Rebirth of the Industrial Tycoon
Chapter 708: Defeat the Union
The U.S. stock market is booming!
If you are a Chinese stock investor, you will definitely cheer when you see this color.
American stock investors are just the opposite. When they see the screen full of red, their hearts bleed.
For the U.S. stock index, red represents a decline and green represents an increase. A flash of red means that the stock market keeps falling, and investors suffer heavy losses.
The Federal Reserve has already taken action, injecting capital into financial institutions for many days in a row. However, the Fed's capital injection of 18 billion is just 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. This is best reflected in the stock market.
The so-called prophet of spring water, the U.S. stock market can most directly reflect investors' confidence in the market and also project the prosperity of the U.S. economy.
As one statistic after another was released, so did the bad news.
House prices across the United States began to fall, recording the largest single-quarter decline in 21 years, and the number of bankruptcies began to increase by 20% per month.
The Federal Reserve chose to cut interest rates in an emergency, but it is still difficult to reverse the decline in non-agricultural employment.
For ordinary consumer credit, default rates have also begun to intensify, with overdue repayment rates quickly reaching the levels seen 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, Thomas, an autoworker, parked his pickup truck in the garage and returned home humming a tune.
As an American autoworker, Thomas's salary is still very good. He lives in a large house in the suburbs, has a wife, two children, bought two cars, and also raised a dog. This is standard equipment for the American middle class.
Entering the entrance hall, Thomas saw a pile of letters in the storage box next to him at first sight. Thomas picked them up casually. There were promotion advertisements from supermarkets, insurance company promotion advertisements, mortgage repayment bills, and credit cards sent by banks. bill.
"It's time to pay off the credit card again." Thomas opened the bill and suddenly had a headache when he saw the numbers on it. He took his children to a ball game last month and really overspent.
The next second, Thomas suddenly remembered that he was still participating in the strike, which meant that this month's salary had not yet been received!
The key is that the factory is still laying off employees, and the intensity of layoffs is getting bigger and bigger. I don’t know that Thomas’s name will be on the layoff list tomorrow.
Thinking of this, Thomas couldn't help but feel a little flustered. Various loans are like sharp knives hanging over Thomas' head. If Thomas really loses his job, how will he repay the car loan, house loan, credit card, etc.!
Ordinary Americans don't save money. After paying off various loans after their monthly salary arrives, there will be little money left. Once you lose your job, you really have no money to repay the loan.
"The union people said that if we persist a little longer, the management will definitely compromise!" Thomas comforted himself.
But thinking about those colleagues who had returned to the workshop and clocked in and out normally, Thomas increasingly felt that the union's words were unreliable.
Soon, Thomas's wife prepared dinner, and the four members of the family gathered around the dining table. The dog ran to the bottom of the dining table, saying in his heart: Drop it, drop it, drop it quickly, everything that falls on the floor is mine. !
Thomas was still thinking about repaying the loan, while his wife began to nag about the family's problems.
"Did you know? Mr. and Mrs. Heywood next door are getting a divorce!" the wife said.
"Aren't they very loving? Why are they getting divorced? I remember that in the summer, they held a barbecue queue, and we were invited 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 has been unable to find a job. They have already paid off the mortgage and he is likely to file for bankruptcy. So Mrs. Thomas simply divorced him. I saw Mrs. Thomas packing her luggage today, maybe planning to move away from here," the wife replied.
Hearing words such as "layoffs" and "bankruptcy", Thomas's heart trembled violently, and he felt as if a rabbit was dead or a fox was dead.
The wife continued: "I heard that many companies have been 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 the recent recession was causing people to buy things. There are fewer people, and the turnover of supermarkets is also declining. Supermarket management has already planned to cut salaries to save jobs. "
This news shocked Thomas again, and the dinner in front of him no longer tasted good.
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 by then? Do I have to be like this? Is Mr. Heywood divorced and bankrupt like that?
All in all, my current salary is still considerable. Although I am not making a fortune, my quality of life is pretty good. Of course, it would be a good thing to have more benefits, but if you lose your job just to increase the benefits, it will be more than worth the gain!
Tomorrow the trade union will hold a campaign, otherwise I won't go to participate. I'll just go back to the workshop and clock in as normal, so at least I won't be on the layoff list. After all, this family still has to rely on me to support them.
What's more, I'm not the first to go back to work. Many people have already gone ahead of me. If the union settles accounts in the future, it won't be my turn! "
Thinking of this, Thomas felt much more at ease. He decided to go to bed immediately, get up early tomorrow, and go to the workshop to clock in on time.
…
Early in the morning, while enjoying breakfast, Norwood-Jewell saw the news on the TV reporting that the stock market was booming, and he suddenly felt a little bad.
Norwood-Jewell also invested in financial products, but he did not buy stocks directly, but purchased fund products. If the stock market fell, Norwood-Jewell's fund would naturally suffer losses.
After breakfast, Norwood-Jewell went straight to the Bemhull factory to deal with another thing that made him feel bad.
In front of the Bemher factory, a sparse crowd was holding signs and looking listless.
"Aren't we going to hold a campaign today? Why are there so few people!" Norwood Jewell frowned slightly.
Seeing the arrival of Norwood-Jewell, the union cadre Hanks immediately greeted him.
"The time for the event has come, why haven't everyone arrived yet!" Norwood-Jewell glanced at the crowd and said, "Hanks, your performance was pretty good in the past few promotional activities, why did you drop out today?" Chain? I’m very disappointed with your performance!”
Hanks immediately explained: "Mr. Jewell, this is 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 clocking out for normal production!"
"What? Go back to work?" Norwood-Jewell immediately heard a classic saying in his heart, we have found a group of traitors!
"How could this be? Our union is still helping them fight, but they have compromised with the management? Did the management provide any benefits or promises in private?" Norwood-Jewell asked immediately.
Hanks replied: "Since all members of our union have been laid off, many workers are no longer willing to continue the strike with us. They believe that if the strike continues, the employer will also lay off them. In order to keep their jobs, They all returned to the workshop.
For today’s campaign, I also told the workers that there will be a barbecue party and beer drinking after the event, which is why so many people participated. If there was no barbecue and beer, there would be even fewer people!
To be honest, many union members have begun 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 if they are laid off this time, they will really be laid off!
Mr. Jewell, more and more people are going back to work. If this continues, our strike will really fail. We laid-off workers have really lost our jobs! "
"Don't worry, since you have joined the union, the union will definitely protect your rights!" Norwood-Jewell quickly promised.
At this time, if we don’t quickly stabilize people’s hearts, the strike will really fail!
Hanks showed a dubious expression.
Everyone can say nice things, but can they really do it?
The management has used actions to tell everyone that they will not compromise and will lay off those who strike without mercy.
In the current bad economic environment, some workers have begun to compromise, no longer continue the strike, but go back to work.
Also because of the bad economic environment, jobs have become difficult to find. Recruiting new workers has become much easier for factories, so employers can lay off employees without any scruples.
If it continues, the end result will be that all the strikers will be laid off, and the factory will recruit a new group of workers, without any loss.
The real hurt is laid-off workers like Hanks, who really lost their jobs!
It is possible for laid-off union leaders to be packaged as heroes.
However, more than 900 union members were laid off this time. Can more than 900 worker heroes be created?
Obviously this is impossible. This group of workers who have been laid off will most likely become victims of the strike.
…
There were not enough participants, and campaign activities were not carried out.
A failed campaign will have the opposite effect on the strike movement.
The workers were not fools. When they saw the lackluster campaign, they knew that the strike would not go on. Instead of wasting time here, they should go back to work quickly to avoid being laid off by the factory.
So on the next day, many workers stopped striking and returned to the workshop, making the strike even weaker.
The next day, the number of strikers dropped off a cliff. At this time, the number of people who had returned to the factory to work again exceeded the number of people who were still participating in the strike.
Humans are social animals, and they naturally have a herd mentality. If they see most people going on strike, they will go on strike. If they see most people go back to work, they will go back to work.
Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the strike is doomed to fail. Even those who have been on the layoff list are beginning to ask their connections to find out if there is any way to go back to work.
…
At Bemher Factory, Li Weidong stood at the door of the workshop, looking at the workers working inside.
The management of the factory reported: "At present, more than 2,200 workers have returned to work in the factory, and the production line can be opened normally. However, due to the shortage of workers, the production capacity is still limited and has only recovered to 60% of the usual level." "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. Reducing production capacity at this time may not be a bad thing." Li Weidong said. Several managers nodded reluctantly. As the management of the production factory, their year-end bonuses are directly linked to the factory's output. Now that the factory's output has been reduced to the process, it is estimated that this year's year-end bonus is hanging. However, everyone also knows that the current economic situation is not good, and layoffs are everywhere. 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 can be regarded as a warning to the management to know the power of the new boss. No matter whether they are convinced in their hearts, they must be convinced in words. No one will joke about their own jobs. Someone then said, "Mr. Li, the on-site workshop has resumed production. Should we continue to lay off employees?"
"As long as there are still people who have not returned, we will continue to lay off employees 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."
Someone else said, "Mr. Li, some of the laid-off workers have expressed regret. They hope to return to the factory and say they will not strike again. I think they are skilled workers after all, and they are more familiar with the operation of our workshop. Should we give them a chance?"
"Come and leave as you like. What do you think we are!" Li Weidong snorted coldly and continued, "We are all adults and should be responsible for our actions. Those who have been laid off want to come back and apply for the next recruitment!"
Someone wanted to ask when the recruitment would be held, but after thinking about the current economic prospects, he swallowed his words back.
In the next two years, it is already a good thing not to lay off employees. How could there be recruitment!
…
The workers went on strike just to get better benefits, not to lose their jobs. This is true for ordinary workers, and even more so for those who joined the union.
In fact, those workers who joined the union were more concerned about their personal gains and losses. They joined the union just to get more benefits. How many people really seek benefits for the majority of workers!
To join the United Auto Workers, you have to pay 5% of your salary as membership fees, so you must get more than 5% of your salary before someone will pay. From another perspective, these workers who joined the union are the most selfish people.
Now that the strike is facing failure, these workers who joined the union did not get any benefits, but lost their jobs. Naturally, they will not give up.
It is impossible to return to the factory, so everyone began to point the finger at the United Auto Workers, which led everyone to strike.
The United Auto Workers can grow and develop by enticing people with benefits. If no benefits are given, no one will follow the leadership of the United Auto Workers.
But if there are no benefits and the workers have to pay for it, then let alone let the workers obey the leadership, it is already a good thing that they do not rebel.
…
At the strike site, the union leader Hanks was surrounded by several workers, who were also members of the union. Now that they have lost their jobs because of the strike, they naturally want to find the leader to settle accounts.
“Hanks, what did you say before the strike? You said that we would definitely get better medical insurance, more pensions and longer vacations, but what happened? We lost our jobs!”
“When the factory just started to lay off employees, you told us that you don’t have to be afraid, the employer will compromise and negotiate with us immediately, but the employer has no intention of negotiating at all!
“Even yesterday, you told us that we would win if we persisted for a few more days! You liar, you are still lying to us at this time!”
“It’s all your fault. We had a good salary, but you told us that we could get a raise as long as we made a fuss after changing to a new boss! But in the end, we lost our jobs! "
We are all adults and should be responsible for our own choices. However, a group of egoists will definitely not take the responsibility for unemployment themselves and want to shift the blame to others.
Hanks also looked aggrieved. He just followed the leadership of the United Auto Workers Union and he was just an executor.
What's more, the previous promise was at least achieved, that is, a longer vacation. Since he was laid off, he could take an indefinite vacation.
Several angry workers were about to beat someone up. At this moment, Hanks saw Norwood Jewell coming over in the distance.
"Mr. Jewell is here! He is a senior executive of the United Auto Workers Union. If you have any problems, you can go to him and he will definitely help you solve them!" Hanks said.
This move of conflict diversion was very effective. The auto workers immediately ran to find Norwood Jewell. Before Jewell could react, he was surrounded by a group of workers.
The workers still repeated what they had just said, your union is a liar, your union caused me to lose my job, your union must be responsible, etc.
After all, Norwood-Jewell is experienced. He knows that in this situation, it is useless to continue to draw the pie. No one will believe that if you persist, you will win.
"The hearts of the people are scattered, the team can no longer carry them, and the strike may not be able to continue." Norwood-Jewell let out a long sigh.
He knew very well that since the strike was doomed to fail, it was better to negotiate with the employer as soon as possible and ask for fewer benefits or no benefits. At least he could get the workers' jobs back, which would be a decent step down for the union.
So Norwood-Jewell said: "Dear workers, please don't worry, I will go to the employer to negotiate, and your jobs will be back by then!"
…
This is a game of who can blink first, and now that the union has to blink first, that means the union has lost the game.
Norwood-Jewell knew very well that if he took the initiative to negotiate with Li Weidong, he would inevitably be on the weaker side. But it’s not an option. If we can’t solve the job problem of these 900 workers, then the image of the union will be severely damaged, and we will have to follow suit.
In the hotel's cafe, Norwood-Jewell met Li Weidong again.
Li Weidong said straight to the point: "Mr. Jewell, our time is precious, so let's get straight to the point! Are you here this time about the strike at Bemher Factory?"
Norwood-Jewell nodded: "Yes, our union has decided to lower some conditions. As long as you are willing to agree, we will cancel the strike immediately!"
Norwood-Jewell said, took out another document and handed it to Li Weidong.
Li Weidong read through the union's demands at a glance. The main thing was to increase various benefits, but the increase was much smaller. At the same time, it is also required that previously dismissed employees be recruited back to the factory to continue working with their positions 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 negotiation table. I think this famous saying is more appropriate now. Jewell Sir, if you can’t get something by striking, why do you think you can get it through negotiation?”
"If you don't agree, we will continue to strike!" Norwood-Jewell repeated his old tune.
Li Weidong spread his hands: "I don't care. As you know, we have been accelerating layoffs. Soon, those who are still on strike will be laid off. Those who are holding signs and striking are not our employees. , what do they do have anything to do with me!”
"Mr. Lee, if you do this, you are breaking up with our United Auto Workers union!" Norwood-Jewell said in a threatening tone.
Even car companies like Ford and General Motors do not dare to completely break up with the United Auto Workers. Although the two sides are hostile to each other, they still have to talk about what should be discussed. Therefore, Norwood-Jewell believes that this can threaten Li Weidong.
"Haven't we already broken up with each other?" Li Weidong smiled slightly and then said; "Mr. Jewell, if I had the willingness to negotiate, I would have negotiated long ago. Why wait until now."
"Mr. Li, do you know what will happen if you break up with our Auto Workers Union? You will face not only financial losses, but also reputational losses! For car brands, the loss of reputation is It 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 be bad. It will not affect me much. Foreigners have a much bad reputation in the United States. Okay, so don’t miss me!
As for market share, I don't think the United States is Jaguar Land Rover's main market. 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 good news in the future is called "30% off Leopard" in China, and in the United States, Jaguar Land Rover's sales 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 the sales increase by 100%, you will only sell 1,000 more cars. If you sell 100,000 cars a month, you only need to increase by 1% to sell 1,000 more cars.
Jaguar Land Rover's sales in the US market are only about 10,000 per month, which is not even as good as 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 more. Although Audi's sales are worse than these three brands, it can still be regarded as the first echelon. Moreover, the United States also has local luxury brands such as Cadillac and Lincoln.
To put it another way, if Jaguar Land Rover sales are very good in the United States, Ford Group will not sell the brand.
As for things like reputation, it is indeed very important to entrepreneurs. But Li Weidong is not an American, his development focus is not in the United States, and he doesn't care about his reputation in the American market. Perhaps being scolded more harshly by Americans will help Li Weidong improve his reputation domestically.
This is like Soros being shouted down by everyone in Asia, like a street rat, but he is an idol worshiped by many people in the United States. Because this guy stole 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 and has no choice but 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 because of the outbreak of a global financial crisis, many companies are laying off workers, so I don't plan to recruit any more workers in the near future." Li Weidong said with a winner's smile.
Li Weidong's smile made Norwood Jewell furious, but he was helpless. How could a loser have the right to negotiate terms with a winner!
…
After walking out of the hotel and looking at the blue sky, Norwood-Jewell finally understood that this meeting was not about Li Weidong's willingness to negotiate, but simply to humiliate himself.
A wave of hatred rose in Norwood-Jewell's heart, along with a hint of regret.
"This strike shouldn't have happened in the first place! Damn it, it's all this damn financial crisis that gave the employer an advantage! If the economy hadn't been so bad, I would have definitely won!" Norwood-Jewell murmured to himself Speaking in language.
For the United Auto Workers, not only will they lose money this time, but they will also lose their reputation.
Not a single benefit has been gained. It can be said that this is the first defeat for the Auto Workers union in decades.
The responsibility for the failure will inevitably be borne by Norwood-Jewell, but he has already thought of how to explain to the top leaders of the United Auto Workers, that is, to blame the financial crisis!
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