I read in the WSJ that the guarantees Ford and Chrysler made to keep employment at 95% of current levels have some escape clauses: 1. The companies can cut jobs if there's an economic downturn (okay, we knew this already); 2. They can eliminate jobs if they become more efficient at producing cars (so there are no obstacles to replacing labor with capital); 3. They can cut jobs at specific plants deemed "troubled or uncompetitive"; and 4. they can eliminate jobs if "workers who have become redundant due to productivity gains at certain plants turn down transfers" (did I hear someone say bye-bye community?). It seems that the only circumstance in which the job guarantee will take effect is if a company wants to produce fewer cars because it loses market share. Perhaps I'm missing something, but what exactly did the UAW gain with this contract? Blair Blair Sandler [EMAIL PROTECTED]
