[34663]

I'm going out right now and stockpiling some V-Rods.

 

[iamz]

This should be amusing.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Grab the popcorn.

 

[Fenton]

Don't forget the butter, I'll save your seat.

 

[acecycleins]

So, union worker? Face it, HD is trying to STOP what is happening to GM from happening there at HD. Unions in this case get too bull-headed. If they would concede something now it will stop long term problems later. Like plants closing or lay-offs. Either of which are worse than the "tier 2" pay or making you pay for part of your health care.

Doesn't matter what the Execs make. They get paid for performance. They make the decisions that make the company money and if the reward looks lopsided then go back to school, get educated, land an Exec Job and benefit the same way.

 

[Thig]

I heard an interesting debate about this. If the workers could do what the CEO has done, then why are they assembling bikes? If the CEO is smart enough to build the company to its present state, then he is worth the money. Where I have a problem is when a company is going downhill like Home Depot and the head man still gets a several million dollar severance package.

 

[The_AirHawk]

Could it be that the CEO is the son of the Previous CEO, who is the son of the CEO before him........?



Nah. There's no way that's possible.

 

[54344]

Seems to me that the union folks do not appreciate a great health care benefit. Ned

 

[33129]

Let's take a look at the employment history in PA. It was once dominated by steel mills and coal mines. Very rich tradition of unions. I'd take me a quick look-see of just how many times-average-worker-salary the top brass of HD is making. The average mutiplier has jumped greatly in the last 30 years. Looks like some give and take will be occuring. Hopefully there will be more of an "us" attitude than a "we/they" but I rather doubt it. Companies have historically been blessed with the unions they deserve.

 

[seruzawa]

Omigosh. Only $18.25 per hour for starting semi-skilled labor. Guarantees raises. Horrors. How eeevil Harley is.

 

[longride]

I think you should take a closer look at how many union steel mills and union coal mines are still in operation. With many people willing to do their job for lots less money, they should think REAL HARD how much that strike could cost them.

 

[28945]

Let's C now ---- HD asks that workers contribute to their medical plan costs, doubles the 401k matching % and provides a 12% raise over 3 years. I should be so lucky. OK, bros, go on strike and find yourself looking squarely at the dismal ultimate results we already see in the rest of the domestic automotive industry. Instead of questioning the compensation and profit distribution of HD, perhaps we should be looking at the compensation and the partisan lobbying expenditures of the workers union bosses.

 

[seruzawa]

"Bleustein, chairman and CEO of the Milwaukee motorcycle maker, drew a salary of $768,780 and a bonus of $1,945,013 -- the biggest bonus of the executives in the survey. He also had a realized value of $10.3 million on stock options he exercised."

http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/news/hits/020609mjs.htm

Doesn't sound unreasonable. Especially considering that the company would collapse in ruin if a union worker or official tried to run it.

Also of interest to me is what the Union bosses make. Anyone want to bet that the CEO of the United Steelworkers makes less than $768,780 in salary?

 

[sarnali2]

While Harley's been selling everything they make any money made off the vasaline tax was a dealer issue not a factory issue, so yes they've been making money, but no probably not as much as you'd think.



The contract as presented here is pretty standard anymore, increased contributions and co-pays for medical from the members with increases to retirement and general wage increase and cola's from the company.



My own union, I.U.O.E. had to go through the same song and dance last time our contract came up, all in all it was a fair package but we lost some ground over here and made up some over there. Just the way it is anymore.



A strike authorization doesn't mean anything, that just shows the company the union has the members support going into negotiations, without a strike authorization from the members the union has no teeth at the bargaining table and both sides know it.

 

[seruzawa]

Gosh man, there's a really simple solution for those who get all exercised about how much management people make. Start your own company! I'm sure that anyone will make exactly what they're worth.

 

[sarnali2]

Harley is coverd by IAM not United Steelworkers. IAM's been loosing ground for years with the domestic airline and defence industry however I don't doubt they're well compensted just the same

 

[Fenton]

That's $20,000 more than you going to make with the same skill set w/o the union.

 

[rconcor]

Good thinking. The ones from Harley-China won't be a good investment any time soon. Maybe the execs should be wondering about life without free unions, and their own chances in that environment. (Yeah, it's just a rumour.)

But, just think, if no one complained, nothing would change for the better. Hey, wait a minute! Nothing is getting any better...

 

[32849]

It seems impossible to have an opinion about the cba given the lack of detail in this story. Does Harley only make bikes in the US? Would Harley buyers buy a bike made in Mexico?

 

[schizuki]

"How much did Harley's CEO make last year? How much did their bike assembly personnel?"



How much money was the CEO making in the four-six years he was in college training for his job? How much did that education cost? How much was he in the hole after that time compared to the high-school-graduate sprocket-fitter who was pulling down $20 an hour for that four-six years?



Any monkey can turn a screw. Takes a bit more rarified skills to run a multi-million dollar corporation.