Friday, December 26, 2008
Pork, UAW style
If we're going to get all worked up over the compensation for executives in the industries that are getting extraordinary government assistance, how should we react to news of a union-owned resort that loses millions of dollars per year?
Even as the industry struggles with massive losses, the UAW brass continue to own and operate a $33 million lakeside retreat in Michigan, complete with a $6.4 million designer golf course. And it's costing them millions each year.
Now, my corporate toolhood prevents me from getting too sanctimonious about all of these suddenly scandalous indulgences that are taken to be an affront to the sensibilities of the (self)righteous, but I do think this: Just as I would have no sympathy for a money-losing business that maintained a corporate retreat for its executives, I have none for union officials who use the hard-earned dues of their members -- many of whom are or will be unemployed -- to maintain a farooking private golf course. A golf course?!? Even I think that golf is a waste of money (and, in any case, as a blogger and an underwriter of horses, I have neither the time nor the money to play it). These are lunch pail guys who have somehow, for some reason, developed bistro tastes.
Anyway, the romantic in me wants to know whether anybody other than Fox will report this story.
5 Comments:
By 
, at
Sat Dec 27, 07:57:00 AM:
I think this is the tip of the iceberg for these guys. As more is given to these guys in way of bailout dollars, the more the average American's sensibilities will be violated. I think an interesting expose' would be the UAW Job Classifications manual. The guide that spells out exactly each job, where it starts and where it ends, and the subsequent penalty to those who dare go above and beyond either of those limits...
By , at
Sat Dec 27, 08:34:00 AM:
That these union people have been allowed to get away with this is just so wrong. That we taxpayers resent it and our representatives ignore our objections and just do as they wish is freakin' immoral. Is there no accountability anywhere?
By 
Elise, at
Sat Dec 27, 12:15:00 PM:
Hey, there's nothing wrong with golf. It's an enjoyable way to get in some walking and provided you're playing with your own money I don't really see how anyone can object to it. And it's not really a rich man's game: New Jersey has lots of public courses with modest greens fees.
The problem, of course, is that the UAW fat cats aren't playing with their own money. Bad enough that they were playing with their members' money, even worse that now they're going to be playing with mine. Maybe that infusion of Federal dollars should come with a requirement that they open their course to the public.
By chuckchuck, at
Sun Dec 28, 02:11:00 AM:
Where I live we have no labor unions, the average carpenter earns about P-1500 weekly or about $30 USD. However we do have living in the nearby hills and the towns to the north of us the New People's Army. I ask which is worst the labor fat cats or the NPA? One has guns and the other smart tax accountants - I guess.
By , at
Sun Dec 28, 03:57:00 PM:
Its that time when we have to slop those congressional hawgs again and their troughs are full of money
