You think nobody else is doing this? This year we got: No cost of living increase or merit raises, 1 week furlough zero % 401K match No comp time for weekend travel No corporate outing No business class travel no matter what Reduce per-diem travel expenses to $55 from $65.
Belt tightening is happening everywhere. -Curt Date: Sat, 23 May 2009 10:22:31 -0500 From: "Tom Hargrave" <tharg...@hiwaay.net> Subject: Re: [MBZ] Letter from a Dodge Dealer To: "'Mercedes Discussion List'" <mercedes@okiebenz.com> Message-ID: <00f801c9dbba$4a74fa30$3400a...@tomrmkj2yanjy9> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1250" The auto makers were propped up for the benefit of the economy and not for the unions. And to set the record straight, they did not give half the company to the Union. The supposed Union ownership is actually not the union but the retirement plan. The VERBA (Employee Retirement plan) owns part of the company in place of the company making their commitment to the retirement plan whole and last I checked, the plan was only 68% funded. This is very high risk to all retirees & future retirees because if the company fails, it takes a major portion of the retirement plan with it. Would you be happy if your Employer explained in a staff meeting that you would loose about 40% of the funds in your 401K plan if they did not survive???? The Union and the Employees are not happy about this but it's another decision that had to be made, it's not any different than the dealership decision. Also, everyone involved gave up their share to make this work. My Wife is a UAW Union worker, one who in your opinion benefited the most from this. Her part of the concessions were: She took a $2.00 / hour pay cut. She lost her COLA (cost of living) adjustment. She will get no pay raise over the next 4 years. We have reduced medical benefits. And as a result, the cost of my appointments & medication just increased by $120 / month. In addition, she did not receive a pay raise over the last 4 years - this works out to 8 years with a $2.00 / hour pay cut that translates into a much larger pay cut with inflation! Would you work for someone, anyone, knowing that you would not get a pay raise in 8 years? Probably not! Thanks, Tom Hargrave www.kegkits.com http://www.kegkits.com/JABF/ 256-656-1924 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://okiebenz.com/pipermail/mercedes_okiebenz.com/attachments/20090526/af82015e/attachment.html> _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
