UAW stages six-hour strike to push through contract betrayal at Chrysler

The World Socialist Web Site spoke with Chrysler workers as they began picketing Wednesday morning at a stamping factory and assembly plant in Sterling Heights, Michigan. The UAW called off the strike six hours after it began (see “UAW stages six-hour strike to push through contract betrayal at Chrysler”).

Robert Hogberg, a metal worker with 13 years with Chrysler, said, “The union has slowly been selling us out for years, reopening contracts in the middle of an agreement and giving the company everything it wants.

“You can’t keep blaming the blue collar worker. What about management? They can’t run this place.

“The company and the union pit one local plant against others, telling us to accept a ‘modern operating agreement’ or we won’t have vehicles to build and jobs. All the Big Three auto workers should stick together or we’re not going have anything left.

“Cerberus is a private company and they don’t have to report anything. There are no checks and balances on them.”

Another worker, with 11 years seniority at Chrysler, said, “I used to work at Westinghouse. Ever since I came to Chrysler they have been downsizing and blaming the workers for the lack of car sales.

“It’s not the cost of hourly wages that causes the problem. Wages only make up 10 percent of the cost of a vehicle. How does Toyota do it paying the same wages? I don’t know all the ins and outs of the Japanese system, but they don’t pay their CEOs what they get paid in America.