Labour Unions and General Motors :: essays research papers

The Workings of Automotive Unions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The last bolt is screwed on as a relieved automotive worker marvels at his wondrous creation: a car. With the roar of an engine, the car slowly disappears into the distance. The worker gradually turns around, picks up his tools, and continues to work on a new car. As a consumer, we rarely wonder how things are made; we simply take everything we own for granted. For once, have you wondered how many hours of hard labor many automotive workers must go through? The automotive industry has been around for many years, but it has not always been as efficient as it currently is. As the industry continues to evolve, many new innovative ideas are still being developed. In the past, automotive workers have had to work in harsh conditions without much security or job benefits. Nevertheless, through the continuous development of organized collective bargaining, workers are being treated as they should be. Being the largest automobile manufacturer in the world, General Motors C orporation has been greatly affected by the needs of their workers. Rick Wagoner, CEO of General Motors, is currently in charge of â€Å"running the show† at GM. Being the most successful automotive company since 1931, it is obvious that he not only has to satisfy customers, but also the workers within the company. From the smallest things such as a work raise to bigger things such as the working condition, the management of General Motors has been pressured to make both positive and negative changes to the way the company is run as a whole in order to satisfy the workers who are part of the UAW Union. Therefore, the formation and development of unions encompasses both pros and cons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the automobile industry made its first appearance in the early 1900s, General Motors had already slowly begun its formation. GM was founded in 1908 by William C. Durant, a carriage manufacturer of Flint, Michigan, and today operates manufacturing and assembly plants and distribution centers in many countries, including Canada . Its major products include automobiles and trucks, a wide range of automotive components, engines, and defense and aerospace materiel. General Motors has a long history of business and technological innovation designed to deliver ever-increasing value to their customers and society. GM today has manufacturing operations in more than 30 countries and its vehicles are sold in about 200 countries.

Fast Food Nation Essay

In his essay, â€Å"Fast Food Nation† Eric Schlosser condemns the impact of fast food on human health and American economy. Schlosser detests the fast food chain because it causes thousands of independent business to come to an end. As a result, unemployment plays a major role among these small scale businessmen. In addition it creates social differences among the people due to food market being captured by fast food chain. In order to attain a monopoly and dominate the fast food industry, they employ low paid and unskilled work force which is a threat to the public and migrant farm workers. Every citizen has the right to know the ingredients being used in the food so they can avoid the deleterious effects of the fast food on their health. His assertion, â€Å"introduction of deadly pathogens† states the risk encountered by small children who are the future generation of the modern world ( 392). Addition of harmful chemicals to increase the taste and aroma of food leads to chronic diseases like cancer, stroke and heart diseases. Furthermore Schlosser’s fear about the fast food being a social problem and turning out to be a threat to the American economy is the pinnacle of this essay. Small scale farms and full-time farmers are in the risk of losing their livelihood with the emergence of the fast food industry. He also points out the inability of the Government to eliminate the lethal meat which paves its way into the fast food industry and pose health problems. Then he moves onto the consumers and asserts that, â€Å"Even the anticipation of consumer anger has prompted McDonald’s to demand changes from its suppliers,† – this reveals that the consumers should be provoked and created an awareness about the ins and outs of the food they are eating (396). The insight of the author about the fast food industry builds up in a gradual process and finally reiterates the need for the public to take immediate action and cease the use of fast food as their regular food and search for other healthy options like simple and healthy cooking which would help them retain a hale and a healthy life. Saying no to the fast food makes the fast food industry to rethink their formula of safe food and saves our precious life as well as the future generation. Let’s think about it.

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