Workers at GM, Ford to Score Nice Bonuses This Year

[Rockntractor]

Profit-sharing bonuses for United Auto Workers’ members at Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) and General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) are expected to be at least as large as last year’s payout at General Motors and larger than the year-ago bonuses paid at Ford. Approximately 55,000 GM hourly workers and 40,000 Ford employees are in line for the payments.

GM workers can expect bonuses of between $5,500 and $7,000, and Ford’s employees could receive a payment of more than $8,000 each, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The payments are based on a formula that gives workers a $1 bonus for every $1 million in North American operating profit at the two companies.

U.S. auto sales are on track to top 14.5 million units in 2012, up 14% over last year’s sales total. In the first three quarters of the year, GM has posted operating profit of $5.55 billion and Ford’s profit totals nearly $6.5 billion. And the fourth quarter looks good too.

Read more: Workers at GM, Ford to Score Nice Bonuses This Year - 24/7 Wall St. http://247wallst.com/2012/12/21/work...#ixzz2FkWL01pB
The rest of us need to tighten our belts.

[xbow]

It's a disgrace.
Here's another one...union job, of course...They think they're SOOOOO "special"


http://gothamist.com/2009/10/20/stagehands.php

"Stagehand$ Salary at Carnegie Hall Hits Half a Million"

You may get to Carnegie Hall through practice, but you get to walk away from Carnegie Hall with a half million a year by being a stagehand at the legendary venue.

Bloomberg News blows the lid off the shocking salaries that Carnegie doles out annually, saying that while "a star pianist can receive $20,000 a night... he or she would have to perform at least 27 times to match the income of Dennis O’Connell, who oversees props at the hall."

Indeed, O’Connell made $530,044 in salary and benefits last year, and the four other members of his full time team (including two carpenters and two electricians) each took home about $430,543. The site points out that the stagehands "benefit from a strong union: Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees." Stagehands at the hall do everything from move equipment to prep work on the three stages to operate audiovisual and sound fixtures, and only the Artistic and Executive Director, Clive Gillinson, makes more — earning a whopping $946,581 per year.

[Novaheart]

It's a disgrace.
Here's another one...union job, of course...They think they're SOOOOO "special"

Envy is an ugly thing.

[SaintLouieWoman]

Envy is an ugly thing.

Even uglier is what the unions are doing to this country.

[Novaheart]

Even uglier is what the unions are doing to this country.

Every time CEO salaries are criticized we're told it's none of our business. We're told how special they are and how hard they work. Sycophants seem to think that praising such excess will lead them to a peerage. I would agree that the earnings of these people are Carnegie Hall are excessive, but at least there is some actual proof of their hours as opposed to the CEO who maintains that he is working at lunch, shopping, and in the barbershop.

Let's face it: the entire theory of value is bullshit. Madonna is not worth $200 a ticket when there are equal talents out there who would perform for free to get their name in lights. Donald Trump is a walking scam. The Walton family are parasites who profit from poverty worldwide. Pat Robertson and the Pope should both be symbols of shame. Who the hell is buying Buicks and Mazdas?

[Rockntractor]

Every time CEO salaries are criticized we're told it's none of our business. We're told how special they are and how hard they work. Sycophants seem to think that praising such excess will lead them to a peerage. I would agree that the earnings of these people are Carnegie Hall are excessive, but at least there is some actual proof of their hours as opposed to the CEO who maintains that he is working at lunch, shopping, and in the barbershop.

Let's face it: the entire theory of value is bullshit. Madonna is not worth $200 a ticket when there are equal talents out there who would perform for free to get their name in lights. Donald Trump is a walking scam. The Walton family are parasites who profit from poverty worldwide. Pat Robertson and the Pope should both be symbols of shame. Who the hell is buying Buicks and Mazdas?

Taxpayers are paying GM salaries.

[xbow]

Every time CEO salaries are criticized we're told it's none of our business. We're told how special they are and how hard they work. Sycophants seem to think that praising such excess will lead them to a peerage. I would agree that the earnings of these people are Carnegie Hall are excessive, but at least there is some actual proof of their hours as opposed to the CEO who maintains that he is working at lunch, shopping, and in the barbershop.

There are strict union rules regarding who can do what on a production..Need to change a light bulb?..gotta call an electrician...4 hour minimum at 25$ per hour. Changing the bulb takes what?..20 seconds?..Oh is it in the ceiling?..Wait..you need a rigger who is authorized to climb or work above the ground...at least 35 an hour...4 hour minimum...
Is the door on the flat sticky?..Need a carpenter...another 4 hour minimum at 25$.
Working the 90 minute show? Spotlight operator?...4 hour minimum...handling props? 4 hour minimum. Pulling the rope to open the curtain in the beginning and close it at the end? 4 hour minimum...

Anything past midnight is time and a half...anything over 8 hours is time and a half...If you work 4 hours you have to either get fed a hot meal on site (on the clock) or walk away for an hour.

A lot of union houses don't even let you operate some of your own gear. They have someone who will operate the lightboard while taking cues from the lighting director...you direct them on getting the gear in, set up and then you program it and write the cues...during the show there is one button to "execute" a cue...the union guy sits there and pushes that button..when you tell him to...

Some places there are "ghost" positions...a union stagehand stays with every crew member during load in and the show...they don't really DO anything but they are there as union reps for each department..carps, electrics, riggers, props, sound, lights...etc..

so yeah..the "earnings" of these people is "excessive"..and it's NOT based on how much you know..it's a family job passed along from generation to generation..I've seen union members that were CLUELESS about production..but they have a job for life...with benefits...

Let's face it: the entire theory of value is bullshit. Madonna is not worth $200 a ticket when there are equal talents out there who would perform for free to get their name in lights. Donald Trump is a walking scam. The Walton family are parasites who profit from poverty worldwide. Pat Robertson and the Pope should both be symbols of shame. Who the hell is buying Buicks and Mazdas?

No..the entire "theory" of "value" is exactly what people will pay for a product or a service. Do it better than the next guy and you (should) prosper.
Madonna is "worth" more than that chick down the street singing in the coffee shop...The Rolling Stones are "worth" more than the band playing at your local nightclub...
A Cadillac is "worth" more than a volkswagen. There are valid reasons for those things.

[ReinMan]

Every time CEO salaries are criticized we're told it's none of our business. We're told how special they are and how hard they work. Sycophants seem to think that praising such excess will lead them to a peerage. I would agree that the earnings of these people are Carnegie Hall are excessive, but at least there is some actual proof of their hours as opposed to the CEO who maintains that he is working at lunch, shopping, and in the barbershop.

Let's face it: the entire theory of value is bullshit. Madonna is not worth $200 a ticket when there are equal talents out there who would perform for free to get their name in lights. Donald Trump is a walking scam. The Walton family are parasites who profit from poverty worldwide. Pat Robertson and the Pope should both be symbols of shame. Who the hell is buying Buicks and Mazdas?

There's a fundamental difference between the overpaid CEOs and the overpaid union workers:

The CEOs compete in a relatively open market for their compensations and benefits, while the union sets their wages, benefits and rules of work as a collective at the bargaining table.

Imagine the righteous fury of the progressives if Exxon-Mobil, BP, Shell, et. al. announced, "We've all gotten together and decided that we're going to charge X dollars per gallon for gas, and we've also decided there will be conditions on who can buy gas where. What's more, since this isn't a right-to-work state, it's illegal for you to buy gas from any one not in our group."

[xbow]

Envy is an ugly thing.

I wouldn't know. I'll have to defer to you on that.

Skills, knowledge, aptitude and experience SHOULD be the only criteria used in hiring and wages...not which union you're a member of.