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Audi's unions demand electric model for main German plant

reuters.com

11–20 of 97 posts

Re: Audi's unions demand electric model for main German plant

#11
post #6
post #2

Is it me or unions on Germany are a species of their own kind? I mean I'm expected the union to do strikes to raise salaries, protect laziness and unproductive workers, counter automation and firing of current workers... Edit: I'm not sure why I'm getting down-voted over this.

Many people and organizations with a lot of power have spent a lot of time and money giving you that impression. Unions have done a great deal of good worldwide, but no 'it's Henry Ford that's responsible for the 40 hour week' etc. PS: Remember, the best way to keep power long term is to convince everyone else to hand it to you.

>it's Henry Ford that's responsible for the 40 hour week etc.

Your comment is pretty hard to parse, but that's not a thing that I've ever hard anybody say.

>PS: Remember, the best way to keep power long term is to convince everyone else to hand it to you.

Your phrasing makes me think that you're trying to be sarcastic, but that's exactly how every long term transition of power has ever worked. If people are not convinced that you should have the power, they will take it away on a whim. See, for example, the US civil rights movement vs. the emancipation proclamation and civil war. The South was not in general convinced by the emancipation proclamation, and so the oppression continued in the extreme. The civil rights movement did an awful lot of convincing, and though there are still those that are unconvinced, the power transition was far more lasting and complete. Force only works as long as you have the upper hand. Convincing works as long as the other person is convinced.

Re: Audi's unions demand electric model for main German plant

#12
post #6
post #2

Is it me or unions on Germany are a species of their own kind? I mean I'm expected the union to do strikes to raise salaries, protect laziness and unproductive workers, counter automation and firing of current workers... Edit: I'm not sure why I'm getting down-voted over this.

Many people and organizations with a lot of power have spent a lot of time and money giving you that impression. Unions have done a great deal of good worldwide, but no 'it's Henry Ford that's responsible for the 40 hour week' etc. PS: Remember, the best way to keep power long term is to convince everyone else to hand it to you.

40 hour work week? Unions

Weekend off? Unions

9-5? Unions

Retirement Savings? Unions

Pension Program? Unions

Health Benefits? Unions

Vacation Time? Unions

Sick Time? Unions

Lunch break? Unions

Work place safety regulations? Unions

Boss threaten to fire you if you don't let him screw your wife? Unions

Re: Audi's unions demand electric model for main German plant

#13
post #2

Is it me or unions on Germany are a species of their own kind? I mean I'm expected the union to do strikes to raise salaries, protect laziness and unproductive workers, counter automation and firing of current workers... Edit: I'm not sure why I'm getting down-voted over this.

There's a mindset in much of europe that labor and capital are partners in determining a company's or even industry's future. In fact, the unions often sit down to negotiate with the government and industry leaders as equals to set industry policies.

Re: Audi's unions demand electric model for main German plant

#14
post #9

As a former Audi owner, I wonder if the "audi service position" will be applicable to their electric cars. Tangental I know, but I would be curious to know if they will make their cars easier/cheaper to service. I never really had much trouble with my A4, but maintenance costs upwards of 1k per 6 months(I was driving a lot of miles at the time) turned me off to the ownership experience.

What do you drive now if you don't mind me asking? Current Audi owner here. Similar experience, but I don't mind.

I decided I wasn't rolling the dice on build quality and reliability enough so I got a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT. :) So far Ive been pretty lucky with its reliability, and parts/service are orders of magnitude cheaper.

Re: Audi's unions demand electric model for main German plant

#15
post #2

Is it me or unions on Germany are a species of their own kind? I mean I'm expected the union to do strikes to raise salaries, protect laziness and unproductive workers, counter automation and firing of current workers... Edit: I'm not sure why I'm getting down-voted over this.

> I'm not sure why I'm getting down-voted over this.

Because you first expressed a misunderstanding about what unions are and then expressed a misunderstanding about how this site works.

Re: Audi's unions demand electric model for main German plant

#16
post #9

As a former Audi owner, I wonder if the "audi service position" will be applicable to their electric cars. Tangental I know, but I would be curious to know if they will make their cars easier/cheaper to service. I never really had much trouble with my A4, but maintenance costs upwards of 1k per 6 months(I was driving a lot of miles at the time) turned me off to the ownership experience.

Electric cars are far from perfect, but the simple fact that they have less moving parts than an ICE vehicle. No fanbelts to stretch, no flywheels to break, no fuel injection pump, etc, etc.

Other than normal wear and tear, there should be massively less maintenance required for electric vehicles.

Re: Audi's unions demand electric model for main German plant

#17
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many people and organizations with a lot of power have spent a lot of time and money giving you that impression. Unions have done a great deal of good worldwide, but no 'it's Henry Ford that's responsible for the 40 hour week' etc. PS: Remember, the best way to keep power long term is to convince everyone else to hand it to you.

>it's Henry Ford that's responsible for the 40 hour week etc. Your comment is pretty hard to parse, but that's not a thing that I've ever hard anybody say. >PS: Remember, the best way to keep power long term is to convince everyone else to hand it to you. Your phrasing makes me think that you're trying to be sarcastic, but that's exactly how every long term transition of power has ever worked. If people are not convi…

> that's not a thing that I've ever hard anybody say.

Google search "40 hour work week Henry Ford" and it auto suggests "henry ford started 40 hour work week" "henry ford invented the 40 hour work week"

Which takes you to "Does the 8-hour day and the 40-hour week come from Henry Ford, or labor unions?" http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/sep/... "In 1914, at a time when most workers still lacked a guarantee of eight-hour days, the Ford Motor Co. attracted notice for instituting eight-hour shifts and raising wages in the manner the graphic indicates. (For many Ford workers, the work week remained six days.)"

Of note, you can get 24 hours from 4 * 6, 3 x 8, or 2 x 12 hour shifts. But, 8 * 6 is not 40.

And closes with "The claim contains some element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression, so we rate it Mostly False."

Re: Audi's unions demand electric model for main German plant

#18
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many people and organizations with a lot of power have spent a lot of time and money giving you that impression. Unions have done a great deal of good worldwide, but no 'it's Henry Ford that's responsible for the 40 hour week' etc. PS: Remember, the best way to keep power long term is to convince everyone else to hand it to you.

>it's Henry Ford that's responsible for the 40 hour week etc. Your comment is pretty hard to parse, but that's not a thing that I've ever hard anybody say. >PS: Remember, the best way to keep power long term is to convince everyone else to hand it to you. Your phrasing makes me think that you're trying to be sarcastic, but that's exactly how every long term transition of power has ever worked. If people are not convi…

> The South was not in general convinced by the emancipation proclamation, and so the oppression continued in the extreme.

It's a better example to point out that the the emancipation proclamation didn't even free all the Union's Slaves at the time. Its kind of a no-duh that the South wouldn't follow it because the emancipation proclamation was a war measure against the Confederacy. Edit: It'd also be stronger to point out Jim Crow laws in the reconstruction era

Re: Audi's unions demand electric model for main German plant

#19
post #2

Is it me or unions on Germany are a species of their own kind? I mean I'm expected the union to do strikes to raise salaries, protect laziness and unproductive workers, counter automation and firing of current workers... Edit: I'm not sure why I'm getting down-voted over this.

> Edit: I'm not sure why I'm getting down-voted over this.

Because your characterization of unions just sounds like blindly repeating the anti-union propaganda that has been so successful in the US starting from Reagan's time.

Re: Audi's unions demand electric model for main German plant

#20
post #16
post #9

As a former Audi owner, I wonder if the "audi service position" will be applicable to their electric cars. Tangental I know, but I would be curious to know if they will make their cars easier/cheaper to service. I never really had much trouble with my A4, but maintenance costs upwards of 1k per 6 months(I was driving a lot of miles at the time) turned me off to the ownership experience.

Electric cars are far from perfect, but the simple fact that they have less moving parts than an ICE vehicle. No fanbelts to stretch, no flywheels to break, no fuel injection pump, etc, etc. Other than normal wear and tear, there should be massively less maintenance required for electric vehicles.

I know the Nissan Leaf doesn't put much stress on the oil either, so changes are extremely rare. And regenerative braking takes a lot of stress off the brakes, so Tesla's brake pads are rated for 100,000 miles. No spark plugs or air filters either.
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