Let's discuss some basics:

When union workers make more money, the rest of the labor force tends to make more money. If the union workers are asked to take a paycut, you might want to put your next pay raise on hold? It is union workers and their wages that have helped to build a middle class in this country. The race to the bottom does not help you or the average American worker. It does not help America. Who do we compete with next - the average Vietnamese or Chinese worker?

Higher wages buy more cars and more homes. Union workers have been giving up wages and benefits for the last 30 years. It actually started under President Carter when they agreed not to ask for any pay increases because of the high inflation at the time. It went into high gear under Reagan and it hasn't slowed down since. Much of the problem with today's economy lies in the fact that as productivity has gone up, wages have stagnated or gone down, and corporations have taken their profits and built new plants overseas, including GM and Chrysler, as the manufacturing base with its good jobs has slowly disappeared in our own country.

Those that are so critical of labor have no idea what they are talking about. They may as well be clones of Senator Corker. This is not just about the auto workers in Detroit - this is about all of us. The sooner we realize that, the better.

Labor has gotten nothing in this country without a fierce fight. That is the nature of our capitalist system. There is an inbred bias against unions, it seems? It is a disgrace the way some of our Democratic Senators talk and vote against the working people of this country.

Some of their salaries are greater than their ability and task. But such revision of salary shouldn't take place across the board nor during this round. It would need in depth analysis and careful attention to get it right.

Unions pay tends to increase every year with the cost of living. Over a period of several years those raises get bigger as a percentage just like compounding interest grows in the bank. Some hourly wages may seem high, but those who are earning them probably started much lower and their wage grew over time. What's wrong with that?

Some of the jobs there don't come close to deserving a high 20-30+ dollar an hour salary.

Without the union scale most low income jobs would be even lower.

scale to union pay. It is interesting to compare the wages for work in a nursing home in MN to those in IA. My granddaughter works in the kitchen and makes $10.00 an hour plus bennies while my niece works in the kitchen in Iowa for less than $5.00 and hour and gets no bennies. That is what we are trying to tell you. The Union wages set the scale.

hypothetical worker making say $25/hr most likely started much lower. The pay scale and yearly raises are negotiated by the union on his/her behalf and the company agrees to it. Over a period of time these raises compound and the worker makes more money and is rewarded for their tenure. How is this a bad thing? Don't we all wish to make more next year than we do this year? I doubt many union workers just fell into a $50K/year job for installing fenders. It takes many years to get there.

They were making about $18 per hour during the 1970's. Good money. They are making less than that today, inflation adjusted.

But back braking factory work is worth less? I'm a white collar software engineer and I think factory workers should be paid a good living wage for the back braking work they do.

I get a small (1-2.5%) cost of living increase each year depending on the contract. We are not eligbile for merit raises under our contract. But, because of the union, I have a fully-funded 401K, fully-funded health care, and job security. As one who came from at 'at will' situation, and who was fired for being 'too good at your job' according to three different lawyers, that's hugely important to me.

Union workers don't make gigantic salaries but the union gives them the opportunity for job security so they tend to stay at their jobs and work their way up to the higher pay rates. They don't start with it. I've been at my job for seventeen years; I began at the bottom of the pay scale in my classification and now I'm at the top. That's how it works.

I work at a university, by the way, not in the auto industry. But after my private sector, 'at will' employment, I am thankful for the union that bargains for me every single day.