Rebirth of the Industrial Tycoon

Li Weidong flew to the United States, came to Ford again, and met Ford CEO Bill Ford.

Bill Ford said helplessly: "Mr. Li, regarding the acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover, we are in trouble. The guys from the Auto Workers Union are trying to ruin our deal."

"United Automobile Workers? Is it the union organization of automobile workers?" Li Weidong asked.

"Yes, they are the most shameless organization in the world!" Bill Ford gritted his teeth.

Li Weidong then asked, "Does the Auto Workers Union own shares in Jaguar Land Rover?"

"Of course not, they are a union organization, why should they have shares in the company!" Bill Ford then added: "The shares of Jaguar Land Rover are 100% held by our Ford Group."

Li Weidong asked again: "Then your Ford Group, has it signed a contract with the United Auto Workers on asset transactions? For example, does it require their consent or certain conditions to be reached before it can trade Jaguar Land Rover?"

"No, how could we sign something like that! Jaguar Land Rover is our asset!" Bill Ford said.

"In that case, what are you worried about?" Li Weidong continued: "We can continue the transaction, what does it have to do with the Auto Workers Union? Unless Ford still has reservations about the conditions we negotiated before!"

The implicit meaning of Li Weidong's words is that Ford is not satisfied with the amount of 1.5 billion and wants to change its mind?

Bill Ford hurriedly said: "Mr. Li, our Ford company is absolutely sincere in completing this transaction. What's more, we and the Auto Workers Union are incompatible with each other. We will not get involved with these greedy guys. !”

Li Weidong nodded. Since Ford was not doing something behind the scenes, the pressure was relieved a lot.

Bill Ford went on to say: "Mr. Li, you must not underestimate the Auto Workers Union. Those guys are not easy to fight against. Our American automobile companies have been fighting these people for almost a hundred years, and they have almost never been able to fight against them." Take advantage."

"One hundred years? The history of civilian cars is only one hundred years!" Li Weidong said with a smile.

"If we count from 1908, when our Ford company launched the T-car, it is indeed just a hundred years ago, and the Auto Workers Union has grown along with the development of our American automobile industry!"

Bill Ford sighed lightly and continued: "As the oldest automobile company in the United States, we at Ford also deal with the United Auto Workers the most often. For example, when I entered the management of Ford, my first task was Negotiate with the United Auto Workers."

Li Weidong continued to ask: "I still have the same question as before. Firstly, the Auto Workers Union does not have shares in Jaguar Land Rover, and secondly, it has not signed any agreement with Ford. Why can they stop the transaction between us?"

Li Weidong actually asked questions knowingly. He wanted to extract more useful information from Bill Ford.

Bill Ford explained wisely: "Although the Auto Workers union has no equity and no agreement, we must pay attention to their opinions. This is the rule of running a business in the United States.

In fact, the Auto Workers Union does not really want to stop this deal. They just want some benefits from it, such as higher wages, better medical insurance, more retirement subsidies, etc. "

Li Weidong deliberately pretended to be enlightened, and then said: "I understand, since the boss is changing, I have to ask for more benefits from the new boss, right?"

"That's right." Bill Ford continued: "In recent years, the Auto Workers Union has taken frequent actions. In fact, even without this deal, they will still find other excuses to ask for various benefits from us automobile companies! "

"Then if I don't plan to give them any benefits, what can they do to me?" Li Weidong said with disdain.

"At that time, the Auto Workers Union will incite workers to demonstrate, protest, march, and even go on strike. Mr. Li, I know you have several factories in China. You should know that once workers go on strike, the company will ultimately suffer the loss. ”

Bill Ford continued: "Every day's operation of an enterprise requires costs. Only production can generate profits and offset costs. A day's strike means a day's loss. So when facing a strike, all we can do is compromise."

"When employees join the company, they should all sign a contract, right? Strikes are absenteeism, and absenteeism without reason will be fired. Why not fire those workers who make trouble and recruit a new group? The United States has a developed automobile industry. We have trained a lot of auto workers, so why are we afraid of not being able to recruit them?" Li Weidong continued.

It is very easy to fire employees in the United States. Except for Montana, all employment rules in the United States are "at will" employment, that is, the employer can fire employees at any time, regardless of whether there is a reason, and without prior notice. , if you are fired, you can pack your things and leave.

This may sound like a convenience for employers, but in fact employees have the same power. Employees can also leave their jobs at any time without giving notice, which means that if other companies poach employees, employees can just say "I quit" and leave directly. ,

Bill Ford explained: "Mr. Li, although the American automobile industry is very developed and there are many workers in the automobile manufacturing industry across the United States, recruiting workers is really not an easy task.

Workers always demand higher wages, better benefits, and shorter working hours before they are willing to come to work. Moreover, many skilled auto workers have union backgrounds. Recruiting such people will be even more troublesome! It might bring about a new round of strikes.

Rather than that, it would be better to give the workers some sweetness so that they can work steadily and maintain normal order for at least a period of time. As a business, we still hope to take stable profits as our main goal. "

Li Weidong pondered for a moment and then said: "In general labor movements, there will be leaders. You can fire all the leaders to serve as a warning to others. Without the leader, other workers will not dare to cause trouble again."

"You must not do that!" Bill Ford shook his head hurriedly, and then continued: "In that case, the contract worker will become a hero, he will gain higher prestige, become a cadre of the union, and then incite more workers to deal with you!”

Li Weidong couldn't help but think of the employee named Smalls who was fired by Amazon. Because Amazon has never had a union, this guy organized a labor movement and demanded the formation of a union. Finally, a small strike was held, and then he was fired by Amazon. .

As a result, this guy turned into a labor leader, first raising funds through the union website, and then using the funds raised to organize a barbecue party, order hot dogs, pizza and beer, and treat the workers to a meal. Meat products are not expensive in the United States anyway, and the cost of hosting such a barbecue party is not high either.

Next, he posted photos of the event online to build momentum and continue to raise funds. People who don't know the truth will see that the activities here are quite frequent, and there are many people participating, so his reputation gradually grows.

As his fame grew, more and more people came to eat and drink, the activities became bigger and bigger, and funds were constantly raised. Finally, after two years of hosting barbecue parties, Smalls finally Enough signatures were gathered to launch a campaign to unionize Amazon.

In the end, the Amazon union was successfully established. This employee who had been fired by Amazon not only became the leader of the Amazon union, but also became a well-known figure in the United States. He appeared on a TV show, made a YouTube video, and led workers to cause trouble. Extorting a sum of money from a company can make your life quite comfortable. If live streaming became popular in the United States, this guy could become a billionaire.

Just listen to Bill Ford continue to say: "Mr. Li, based on my many years of experience in dealing with the Automobile Federation, I think that in this situation, it is best to negotiate with people from the Automobile Workers Union.

Of course, you don’t have to agree to all their requests, and they don’t expect you to agree to them all. Negotiation is a process of mutual compromise. We can give them some sweeteners and let them explain to the workers. "

Li Weidong listened with a smile on his face as Bill Ford taught him how to negotiate with the union. He waited until Bill Ford finished beeping before he left.

When Li Weidong walked away, Bill Ford immediately dialed a phone number.

"Mr. Jewell, the Chinese just left my place, and he should contact you soon. Don't worry, I have suggested to him that we should compromise with you as much as possible. When the specific negotiations come, you just need to lower your standards a little bit." If you ask, the Chinese will agree!”

…

Li Weidong left Ford.

As for what Bill Ford said, Ford Company and the United Auto Workers were at odds with each other, and Li Weidong only believed half of it.

Ford and the union have been entangled for nearly a century, and the two sides have reached countless agreements. Li Weidong doesn't believe that Ford's senior executives have no friendship with the union leaders.

As for the Auto Workers Union, Li Weidong is naturally well-known. This is an organization that American auto companies can never bypass.

The original intention of establishing trade union organizations was naturally to fight for the interests of workers. However, after more than a hundred years of development, American trade unions have become resistance to industrial production. It is no exaggeration to say that American labor unions are definitely the largest bureaucratic interest groups in the United States.

After the Civil War, American industry began to develop vigorously. At that time, American workers worked harder than 996. It was normal to work fourteen to five hours a day, without weekends, and the wages were still low.

So on May 1, 1886, Chicago workers held a large march, which resulted in a suppression by the Chicago police. Later, because of this incident this year, May 1 each year was designated as International Labor Day.

It may be difficult for ordinary people to imagine that such a holiday actually originated in the world's largest capitalist country. As the origin of May Day, the United States does not have May Day itself.

It’s also thanks to the fact that Labor Day originated in the United States that Koreans don’t dare to steal.

After the Chicago strike, union organizations began to sprout up all over the United States, from the textile industry, to the mining industry, to the steel industry. In just a few decades, almost all industrial categories had specialized unions.

However, after World War II, the nature of labor unions in the United States gradually changed. Many labor unions began to become corporatized. Labor organizations are no longer mass organizations, but more and more like a company, with professional managers who mediate disputes. Consulting fees will be charged, and workers' activities will even be held from time to time, just to obtain "enshrinements" from companies.

For many Americans at the bottom, if they want to escape poverty and make a fortune, in addition to being athletes, they can also become union leaders.

Because every time there is an election, candidates need workers' votes, and union leaders will play a crucial role at this time.

The most typical example is Woodacre. He was once the chairman of the United Auto Workers. Because he helped Carter campaign, he became the director of Carter's Liaison Office in China. After the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, he became the ambassador to China. The unemployed young man succeeded. Establish civil servants in the transition zone.

Many of the U.S. ambassadors abroad are not professional diplomats. Most of them are political mediocre people. Such people have almost no knowledge of diplomacy. Real diplomacy still has the final say of the Secretary of State.

Nowadays, unions in the United States obviously hinder the development of enterprises, so many companies are also clearly opposed to unions.

In many traditional industries, trade unions have emerged, and companies have no choice but to let it go. In emerging industries, trade unions have not had time to be established, so companies are doing everything possible to prevent the establishment of trade unions.

For example, Amazon mentioned earlier will fire anyone who dares to organize a union. In order to prevent the establishment of a union, Amazon also spends money to litigate, claiming that the process of establishing a union is illegal. After more than ten years of obstruction, Amazon did not establish a union until April 2022.

Apple, another major technology giant in the United States, is also opposed to unions. Apple employees did not establish Apple's first union in a retail store until June 2022.

Among the many unions in the United States, the most powerful is the United Auto Workers.

The reason for this is, firstly, that the American automobile industry is strong enough and has many automobile workers. With more people and more power, it will naturally have the strength to challenge the bosses.

The second reason is that because the profits of the automobile industry are relatively large, whenever automobile workers go on strike, automobile companies often take lenient measures to increase wages and benefits for workers. Over time, American automobile workers’ salaries are relatively high, and union funds It's also quite sufficient.

If it needs people and money, the Auto Workers Union will naturally develop and grow.

The older the automobile company, the longer it has been dealing with the United Auto Workers, and the higher the wages of its workers will be.

The highest-paid autoworkers in the United States are Chrysler's plants in Alabama, followed by General Motors and Ford Motor plants. The three major U.S. automakers have also had the longest relationship with the United Auto Workers.

The wages of workers at Japan's three major car companies, Toyota, Honda and Nissan, are at the mid-range level. This is because Japanese car companies began to build factories in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s, and have only had 40 years of dealings with the auto unions.

Germany's BMW and Volkswagen, as well as South Korea's Hyundai, offer workers the lowest wages. And their time dealing with the Automobile Federation is also the shortest.

Although Germany's automobile manufacturing industry is very strong, German car companies built factories in the United States relatively late. For example, Volkswagen's Passat, a generation of legendary car, did not start production in the United States until its seventh generation. At that time, the Passat model was very fast. Yellow.

South Korea's Hyundai Kia only increased its investment in the United States after 2010. Since the "THAAD" incident, this brand has made it clear that it will abandon the Chinese market.

As for Tesla, there is no need to mention it. Elon Musk wants to scold the union 800 times a day.

The major car companies naturally hate the United Auto Workers, but they have no choice. In order to avoid greater losses, the capitalists can only continue to compromise with the union.

Now that Li Weidong has just raised the funds to acquire Jaguar Land Rover, the Auto Workers Union has come out to cause trouble. In fact, it is taking the opportunity to collect protection fees.

Before the subprime mortgage crisis broke out, it was probably the last glorious moment of the Auto Workers union.

This year, the United Auto Workers held a joint general strike in 14 states, forcing Chrysler to spend $11 billion to improve workers' welfare, which directly led to Chrysler's filing for bankruptcy.

This time the union movement benefited approximately 42,000 workers, which is equivalent to an average profit of US$260,000 per worker. But in the end, the workers obviously didn't get that much and ended up almost losing their jobs when Chrysler filed for bankruptcy. As for where the money went, only the devil knows!

Not content with killing Kreiske, the United Auto Workers union targeted General Motors again. It was also a strike, and General Motors also filed for bankruptcy.

After killing two major auto companies, the United Auto Workers also fell into decline, and many auto workers quit the organization.

Workers just want better wages and benefits, not their jobs. You bankrupted the boss, and I lost my job, and I still got a bonus!

The funds of the Auto Workers Union, in addition to contributions from automobile companies, mainly come from auto workers' dues. After auto workers join this union, they need to pay 5% of their salary as dues, and the union will help workers fight for their rights.

After all, this is the United States, and everything depends on money. If you don’t pay, who will help you? Those intellectuals who criticize American labor unions can rest for a while.

The workers have all quit, and the dues received by the Auto Workers Union have been significantly reduced. It will have difficulties in operation, and its momentum will be much weaker than before.

Of course, that is the future of the United Auto Workers. In 2007, the United Auto Workers was by far the most powerful organization in the United States and the most feared by entrepreneurs.

…

The next day, Li Weidong met with negotiators sent by the Auto Workers Union.

The visitor's name was Norwood Jewell. In the future, he would become the vice president of the United Auto Workers and was sentenced to fifteen months in prison for accepting millions of dollars in bribes from car companies.

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that the car company deliberately set a trap and sent this guy to jail.

It is also a common phenomenon in American labor unions to enjoy the benefits of both ends. After eating, the workers eat the company, and then they make a lot of money. If you're lucky, you can help a politician campaign and gain political capital.

Today, Norwood Jewell is wearing a blue T-shirt on his upper body and khaki casual pants on his lower body. He looks like an ordinary worker.

This is the standard dress for American union cadres. Although they make a lot of money, they will never wear suits and ties like Wall Street elites.

T-shirts and casual pants make them look more like ordinary workers, while blue T-shirts are closer to the color of work clothes, which also shows that they represent the majority of blue-collar workers. When workers see this outfit, they will trust them more.

After all, it is a trade union organization that has been developed for a hundred years, and there are still many such detailed tricks.

After introducing each other, Norwood-Jewell said directly: "Chairman Li, on behalf of the United Auto Workers and all the workers in Bemhull, I oppose your acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover!"

"Why do you object?" Li Weidong asked with a smile.

"Your acquisition will harm the rights of our workers!" Norwood-Jewell said with a stern expression.

"Then what rights and interests of your workers will be harmed?" Li Weidong looked like he was asking the question.

Norwood-Jewell was slightly startled, thinking that this is just a rhetoric, just the opening remarks for us to negotiate terms, why do you take it seriously?

However, Norwood-Jewell was still thick-skinned, and he was not embarrassed at all, but said: "Our workers have many rights and interests that will be harmed, and I won't list them all here!

But our request is clear, you must give up the acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover. Of course, if you are willing to agree to the conditions we propose, we can relax this requirement. "

Norwood-Jewell said, directly took out a document, handed it to Li Weidong, and said at the same time: "Our requirements are not complicated. They mainly include an increase in salary, an increase in paid leave, and an increase in medical insurance and dental quotas." , increasing pension benefits and providing financial support for trade union activities.”

Li Weidong took the document without looking at it, but threw it directly on the table and said at the same time: "I can't agree to any of what you said!"

Li Weidong's attitude made Norwood Jewell very unhappy. He thought that Bill Ford had given Li Weidong enough hints, and Li Weidong would agree to some conditions to meet the requirements of the Automobile Federation, but he did not. I think Li Weidong didn't even look at these conditions, so he rejected them directly.

"Mr. Li, do you intend to negotiate with us?" Norwood-Jewell looked ferocious, and then threatened: "In that case, let me inform you that the Jaguar Land Rover Bemhur Factory The workers will go on strike from now on!”

Norwood Jewell also became tougher. He thought that this would definitely scare Li Weidong, but Li Weidong shrugged with an indifferent expression and said at the same time: "Then you go on strike! But I have to remind you If you dare to go on strike, I will fire you!"

Norwood-Jewell was stunned. He had worked in the union for many years and had participated in many negotiations. This was the first time he had seen such a tough employer.