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Tesla factory workers pushing for a union send demands to Tesla's Board

businessinsider.com

21–30 of 127 posts

Re: Tesla factory workers pushing for a union send demands to Tesla's Board

#21

This is important, we need to keep watching this closely because it might deter future big companies to manufacture in the USA. Think about Apple. This is one more thing to worry about on top of higher salaries than China.

Cheap labor is just a poisonous substitute for actual innovation.

Re: Tesla factory workers pushing for a union send demands to Tesla's Board

#22
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Germany's manufacturing companies have massive union presence in everything they do and they're some of the most successful in the planet. Let's stop with this ridiculous demonization of unions. American corporations have chosen a confrontational model with unions and staff. It doesn't have to be this way. There are better models around if the owners of capital are willing to cooperate with workers.

I feel like this is a dirty part of our culture and legal system - it almost seems like boards are legally obligated to seek as much profit as possible, even if at the expense of workers. This includes exploring ways to lobby to change laws, exploring breaking the law if that is more profitable than not doing so (i.e. paying fines instead of meeting emission standards), etc. I feel like if in today's America a CEO of…

It may seem like it but is actually not. CEO and board members are not legally required* to maximize "shareholder value." That is just a myth.

*There are a few things they are prohibited to do that are vaguely similar. They can't sell the company for $1 or destroy the value of the company intentionally to screw over shareholders.

Re: Tesla factory workers pushing for a union send demands to Tesla's Board

#24
post #7

The committee also calls on Tesla to release clear policies on how Fremont factory workers can get promoted, adding that "there are no guidelines for what is expected of us, or what defines success." Uh, what? Do they expect a checklist with items like "be there for 9 hours a day" and so on? Frankly, people who need such a list are not the ones who deserve a promotion - those who do deserve it just work away at the p…

>those who do deserve it just work away at the problems and add value to whatever they put their hands on.

I think you're missing the point entirely, because that statement is extremely vague. "Just keep working" is what you're saying, but it highly depends upon what kind of 'work' you're doing, and how you're doing it. Politics, and human nature gets in the way of that whole notion that those who deserve a promotion, get one. Guidelines probably won't help with that, but its always good to demand anyways.

Re: Tesla factory workers pushing for a union send demands to Tesla's Board

#25

This is important, we need to keep watching this closely because it might deter future big companies to manufacture in the USA. Think about Apple. This is one more thing to worry about on top of higher salaries than China.

Germany's manufacturing companies have massive union presence in everything they do and they're some of the most successful in the planet. Let's stop with this ridiculous demonization of unions. American corporations have chosen a confrontational model with unions and staff. It doesn't have to be this way. There are better models around if the owners of capital are willing to cooperate with workers.

Germany's manufacturers are heavily subsidised by the government and have a big advantage of a lower value EU currency than they would have if they still traded on the German mark.

Re: Tesla factory workers pushing for a union send demands to Tesla's Board

#26
post #23

Would it make sense for them to join an existing auto workers union?

The article suggests that the United Auto Workers union is involved:

> It also asks Tesla to refrain from using anti-union rhetoric or action. In April, the United Auto Workers and three Tesla employees filed separate charges with the National Labor Relations Board claiming the company had coerced employees trying to aid the unionization effort into silence.

Re: Tesla factory workers pushing for a union send demands to Tesla's Board

#28
post #7

The committee also calls on Tesla to release clear policies on how Fremont factory workers can get promoted, adding that "there are no guidelines for what is expected of us, or what defines success." Uh, what? Do they expect a checklist with items like "be there for 9 hours a day" and so on? Frankly, people who need such a list are not the ones who deserve a promotion - those who do deserve it just work away at the p…

Every workplace should have a clear definition of what is expected of the workforce and of what defines success. Otherwise it will simply be a shifting goalpost.

Re: Tesla factory workers pushing for a union send demands to Tesla's Board

#29
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You might want to read the linked article, because that's not what it says: http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-factory-injur... "Musk then said he wants direct reports about every injury, without exception, going forward. He also plans to spend time on the assembly line."

Ok yes, on re-reading I think this article is talking bullshit. The sentence does read "but has since told employees to report injuries directly to him", but the linked article behind the article then explains that he wants all injuries reported to him. Subtly different, dirty journalism. I think my point on us living in a "Musk can't do wrong bubble stands" but on this occasion it seems shoddy reporting should mean…

> Subtly different, dirty journalism.

Or it was a mistake. Journalists sometimes make them, too.

Re: Tesla factory workers pushing for a union send demands to Tesla's Board

#30

It seems like with any company that has a huge divide in terms of knowledge/skill/salaried jobs, i.e. Tesla engineers vs. factory workers or Lyft developers vs. drivers, there will always be a bias towards the smaller elite core. I wonder how this will play out in the future as class divides between high skilled versus low skilled workers become more and more ever present within the oncoming wave of mass automation.

Yeah. Amazon's treatment of its warehouse staff is famously awful.

To be fair, Amazon's treatment of their software engineers is also famously awful.
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