Live data from Hacker News

Audi's unions demand electric model for main German plant

reuters.com

71–80 of 97 posts

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

#71
This is impressive, and I'm usually not a fan of unions, but they actually thinking ahead and switching to a electric vehicle must mean that at least some of their members will have to either drastically change what they do become unemployed, possibly both, which can't be an easy sell.

I am also entirely certain the union is entirely correct in how they see the future.

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

#72
post #3
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.

German unions are entirely different because in German companies 50% of the board are elected by employees (and the other 50% by the investors). This obviously changes power dynamics quite a bit.

I would love to see this in the US. The german economy doesn't seem to be suffering the same sort of financialization problems as the US/UK, perhaps due to historical memory.

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

#73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But aren't US and French unions considered weak compared to Germany ? That would make the stance correct.

Companies and unions are in a prisoner's dilemma, the german/nordic model works because both parties cooperate, historically US or French companies have not been cooperative (many a US labor movement or union was put down by private armies — pinkerton was a big one — or even the US army). If the union cooperates with an uncooperative company it just gets rolled over, if the union is combative it works better (until t…

Germany has a lot of govt. financed/controlled businesses.

Lower Saxony (German state) has 20% voting control of Volkswagen, Audi's parent company. There are also anti-takeover restrictions such as shareholder ownership caps.

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

#74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This works well in companies where managers don't have a lot of imagination and who's first reaction is to fire staff when the going gets tough. Not really that's US-style or French-style management and the result is hard clashes between labour and management.

But aren't US and French unions considered weak compared to Germany ? That would make the stance correct.

I wouldn't call french unions weak. They are quite famous for their strikes. Here's an Economist blog post about them: http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/03/ec...

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

#75
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But aren't US and French unions considered weak compared to Germany ? That would make the stance correct.

In my university days the statistics showed that a lot of more strikes happen in France and USA compared to Germany. Theory was that the German model had more build in mechanism to deescalate problems between booth parties regulated by law. From my perspective the unions are really weak these days.

IIRC, Japan also has more cooperative unions where Unions and businesses seek the long term viability of a company as well as worker welfare, even when that results in people idling at the windows.

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

#76
post #20
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

What oil?

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

#77
post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But aren't US and French unions considered weak compared to Germany ? That would make the stance correct.

I wouldn't call french unions weak. They are quite famous for their strikes. Here's an Economist blog post about them: http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/03/ec...

Hmm. I live in Belgium and I believe being famous for their strikes isn't a good indicator of their real weight. Media and journalists makes much more noise covering the strikes than strikers actually do.

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

#78
This is absolutely why German unions are awesome, read this: "Labor leaders at Volkswagen's (VOWG_p.DE) luxury Audi brand have asked top management to assign production of an all-electric model to the carmaker's main plant in Germany, concerned they might lose out as electric cars gain in importance."

The reason for the Union speaking out is twofold: The workers want to have the necessary skill set in building EV and they also want the company to stay in front of the market. This kind of communication allows management to actually see those things that they couldn't perceive in their normal view from atop.

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

#79
post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But aren't US and French unions considered weak compared to Germany ? That would make the stance correct.

I wouldn't call french unions weak. They are quite famous for their strikes. Here's an Economist blog post about them: http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/03/ec...

[deleted]

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

#80
post #78

This is absolutely why German unions are awesome, read this: "Labor leaders at Volkswagen's (VOWG_p.DE) luxury Audi brand have asked top management to assign production of an all-electric model to the carmaker's main plant in Germany, concerned they might lose out as electric cars gain in importance." The reason for the Union speaking out is twofold: The workers want to have the necessary skill set in building EV and…

> This is absolutely why German unions are awesome

curious: What about this is specific to German unions?

Post reply on HN