After years of creeping concessions, UAW rank and filers received an offer they had to refuse. When Delphi proposed to cut workers’ wages by two-thirds on October 8, the anger and anxiety wasn’t limited to those working in the struggling auto parts company’s plants—it spread to concerned workers across the auto industry . . . .

In an echo of the past, the Big Three automakers claim they are going broke and need concessions to save them.

Management focuses on the cost of its high-paid workers. Wages, pensions, and health care costs are cited repeatedly as the main reasons for the Big Three’s declining competitiveness . . . .

Teamster reformers are putting up a slate of candidates that has a shot at throwing out incumbent International officials and transforming their union. The Strong Contracts, Good Pensions slate is headed by Tom Leedham, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 206 in Oregon and a two-time contender for president . . . .

Freda Coodin’s article in the November edition of Labor Notes criticizes the CAW’s strategy in recent bargaining with the Big Three automakers. I do not think she has told a complete or fair story....

Jim Stanford offers, as expected, a spirited defense of the CAW agreement. But he doesn’t really get to the points I raised. Since our disagreement is not over the economic package and since it is not really the details of the agreement that are at issue, let me concentrate on just a few key points.

Things continue to erode for working Americans, and the labor movement has been dealt set back after set back. Part of the problem is that Labor's message, focus, and ideals have been lost on working people....