Chapter 708 Defeat the union

The U.S. stock market is in the red!

If Chinese investors see this color, they will surely cheer.

American investors are on the contrary. When they see the red screen, their hearts are bleeding.

U.S. stock indexes, red for declines and green for upswings. A boom in the red also means that the stock market has been falling and falling, and investors have suffered heavy losses.

The Federal Reserve has already taken action and injected capital into financial institutions for several consecutive days, but the Fed's 18 billion capital injection is only a drop in the bucket in the face of tens of trillions of financial risks.

The financial crisis caused by the subprime mortgage crisis quickly spread to the real economy, which is best reflected in the stock market.

The so-called Spring River Plumbing Duck Prophet, the stock market in the United States can most directly reflect investors' confidence in the market, and also project the degree of prosperity of the US economy.

As stats came out, bad news came one after the other.

U.S. home prices began to fall, the biggest single-quarter drop in 21 years, and the number of bankruptcies began to rise by 20% per month.

The Federal Reserve chose to cut interest rates in an emergency, and it is still difficult to restore the reduction in non-farm payrolls.

In ordinary consumer credit, the default rate also began to increase, and the overdue repayment rate quickly reached the situation when the Internet bubble burst in 2000.

A large part of the U.S. economy is driven by consumption. If there is a problem with consumption, it means that the U.S. economy will inevitably fall into recession.

...

In the evening, auto worker Thomas parked his pickup in the garage and returned home humming a ditty.

As an American auto worker, Thomas's salary is still very good. He lives in a big house in the suburbs. He has a wife, two children, two cars, and a dog. This is standard equipment for the American middle class.

Walking into the porch, Thomas saw the pile of letters in the storage box next to him at first glance. Thomas picked it up at random. There were promotional advertisements in supermarkets, insurance companies' sales advertisements, mortgage repayment bills, and credit cards from banks. bill.

It's time to pay off the credit card again. Thomas opened the bill and saw the numbers on it. He suddenly had a headache. He took his children to a football game last month, and he spent a bit too much.

The next second, Thomas suddenly remembered that he was still participating in the strike, which means that this month's salary has not yet been received!

The key is that the factory is still laying off workers, and the layoffs are getting bigger and bigger. I don't understand that Thomas' name will be on the layoff list tomorrow.

Thinking of this, Thomas couldn't help but feel a little flustered. All kinds of loans are like sharp knives hanging over Thomas' head. If Thomas really lost his job, how should he repay the car loan, mortgage, credit card, etc.?

Ordinary Americans don’t save money. After paying off various loans after their monthly salary is received, there is not much money left. Once you lose your job, you really don't have the money to repay your loan.

The people in the trade union said, hold on, and the management will definitely compromise! Thomas comforted himself.

But thinking about the few colleagues who have returned to the workshop and clocked in and out of get off work, Thomas increasingly felt that the union's words were unreliable.

Soon, Thomas's wife made dinner, and the family of four gathered around the dining table.

All that fell to the ground was mine!

Thomas was still thinking about repaying the loan, and his wife began to nag about the parents' shortcomings.

Did you know? Mr. and Mrs. Heywood are going through a divorce next door! said the wife.

Aren't they very loving? Why are they getting divorced? I remember that in the summer, they held a barbecue line and invited us to participate. Could it be that Mr. Heywood cheated? Thomas asked.

No, it is said that Mr. Thomas was laid off two months ago, and he has not been able to find a job. They have not paid the mortgage, and he is likely to file for bankruptcy. So Mrs. Thomas simply divorced him, I saw today that Mrs. Thomas is packing and may be planning to move from here. The wife replied.

Hearing words such as layoffs and bankruptcy, Thomas shuddered in his heart, feeling a lot of sadness.

The wife went on to say: I heard that many companies are laying off employees recently, and it is getting harder and harder to find a job. When I went to the supermarket today, I heard the salesperson discussing that it was the recent recession, people who bought things It's getting smaller, supermarket turnover is falling, and supermarket management is already planning to take pay cuts to keep jobs.

This news surprised Thomas again, and the dinner in front of him was no longer fragrant.

After dinner, Thomas sat alone on the sofa in a daze.

Now that the unemployment rate is so high, and it is so difficult to find a job, if I am really laid off, I may not be able to find a new job! How will I repay my mortgage, car loan and credit card? Is Mr. Heywood divorced and bankrupt like that?

To sum up, my current salary is still very considerable, although I am not rich, but the quality of life is still good. Of course, if there are more benefits, it is definitely a good thing, but if you lose your job in order to increase a little bit of benefits, it will not be worth the loss!

Tomorrow, the trade union will hold a campaign event. Otherwise, I won't go to participate. I'll go back to the workshop and clock in as normal, so that at least I won't be on the list of layoffs. After all, this family still depends on me to support.

What's more, I'm not the first to go back to work. Many people have already walked in front of me. In the future, if the labor union settles accounts after the fall, it will not be my turn!

Thinking of this, Thomas felt a lot more at ease. He decided to go to bed immediately, get up early tomorrow, and then go to the workshop on time to check in.

...

Early in the morning, while Norwood Jewell was having breakfast, he was in a bad mood when he saw the news that the stock market was booming on TV.

Norwood-Jewell also invested in financial products, but he did not directly buy stocks, but bought fund products. If the stock market fell, Norwood-Jewell's fund would naturally suffer losses.

After breakfast, Norwood-Jewell headed straight to the Bemhull factory to deal with another thing that bothered him.

In front of the Bemhull factory, a sparse crowd was holding a sign, looking listless.

Isn't there going to be a campaign event today, why are there so few people! Norwood Jewell frowned slightly.

Seeing the arrival of Norwood Jewell, Hanks, the trade union cadre, immediately greeted him.

It's time for the event, why haven't the people arrived yet! Norwood-Jerwell glanced at the crowd and said, Hanks, you performed well in the previous campaign events, why did you drop out today? Chains? I'm so disappointed in your performance!

Hanks immediately explained: Mr. Jewell, it's not our fault. We have notified everyone, but many workers are unwilling to continue to participate in the strike. They have returned to the workshop and started to clock in and go off work!

What? Going back to work? Norwood Jewell's heart immediately sounded a classic saying, we have a group of traitors!

How could it be? Our trade union is still fighting for them, but they compromised with the management? Did the management give any benefits in private, or made a promise? Norwood Jewell immediately asked.

Hanks replied: Since all the people in our union have been laid off, many workers are unwilling to continue to strike with us. They think that if they continue to strike, the management will also lay off them. In order to save their jobs, They all returned to the workshop.

In today's campaign, I also told the workers that there will be a barbecue party and beer after the event, so there are so many people participating. If there is no barbecue and beer, even fewer people will come!

To tell you the truth, many trade union members are now starting to regret it. After all, the economic situation has not been good recently, and many industries are really laying off employees. They are worried that they will be laid off this time.

Mr. Jewell, more and more people are going back to work. If this continues, our strike will really fail. Those of us who have been laid off have really lost their jobs!

Don't worry, since you joined the union, the union will definitely protect your rights! Norwood Jewell quickly promised.

At this time, if you don't quickly stabilize people's hearts, the strike will really fail!

Hanks had a dubious look on his face.

Anyone can say nice things, but can they really do it?

Employers told everyone with their actions that they would not compromise and that they would mercilessly lay off the strikers.

In the current bad economic environment, on the contrary, some workers have begun to compromise, not continuing to strike, but going back to work.

It is also because of the bad economic environment that it has become difficult to find jobs, and recruiting new workers is much easier for factories, so employers can lay off workers without fear.

If it continues, the end result is that all the strikers are laid off, and the factory recruits a new batch of workers, and there is no loss.

The ones who really hurt are fired workers like Hanks, who really lost their jobs!

The dismissed union leader is likely to be packaged as a hero.

However, there are more than 900 union members laid off this time. Can more than 900 worker heroes be created?

Obviously this is not possible. The batch of workers who have been laid off will most likely become victims of strikes.

...

The number of participants was insufficient, and the campaign did not get off the ground.

A failed campaign could have the opposite effect on the strike movement.

The workers are not fools either. When they saw the lacklustre campaign activities, they knew that the strike would not go on. Instead of wasting time here, they should hurry back to work to avoid being laid off by the factory.

So the next day, many workers stopped the strike and returned to the workshop, which made the strike even weaker.

Another day later, the number of strikers fell sharply. At this time, the number of people who returned to the factory to work again exceeded the number of people who were still participating in the strike.

Humans are herd animals, and they naturally have a herd mentality. When most people go to strike, they go on strike, and when most people go back to work, they go back to work with the crowd.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the strike is doomed to fail, and even those who have already been on the layoff list have begun to enquire about how they can go back to work.

...

In Bemhull Factory, Li Weidong stood at the door of the workshop, looking at the workers at work inside.

The management of the factory said: At present, more than 2,200 workers in the factory have resumed work, and the production line can be opened normally. However, due to the shortage of workers, the production capacity is still limited, and only 60% of the usual level is restored.

60% of the production capacity is acceptable. Many economists predict that the US economy will experience negative growth next year, and the market's consumer demand will also decrease. As a luxury car brand, our sales will definitely be greatly affected. Capacity is not necessarily a bad thing. Li Weidong said.

Several managements nodded reluctantly. As the management of the production plant, their year-end bonus is directly linked to the output of the factory. Now that the output of the factory has been reduced to the process, it is estimated that the year-end bonus this year is hanging.

However, everyone also knows that the current economic situation is not good, layoffs are happening everywhere, and it is understandable to reduce production capacity.

What's more, Li Weidong just took over Jaguar Land Rover, and there was a wave of layoffs. This was a shock, letting the management know the power of the new boss. No matter whether they were convinced in their hearts or not, they would definitely be convinced, no one would. Make fun of your job.

Only someone continued to say: Mr. Li, the on-site workshop has resumed production, should the layoffs continue?

As long as there are still people who don't come back, continue to lay off workers until all the strikers are laid off. Li Weidong continued: If we stop now, it will be unfair to the workers who come back to work.

Another person said: Mr. Li, some of the workers who have been laid off have expressed regret, they hope to return to the factory and said they will not strike again. I think they are skilled workers after all, and for us here They also know more about the operation of the workshop, do you want to give them a chance?

Come here if you want, leave if you want, let's be where we are! Li Weidong snorted coldly, and then said, They are all adults, and they should know how to be responsible for their own behavior. Those who have been laid off want to come back, Please wait for the next recruitment and apply again!

Some people wanted to ask when they would be hiring, but they swallowed it back when they pondered the current economic outlook.

In the next two years, it is a good thing not to lay off employees, how can there be recruitment!

...

Workers go on strike just to get better benefits, not to lose their jobs. This is true for ordinary workers, especially for those who join the union.

In fact, those workers who join unions are more concerned about their personal interests. They join the centimeters just to get more benefits, how many people really seek welfare for the vast number of workers!

To join the UAW, you have to pay 5% of your salary as membership dues, and you must get more than 5% of your salary before anyone will pay. From another perspective, these workers who joined the trade union are the most egoistic group of people.

Now that the strike is facing failure, these workers who joined the trade union did not get the benefits, but lost their jobs. Naturally, they will not let it go.

Returning to the factory was impossible, so everyone began to point the finger at the United Auto Workers, which led the strike.

The United Auto Workers organization can develop and grow, relying on the inducement to benefit, if it does not give benefits, no one will follow the leadership of the United Auto Workers.

But if there is no benefit, and the workers themselves have to pay, then let alone let the workers obey the leadership, it is a good thing not to rebel.

...

At the scene of the strike, Hanks, the leader of the union, was surrounded by several workers. These were also members of the union. Now that they lost their jobs because of the strike, they naturally had to find the leader to settle accounts.

Hanks, what did you say before the strike? That we must get better health insurance, more pensions, and longer vacations, and the result? Our jobs are gone!

When the factory first started laying off staff, you told us that you don't have to be afraid, the management will compromise and negotiate with us immediately, but the management has no plans to negotiate at all!

Even yesterday, you told us that if you persist for a few days, you will win! You liar, you are still lying to us by this time!

It's all your responsibility. We originally had a good salary, but you told us that with a new boss, you can get a raise if you make a fuss! In the end, you lost your job!

They are adults and should be responsible for their own choices. However, a group of egoists will definitely not take the responsibility for unemployment by themselves, and will dump the blame on others.

Hanks is also aggrieved. He just obeys the leadership of the United Auto Workers, and he is just an executive himself.

What's more, the previous promise, at least one thing has been achieved, that is, a longer vacation. Now that you've been laid off, you can take an indefinite leave of absence.

Several angry workers were about to beat people, and at this moment, Hanks caught sight of Norwood Jewell in the distance.

Mr. Jewell is here! He is a senior member of the Auto Workers Union. If you have any questions, you can ask him to respond, and he will definitely help you solve it! Hanks said.

One move of conflict transfer was very effective, and the auto workers immediately ran to Norwood Jewell. Before Jewell could react, he was surrounded by a group of workers.

The workers are still repeating what they said just now, your union is a liar, your union caused me to lose my job, your union has to be responsible, etc.

Norwood Jewell is experienced after all. He knows that in this situation, it is useless to continue to draw a big pie. If he says that he will win if he persists, no one will believe it.

The hearts are scattered, the team can't carry it, and the strike can't continue. Norwood Jewell sighed.

He knew very well in his heart that since the strike was doomed to fail, it would be better to negotiate with the management as soon as possible and ask for less or no more benefits, at least to get the workers' jobs back, which would be a decent step down for the trade union.

So Norwood-Jewell said: Workers, please rest assured, I will go to the management to negotiate, and then your work will come back!

...

This is a game of who blinks first, and now the union has to blink first, which means that the union loses the game.

Norwood-Jewell knew very well that if he took the initiative to go to Li Weidong to negotiate, he would definitely be on the weaker side. But if you don't go, you can't do it. If you can't solve the job problem of the more than 900 workers, then the image of the union will be greatly affected, and you will have to follow suit.

In the hotel cafe, Norwood Jewell met Li Weidong again.

Li Weidong said straight to the point: Mr. Jewell, our time is very precious, let's cut to the chase! You are here this time for the strike at the Bemhull factory, right?

Norwood Jewell nodded: Yes, our union has decided to lower some conditions. As long as you are willing to agree, we will immediately cancel the strike!

Norwood-Jewell said, took out another document and handed it to Li Weidong.

Li Weidong read the demands put forward by the trade union in one eye and ten lines. The main thing is to increase various benefits, but the increase is much smaller. At the same time, it is also required that the previously dismissed employees be recruited back to the factory to continue working, and their positions will remain unchanged.

Looking at this new request, Li Weidong smiled slightly, and then said: There is a famous saying, what you can't get in war, you can't get at the negotiating table. I think this famous saying is more appropriate now. Jewell Sir, why do you think you can negotiate what you can't get from the strike!

If you don't agree, we will continue to strike! Norwood Jewell repeated the same old tune.

Li Weidong spread his hands: I don't care, you know, we have been accelerating the layoffs. Soon, those who are still on strike will be laid off. Those who hold signs to strike are not our employees. , what do they do and what does it have to do with me!

Mr. Lee, if you do this, you'll be tearing up your face with our UAW! Norwood Jewell said in a threatening tone.

Even car companies at the level of Ford and GM dare not completely tear their faces with the UAW. Although the two sides are hostile to each other, they have to talk about it. Therefore, Norwood-Jewell believes that this can threaten Li Weidong.

Haven't we been torn apart a long time ago? Li Weidong smiled slightly, and then said; Mr. Jewell, if I had the will to negotiate, I would have already discussed it, so why wait until now.

Mr. Li, do you know what's going to happen when you tear up your face with the UAW? What you're facing is not only economic loss, but also reputation loss! For car brands, loss of reputation means a loss of reputation. Means losing market share!

However, Li Weidong still had an indifferent expression: I don't deny that you have the ability to destroy my reputation, but I am not an American. If my reputation is bad, it will not affect me much. Foreigners have a much bad reputation in the United States. Well, it's not bad for me!

As for market share, I don't think the US is a major market for JLR. What's more, the current economic situation is very bad. How many people in the United States do you think will be able to consume luxury brands in the next few years?

The future good news is called 30% off the leopard in China, and in the United States, the sales of Jaguar Land Rover are also very worrying. Although there are occasional sales growth of more than 10%, the sales base is low after all.

If you sell 1,000 cars a month, even if you increase sales by 100%, you will only sell 1,000 more cars. And if you sell 100,000 cars a month, you only need to increase by 1% to sell 1,000 more cars.

In the US market, Jaguar Land Rover sells around 10,000 a month, even less than Volvo and Infiniti, and less than one-tenth of BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus are the luxury brands that Americans love. Although Audi's sales are a bit worse than these three brands, they are still the first echelon. And the United States also has homegrown luxury brands such as Cadillac and Lincoln.

To put it another way, if Jaguar Land Rover sells well in the United States, the Ford Group will not sell the brand.

As for the reputation thing, it is really important for entrepreneurs. But Li Weidong is not an American, and the focus of development is not in the United States, so he doesn't care about his reputation in the American market. Perhaps being scolded by Americans a little bit more will also help Li Weidong improve his reputation in China.

This is like Soros, who is shouted and beaten by everyone in Asia, like a mouse crossing the street, but in the United States he is an idol worshipped by many people. Because this guy took all the money from Asian countries and brought it back to the United States, he naturally became a national hero in the eyes of Americans.

These threats from Norwood-Jewell have no lethal effect on Li Weidong. He has no cards to play, so he has to choose to compromise.

Norwood-Jewell sighed: Mr. Li, as long as you are willing to recruit the laid-off workers, we will stop the strike. This is our bottom line!

The recent economic situation is very bad. Perhaps due to the outbreak of a global financial crisis, many companies are laying off workers, so I don't plan to recruit any more workers recently. Li Weidong said, showing a winner's smile.

Li Weidong's smile made Norwood Jewell furious, but he was helpless. How could the loser have the right to negotiate terms with the winner!

...

After walking out of the hotel and looking at the blue sky, Norwood-Jerwell finally understood that this meeting was not because Li Weidong had the will to negotiate, but simply to humiliate himself.

A wave of hatred rose from Norwood Jewell's heart, accompanied by a trace of regret.

This strike shouldn't have happened in the first place! Damn, it's the damn financial crisis that gave the capital the upper hand! If the economy hadn't been so bad, I would have won! Norwood Jewell muttered to himself verbally.

For the UAW, it's not just a loss, it's a loss of prestige.

There was no gain in the slightest, and it could be said that this was the first UAW defeat in decades.

The responsibility for the failure must be borne by Norwood Jewell, but he has already figured out how to explain it to the top of the UAW, that is, the financial crisis!

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