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Bernie Sanders coming to Mississippi for march against Nissan

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Car workers in the US get paid upwards of $80k a year minimum so their complaining and attempts to unionise probably won't sit well with Trump. In fact Nissan could easily use this to put pressure on Trump to make business conditions in America more competitive seeing as Trump wants automakers to produce more in America

4 ( +4 / -0 )

some of the highest wages and strongest benefits in Mississippi

is this a compelling endorsement?

Bernie Sanders coming

Mississippi Berning

3 ( +4 / -1 )

“some of the highest wages and strongest benefits in Mississippi.”

Mississippi is the poorest state in America, and among southerners, being a Mississippian is not something one brags about. Nissan is telling the truth when they say their workers are among the highest paid in the state.

Unions are a double-edged sword when it comes to what they do for workers. They do negotiate higher wages and benefits for their workers, but at the same time, these higher wages and benefits reduce a company's ability to compete. This was a driving factor behind the downfall of the American auto industry, and the rise of Japan's auto industry.

The earlier generations of union workers lived quite well, but at the expense of their children and grandchildren, who, faced with the decline in American manufacturing due to ever higher operating costs, could not find factory jobs.

Everything has a natural value, the prices of goods and the price of labor. When that natural value is upset by charging too much for either, it causes an eventual decline in consumption, and those gains made by higher prices for goods and labor are negated by later losses. Detroit was once one of the richest cities in the world, and now it is one of the poorest large cities in America.

The workers in Canton may not be earning as much as workers at America's "big three", but the are better off than their fellow Mississippians, and much better off than those who live in Detroit nowadays. If they want higher wages and more benefits, then they should deal with Nissan directly. The unions care much less about workers than collecting unions dues, and exercising corruption.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@HaiDesu: Ok, you may be right here. Looking online I see that unionized auto workers (mainly the US Big 3), make a ton, about $55 an hour, equating to over $100k a year. The non-unionized auto workers make about half that, so around your figure of $50k.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Looks like Nissan wants to combine the worst of the work practices of the US and Japan. Still, we can rest assured that multi-millionaire Donald Trump is on the side of the downtrodden worker because he has signalled it over and over and not yet said it was "lighthearted".

1 ( +5 / -4 )

These employees are not making $80K a year (which is a middle class wage). They are making less (the average wage in the south is quite a bit less than 80K for auto factories)

Correct me if I am in error. From what I can tell, auto assembly people in Japan make about $50K USD. Considering the higher cost of living in Japan, I would think if the folks in Mississippi make about that amount, they are doing better than most of their peers. I have lived in Mississippi.

Back in the day, Unions really served a good purpose in protecting workers' rights however in the present, there are plenty of organizations doing so without being funded by the actual workers besides Fed and state taxes. In my eyes in present day, Unions only exist to pad the pockets of Union management. The only benefit I see is companies fearing there is a Union presence to keep them in check. Maybe a good balance but I don't think Unions are benefiting workers these days and only drive up the cost of salaries and reflect in the prices paid by consumers.

PS I know of Union workers that have taken advantage of settlements when they are clearly capable of working but choose to take a free check while they enjoy the good life. Needless to say, I do not hold these people in high regard.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Nissan should produce in Japan and why does Nissan want to feed americans when yr own japanese people are suffering ???.

Because they get tax incentives to assemble in the country in which the cars are being sold, thus making them more affordable which leads to more sales and higher profits enabling them to feed more Japanese.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

making cars in USA to sell to us people are working. Some peoll'le suggested make all cars in Japan but this does not work Japan has woorker shortage. then too expensive to ship carrs fro Japan to JSA.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Confusion

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Move the plant to somewhere else.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Nissan should produce in Japan and why does Nissan want to feed americans when yr own japanese people are suffering ???.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Nissan may close there and move to warm Southern state warm and no snow, notornado. It will produce cars for American troad use in its American subsidiary.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

This is an interesting situation. If one does a bit of research and reading there are 2 points of view. The workers are claiming ridiculous quotas and there are claims of fear of seeking medical help for lacerations, etc. They are also claiming an extensive use of contract, rather than permanent employees.

It sounds like Nissan is exporting modern day Japanese working conditions to the U.S. I do alot of work in factories in Japan. About 15 years ago when labor restrictions were lifted (I believe under Koizumi) I started to see many, many more contract employees in Japanese factories (and still do today) as the employers are trying to cut labor costs. I have also worked in a Nissan factory in Japan (not as a Nissan employee).

These employees are not making $80K a year (which is a middle class wage). They are making less (the average wage in the south is quite a bit less than 80K for auto factories)

On the other hands the unions have become a business (Dylan explained it well in his song "Union Sundown" - Infidels album).

Personally I think there are cases where unions are needed and if the allegations made by the workers and the press in Mississippi are true then I think this is one of them.

My grandfather was in a union and he was in an industrial accident (fire)...the union took good care of him and negotiated a very good settlement with the company he was working for (who was at fault).....alas...those were different times...

Anyway with the advent of the exploitation of H1B visas (i.e. Disney, Southern California Edison, et. all) one can see where the unions may make a comeback in the good old USA.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Nissan may get out from Miss. and move to Mexico

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

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