, 2003 Detroit Free Press
"The average teacher in Michigan earns $52,497 a year, more than $8,000 above the national average of $44,367, the survey shows. "
"The AFT said teacher salaries would be lower than those of white-collar peers -- such as accountants and engineers -- even if teachers worked a 12-month year. Factoring in an additional 35 days, the average teacher salary would be $52,541, the survey said. "
Lower than those of white-collar peers? In the words of Fluffy the Guinea pig, "I DON'T THINK SO!"
We at local 3357 are at a disadvantage on contract bargaining time when we negotiate in Detroit. We are always the visiting team. We're away from our work and families. The Plan's negotiators can go home to their families at night, and get their work done on breaks. It is a horrid negotiating practice and one that we were crazy to ever adopt. It would be better for us to pool our support behind the Michigan group, stay home & save money than to go up to Michigan for protracted bargaining sessions at contract renegotiation time.
This article suggests that we may be lucky to have Michigan brethren to do pattern bargaining. If the Michigan teachers bargain substantially higher than the national average, then there is potential for Michigan UAW LSP attorneys to do the same thing.
It would be interesting to use teacher contracts as a reference when setting up our contracts. Teachers start much lower than attorneys, in the 30s, but the Michigan public school teachers top out well over $60,000, with bonuses for a masters degree etc. These contracts are publicly available on the web. Very few other professionals collectively bargain.
As a second touchstone, we can use the UAW's own contracts. We need to make it clear to the UAW members that we make less than they do. Not only do we make less, but on the last contract, they received double the raise that we did. Secondly, we do not have the pension benefits or other side benefits that they do.
How about the argument: "If I can hire as many lawyers as I want for $45000, why should I pay AFSCME 3357 members $60,000." The answer is reflected in the whole nature of collective bargaining.
I can hire all the high school graduates that I want to do auto assembly for $35000 a year, why should I pay them $50,000 - because that's what the union held out for, and I agreed. Ditto teachers. Nonunion teachers make substantially less than unionized teachers. Why should unionized attorneys make the same OR less than nonunionized attorneys?
Part of the answer is that we have historically not even considered playing the strike clause. Ok, that's fine (even though UAW-represented legal services lawyers struck in New York.)
There are other alternatives - informational picketing, working without a contract, disbanding and forming a professional association. I hope to discuss these in future installments.
The Plan is likely to take a hard line at contract negotiations. It will be challenging to come out with a favorable contract. The auto industry is contracting. Healthcare costs are skyrocketing. Nevertheless, we can't give up come contract time. Each one of us has to challenge ourselves to say no to a marginal offer.
UAW CONTRACT BARGAINING BEGINS
The UAW is now bargaining on its major automaker contracts. All AFSCME 3357 members should keep a close eye on this. As you know, our last contract wasn't as good as theirs. (More on that later.) Now, however the UAW is under a lot of pressure regarding healthcare costs and overcapacity causing the need for plant closings. (It would have helped if the Big 3 would have put more money into its main line products, and less into merging with German Automakers, buying Jaguar, Daewoo, Volvo, Saab, and dumping money into a black hole called FIAT.)
The UAW is now bargaining on its major automaker contracts. All AFSCME 3357 members should keep a close eye on this. As you know, our last contract wasn't as good as theirs. (More on that later.) Now, however the UAW is under a lot of pressure regarding healthcare costs and overcapacity causing the need for plant closings. (It would have helped if the Big 3 would have put more money into its main line products, and less into merging with German Automakers, buying Jaguar, Daewoo, Volvo, Saab, and dumping money into a black hole called FIAT.)
Another CAFE increase is shot down: Is LED (Solid State) Lighting our best hope for achievable energy-consumption reduction?
Last week, the Senate rejected an increase in CAFE fuel efficiency requirements for light trucks. Newsweek ran a story discussing why the US lacks an energy policy due to powerful special interests, including autoworkers.
Here's an energy initiative that everyone can get behind - changing our lightbulbs. Almost no lightbulbs are made in the United States. We have the opportunity to grow a new industry, LED lighting, that can save 10% or more of our energy consumption.
More than 10% of our energy consumption comes from lighting. More than 90% of the energy consumed by a standard incandescent bulb is dissipated as heat. New LED lighting technologies are 90% efficient at producing light, not heat. This means that you don't have to pay to chill the heat out of the air with air-conditioning.
What's the catch? The technology is still low on the experience curve. There is little mass production in place. (Although Honda does use LED lighting in its 2003 Accord.)
If the progressive consumer lobby would press for stong government backing of new lighting technologies, including having the GSA purchase large quantities for government buildings, we can get this technology up to speed faster - this would be a good face saving measure as a consulation when the lawmakers reject the next CAFE increase proposal.
For a Sandia National Laboratories report on LED lighting click the link below.
(I wish Blogger.com had a spellchecker.)
Last week, the Senate rejected an increase in CAFE fuel efficiency requirements for light trucks. Newsweek ran a story discussing why the US lacks an energy policy due to powerful special interests, including autoworkers.
Here's an energy initiative that everyone can get behind - changing our lightbulbs. Almost no lightbulbs are made in the United States. We have the opportunity to grow a new industry, LED lighting, that can save 10% or more of our energy consumption.
More than 10% of our energy consumption comes from lighting. More than 90% of the energy consumed by a standard incandescent bulb is dissipated as heat. New LED lighting technologies are 90% efficient at producing light, not heat. This means that you don't have to pay to chill the heat out of the air with air-conditioning.
What's the catch? The technology is still low on the experience curve. There is little mass production in place. (Although Honda does use LED lighting in its 2003 Accord.)
If the progressive consumer lobby would press for stong government backing of new lighting technologies, including having the GSA purchase large quantities for government buildings, we can get this technology up to speed faster - this would be a good face saving measure as a consulation when the lawmakers reject the next CAFE increase proposal.
For a Sandia National Laboratories report on LED lighting click the link below.
(I wish Blogger.com had a spellchecker.)
White Collar Jobs the next thing for globalization
The next time you talk to an insurance adjuster - could the adjuster be in Punjab? Here's an interesting USA Today article about the trend of exporting white collar jobs.
Blue Collar workers aren't the only folks who have to worry about the effect of globalization.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2003-08-05-outsourcing_x.htm
The next time you talk to an insurance adjuster - could the adjuster be in Punjab? Here's an interesting USA Today article about the trend of exporting white collar jobs.
Blue Collar workers aren't the only folks who have to worry about the effect of globalization.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2003-08-05-outsourcing_x.htm
Friday, July 11, 2003
A 40 MPG Ford Taurus?
Could Ford be selling a Ford Taurus right now that gets a real-world 40 MPG? Well, they could, but they aren't.
In the European markets, the Ford Mondeo (just slightly smaller than the Taurus -- a little larger than the Ford Contour that was sold here in the 1990s) is getting a new direct injection gasoline engine. The tester for Yahoo cars got 39 mpg consistently in real world driving conditions.
The Mondeo is based upon the world car platform that gave us the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique in the 1990s. Ford cancelled the Contour and Mystique to use the plant for the Ford Escape SUV. In doing so, Ford replaced a car that got up to 34 mpg with a truck that topped out at 28. As the new Mondeo shows, using current technology, and automatic-transmission family-sized car can get 40 mpg without resorting to hybrid technology. At the same time Ford (and other carmakers) lobbied Congress saying they couldn't meet tougher fuel economy standards.
The Engine of the Mondeo 1.8 SCi is a direct injected 1.8 liter gasoline engine. Direct injection gasoline engines (modern ones anyway) were introduced in Japan in the mid 1990s. They have not made it to the U.S. yet because of emissions concerns and the fact that they don't get along with our gasoline standards. Similar issues regarding the quality of our diesel fuel have kept high performance turbo-diesels out of our market as well. If the automakers would have spent have the time lobbying for cleaner fuel as they have spent lobbying against higher CAFE standards, we never would have had to invade Iraq.
Could Ford be selling a Ford Taurus right now that gets a real-world 40 MPG? Well, they could, but they aren't.
In the European markets, the Ford Mondeo (just slightly smaller than the Taurus -- a little larger than the Ford Contour that was sold here in the 1990s) is getting a new direct injection gasoline engine. The tester for Yahoo cars got 39 mpg consistently in real world driving conditions.
The Mondeo is based upon the world car platform that gave us the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique in the 1990s. Ford cancelled the Contour and Mystique to use the plant for the Ford Escape SUV. In doing so, Ford replaced a car that got up to 34 mpg with a truck that topped out at 28. As the new Mondeo shows, using current technology, and automatic-transmission family-sized car can get 40 mpg without resorting to hybrid technology. At the same time Ford (and other carmakers) lobbied Congress saying they couldn't meet tougher fuel economy standards.
The Engine of the Mondeo 1.8 SCi is a direct injected 1.8 liter gasoline engine. Direct injection gasoline engines (modern ones anyway) were introduced in Japan in the mid 1990s. They have not made it to the U.S. yet because of emissions concerns and the fact that they don't get along with our gasoline standards. Similar issues regarding the quality of our diesel fuel have kept high performance turbo-diesels out of our market as well. If the automakers would have spent have the time lobbying for cleaner fuel as they have spent lobbying against higher CAFE standards, we never would have had to invade Iraq.
Monday, July 07, 2003
Notebook Computers Outsell Desktops
For the first time, notebook computers outsold desktops in May. To me, this just makes sense. The displays are so good now, and they're plenty fast enough. The price difference is at a record low. Here's a tip. If you are buying a notebook computer, make sure it has a graphics chip from either NVidia or ATI. Without a third party graphics chip, you are really crippling your system performance.
zdnet.com.com/2100-1103_2-1022905.html
For the first time, notebook computers outsold desktops in May. To me, this just makes sense. The displays are so good now, and they're plenty fast enough. The price difference is at a record low. Here's a tip. If you are buying a notebook computer, make sure it has a graphics chip from either NVidia or ATI. Without a third party graphics chip, you are really crippling your system performance.
zdnet.com.com/2100-1103_2-1022905.html
Is Chrysler the "World's Sweatshop"
Thecarconnection.com editorial writer Jerry Flint calls Daimler Chrysler the "World's Sweatshop" because of the company's current campaign to make suppliers match Chinese prices.
(Flint refers to a New York Times series on the subject, but I couldn't find it in my search of the nyt.com site.)
Here's the Flint editorial:
www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=6179&sid=192&n=156
Quoting from Flint's editorial:
"Nice work for Peter Rosenfeld, who is Chrysler’s purchasing chief. You want our American suppliers to match prices from “The World’s Sweatshop.” Do you want them to match working conditions, too? How about death rates among Chinese workers? Do you want those matched, too?"
and
"Another thing, I haven’t noticed that Daimler in Germany, the parent company, has told its suppliers over there to match Chinese prices. You know, Bosch GmbH and Siemens and ZF Friedrichshafen and ThyssenKrupp and Continental AG and Freudenberg and Behr and Benteler and Mahle GmbH. Enough of the names. You get the idea."
and
"Could it be that the Board of Supervisors of Daimler, and every other German company, includes a strong representation from the workers and their unions? That they might not be happy to have their fellow German workers at parts-making plants put out of work because they couldn’t match the sweatshop pay and conditions in China?"
Here Here Jerry!
www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=6179&sid=192&n=156
Thecarconnection.com editorial writer Jerry Flint calls Daimler Chrysler the "World's Sweatshop" because of the company's current campaign to make suppliers match Chinese prices.
(Flint refers to a New York Times series on the subject, but I couldn't find it in my search of the nyt.com site.)
Here's the Flint editorial:
www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=6179&sid=192&n=156
Quoting from Flint's editorial:
"Nice work for Peter Rosenfeld, who is Chrysler’s purchasing chief. You want our American suppliers to match prices from “The World’s Sweatshop.” Do you want them to match working conditions, too? How about death rates among Chinese workers? Do you want those matched, too?"
and
"Another thing, I haven’t noticed that Daimler in Germany, the parent company, has told its suppliers over there to match Chinese prices. You know, Bosch GmbH and Siemens and ZF Friedrichshafen and ThyssenKrupp and Continental AG and Freudenberg and Behr and Benteler and Mahle GmbH. Enough of the names. You get the idea."
and
"Could it be that the Board of Supervisors of Daimler, and every other German company, includes a strong representation from the workers and their unions? That they might not be happy to have their fellow German workers at parts-making plants put out of work because they couldn’t match the sweatshop pay and conditions in China?"
Here Here Jerry!
www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=6179&sid=192&n=156
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