American Axle talks turn to Tonawanda plant closing

All I can say is this..welcome to the real world of real wages and benefits. Not too many people here makes what these guys made in the past. Its going to be a harsh reality for them.

And it should not be a surprise - the writing has been on the wall for years.

the UAW is a bunch of bull #hit!!!!!!!! They sold american axle down the river. piss of jimmy settles you to ron gettelfinger.You men don't give one @hit about people,close new york and let threerivers take the fall for the greed in detroit!!!! That means the people working in detroit dont take any pay cut's "take care of detroit" hell with all of you!!!!!!!!!!I hope you never forget the people that die over this,it must feel good to have a fat wallet.

ps.no solidarity ever i hope the uaw falls apart or people start new unions.
The way it should be for the worker by the worker no greed.

hell with jimmy settles
hell with jimmy settles
hell with ron gettelfinger
hell with ron gettelfinger

and im not from hanover park im here in Three Rivers Michigan ON STRIKE FOR WHAT I STAND FOR

GOOD PAYING JOBS FOR GOOD PEOPLE"GREAT PEOPLE"
I'm proud of everyone that works hard to keep what we had . We never wanted more we were happy making what we made!!!!!!!!! We even would of took a pay cut to help this company out so piss off all you greedy !@#holes in detroit piss off!!!!!!!!!!

If there are any laborers in need of work I have a roof on my house that needs some attention....

Amen Moonman.Fight the good fight and stay strong
God bless

The only way anything is going to change is if workers stop walking in circles and start fighting for their lives. The blind faith they have put in Kevin Donovan and the rest of the UAW is about to cost them their jobs. I keep hearing all this whinning about AAM Profits. What about the 100 million dollars Buffalo, Cheektowaga and Tonawanda have given to AAM to secure jobs? http://groups.google.com/

close the plant and make those overpaid , spoiled people get normal jobs like the rest of us!!!!!!!!!!

Its not over until its over.$140,000 is nothing in return for a lifetime of poverty. Don't take the pennies the company throws you, fight for your jobs!!! Its not a done deal until you vote yes. We have 3 AAM Plants here. If the wworkers and the people fought to keep these plants open, they'd stay open just like the hospitals that were slated to close. If you believe, if your work, it can happen. If you don't, poverty is always an option.

Its idiots like paul who are the reason Buffalo is such a cesspool. What Paul doesn't realize is all the "normal" jobs that will be lost when the plants close. All the businesses that support AAM operations here. People won't be able to afford to eat out, go to the movies, eat at mcdonalds. Then we have to make up for the loss in taxes. Guess who pays for that Paul? Business Closings are always bad. This one is a devistating blow. All we need to do is take a ride through Lockport to see what happens to a community when the Auto Industry attacks its workers. If your going to post, at least have some idea about what your talking about.

There are no "normal" jobs in Western New York. Just low wage welfare jobs. Why do you think we're the second poorest city in the nation? Maybe after AAM pulls out Buffalo will finally be number one at something, the poorest city in the nation. Why build up your neighbors and community when its easier to tear them down?

Jimmy Settels? I guess the name says it all! http://groups.google.com/

paul wrote:

close the plant and make those overpaid , spoiled people get normal jobs like the rest of us!!!!!!!!!!

Your just jealous Paul!!!!! You have no idea what goes on inside Tonawanda Forge!!!!!!!It is a hot,loud dangerous work!! You can have my job for $10.00 an hour! I am pretty sure if you could of gotten in there a few years back you would of!!!!!I know alot of people who make more than auto workers per hour and nobody bitches about them!!! They are all union jobs!!! Enjoy your shit job every day!!! better yet f off!!!

For your information the Cheektowaga plant is not on the same wage as all the other plants. The starting wage is $13.50 an hour!We were to be the model of future domestic axle plants when we opened in 1999.We were told that the Cheektowaga plant made 12 million in profits in 07,but because were are linked by contract to the Tonawanda forge national agreement we may just go down with the ship.So at times this strike is a double edged sword for the 100 plus people at Cheektowaga.But most people at Cheektowaga are skilled machinists and will find local work.

I have a "normal" job and I make way more than $17/ hour. They are out there if you have the education and training. Manufacturing is not a sustaining career anymore.

People need to remember when someone in the USA make's good money be proud of them . If your not happy with the job you do or pay you make find another job,if it does not pay well go to school get educated,if you want more money THIS IS AMERICA.. People i know are happy for me that i make good money and i am happy for all the people in this country that make good money. IT ONLY MAKES THIS COUNTRY BETTER,amen

The union should take the deal that AAM is offering. If they keep on striking they'll lose more than what's it worth. The more they're out the more jobs are lost. Then when they decide to go back to work it's going to take time to get things going where they can bring the laid-off workers back. So, that might mean that will being less money because some of the American Axle workers will be laid-off as well as Detroit. Keep that in mind when you're voting to pass or turndown the deal.

Although the article states only Tonawanda, the Chektowaga plant is included. Its a wholsale pull out/sell out. I remember when they opened the Cheektowaga Plant and linked you guys with 846. We at local 424 were not too happy, especially because of the "special" wages and benefits. If you think your going to find a machinist job for over $14/hr, you better think again. The area was just flooded with over 3,000 (2,100 Buffalo workers + management) machinists, etc. Buffalo only created 2,900 low paying jobs last year. Guess where that leaves you? Also, you don't think the lowering of wages effects wages at non-union companies? Guess again. 100 people looking for jobs in a town that doesn't have 20? Good luck! Better consider fighting, its really your only hope to avoid poverty. The days of people just handing you things are gone.