This was posted as a link on my Facebook page by a friend of a friend. It was someone I had worked with to someone I had worked with. The poster was a supervisor like myself and she posted it to her supervisor. They were manufacturing and I was maintenance, however, you can get something out of this no matter which ever side of the tracks you work.
I had a discussion with someone I truly admire a few years back. The discussion was by phone and we were taking about Colin Powell's speach to the U.N. The Twin Towers had been hit and we (the US) were trying to show justice in needing sanctions against Irag and or purpose to go into Iraq. General Powell had shown some slides of what appeared to be trucks which were covered. He told the U.N. what was in the trucks. WMD's. My conversation was that I didn't have X-ray vision so I didn't know what was in these trucks. I was against going into Iraq. Since then we have learned that there was nothing in these trucks.
General Powell lives by his rules and I am glad but this is one time that he should have reconsidered. Rules 3, 4 and 5 are possibly the most important rules one can follow today. I believe any presidential leader today or in the near future would or will have a harder time in selling going to war with the logic that was presented back then. People are questioning things more, but are they questioning things enough?
If you read these rules or principles that General Powell expresses and apply them to the business you are in, or work for, you can see how they would or could apply. I worked for the bankrupt company Delphi, well they have come out now with the help of the taxpayer and the federal governments strong arm men of the Treasury Dept. I heard Obama's speaches about how "everyone" was going to have to suffer some in this economical climate. And how he was going to protect the retiree. What I didn't do was to follow rules 3,4 and 5. I heard what I wanted to hear, the same way those that stood up in favor of invading Iraq because of WMD's did. I forgot to question how few the number is in the word some. The way I see it, out of a number close to maybe 200,000 GM/Delphi salaried and UAW/IUE-CWA retirees only about 20,000 or less have been put under the buss. GM salaried and UAW retirees have lost nothing. IUE-CWA members are now equal to the first two groups. The Delphi salaried retirees lost promised health care, the lack of funding to their pensions and the pursuit of a comfortable life in retirement.
I'm not sure what I could have done to have changed the outcome of the situation. Afterall, in both cases, both men made statements that they told untruths about. Maybe they believed it in their hearts. I know, circumstances beyond their control, that's always a good one. Or better yet, they are products of their environments. Yep, that's it. They are politicians or are controlled by politicians thus they know not what they speak.
3 comments:
IUE CWA workers did not end up the same as UAW ..
the UAW workers have life long health benefits thanks to a VEBA, those in the IUE lost these benfits, so they are far from equal ... a loss of life long health benefits is a loss of how much? For someone retiring at 55 with 30 years of working.. that is probably 100 - 150k
what would happen if the government decided to -across the board- end all health care for its retirees?
But its ok.. for the working class in the private sector to lose everything so that we can have our cheap imported goods..
What made it possible to have a huge middle class in this country? Pensions, fair wages, and retiree healthcare.. most of these benefits are gone for anyone who doesn't have a degree... and uinfortuinately, most people don't have a degree.
If you don't go to college, then the only way to have decent benefits is to suck off the government Teat
A country's standard of l;iving is defined by the living standard of the avg person.. and this country's standard of living is clearly deteriorating thanks to short sighted policies in government.. I want to personally thank trickled on economics for making a mess of this country's economy.. The last 30 years have made this country into a place where a working person has the odsds stacked against him or her.. the jobs that provided a way to send your kids to college etc are mostly gone.. the ladder to middle class.. mostly destroyed..
congrats to republican policies..
all for one and all for me...
Jeff,
As of this month, the IUE-CWA members are, unless you get to counting pennies, pretty much equal with their UAW brethren.
The IUE-CWA is now riding on the shirt tails of the Delphi salaried retirees VEBA. No, they are not paying anything into this VEBA. It is so the salaried folks won't see their premiums go up. There was a requirment of some number of enrollees to keep the premium stable for at least one year. It is nothing more than a numbers game. And yes, the UAW members do pay less for their health care than the UAW members monthly.
In two more years I will be a true socialist, or as you put it, sucking of the governments Teat. I collect SS and my pension is from the PBGC now so all I am waiting for is medicare. And, I went to college.
I have lived with this issue since Feb. 5th of this year. My point was and still is, get involved and ask the questions. Gen. Powell's points are good if not great but he too made a mistake. He told the American population what someone wanted him to say. I heard Obama say what I wanted him to say. I knew and know better. They pretty much all lie or tell you what you want to hear.
I did get some work done on my birds blog today. http://mybirdsblog.blogspot.com/
I was able to work between some coughing spells.
I would talk more about the health care issues as I think this country is way behind some others in health care. I know a lot of people on blogs who haven't paid a dime for any health care including open heart transplants. Imagine that.
I don't think our insurance lobby would allow that.
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