Bush Admin. to bar autoworkers from striking against GM

[Are_grits_groceries]

As GM chief coasts, workers forced to accept cuts, strike prohibition
A little-noticed provision buried in the Bush Administration's $13.4 billion loan package to General Motors will prohibit the United Auto Workers from launching a strike as long as the company receives funds from the federal government.

Not only that, but a strike would give the federal government the power to call in their loan -- putting the loan in default and forcing GM into bankruptcy. The government now has the power to force a bankruptcy if “any labor union or collective bargaining unit shall engage in a strike or other work stoppage.”

The terms of GM's loan package were reported last night in the Detroit Free Press. They did not become public until GM filed documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company's headquarters are pictured above right.

Not everyone has felt the full brunt of the declining auto market, however. In 2008, GM CEO Rick Wagoner received a salary increase -- to $2.2 million, plus stock options -- despite the fact the company had been losing money since 2005.
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Little_noticed_provision_of_loan_bars_0109.html

What else the hell was in the bailout?? Do they have to give up their first born children??

[HeraldSquare212]

1. Does it prohibit GM from committing unfair labor practices?

What's good for the goose and so on....

[SmileyRose]

2. so much for spreading freedom.

[bluestateguy]

3. As long as Obama can lift that requirement, it's no big deal

Expect Obama to give GM more money too.

[Hannah Bell]

4. This tells me everything I need to know. Scam, farce, sideshow, lies:

"In 2008, GM CEO Rick Wagoner received a salary increase -- to $2.2 million, plus stock options -- despite the fact the company had been losing money since 2005."

[FreakinDJ]

5. Barac needs to strike that claus ASAP

The Failed RATpublican Trickle-Down Reaganomics mantra of destroying Unions has done enough harm to this country

"Good Paying Jobs for Americans" was part of Obama's campaign promise to America - he needs to deliver

[RB TexLa]

6. Sounds like UAW has been given a powerful weapon, piss us off or don't give us what we want, we

strike and the company goes down.

[Igel]

7. Recalling the loan is an option, not a requirement.

Without it, the UAW gets a weapon, however.

Since it's a loan, a strike would delay any possible repayment--to the government--in one of two ways. One way is just to suspend production and income. If the government wants its money back, they'd have to get the strike resolved. They can resolve it by imposing conditions on the UAW, GM, or both. Since I expect there to be fiscal conditions imposed on GM, the UAW could influence how they're fulfilled.

The other way is to have income that could be used for paying back the government or making it more likely that the government will be paid back and divert it into employee benefits.

[backscatter712]

8. I hope Bush gets pancreatic cancer for this shit.

Not just any cancer, a horrible, painful one.

Bush just gave me yet another reason to hate him and wish he was dead.