| Diarrhea in the Air
By Antonio C. Abaya Written on Dec. 08, 2008 For the Standard Today December 09 issue It was Columnist Lito Banayao who first raised the question of why the chartered Philippine Air Lines Flight 001, carrying President Gloria Arroyo and her party to the APEC Summit in Lima Peru last Nov. 21, was diverted in mid-flight six hours after leaving Manila and made to detour to Osaka, Japan. The First Gentleman, Mike Arroyo, was said to have suffered "severe stomach pains and vomiting" � subsequently diagnosed as infectious diarrhea - and, although there were doctors on board, it was decided to unload him in Osaka so that he could receive emergency medical treatment in a hospital. PGMA is said to have waited for Mr. Arroyo's physicians to arrive in Osaka from Manila (in a San Miguel Corporation HS-125 executive jet) before proceeding to Lima, causing her to miss most of the first day's agenda of the Summit.. Columnist Banayo quotes an unnamed "friend" who asked: "Was it a case of the presidential party being alerted by phone that someone among them was going to be picked up by authorities upon landing at Los Angeles airport for money-laundering activities? "Remember that in the wake of Lehmann Brothers, Merrill Lynch, AIG and so many other Wall Street corpses, the federal anti-money laundering task force may have found the smoking gun documents about the financial capers of someone in the presidential plane. "That would have been a terrible embarrassment, because no one else in the party aboard PAL Flight PR 001 was important enough to merit a reason to retreat and fly back except the President or her husband�." Frank Wenceslao, president of an organization called Philippine Anti-Corruption Movement USA has a different take: "GMA, husband and their children are reportedly barred to enter the US by virtue of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and the Bush administration's 'No Safe Haven' policy to deny kleptocrats to enjoy the fruits of corruption. "The (First) Family's last visit when the policy was specially lifted was when Ambassador Kristie Kenney thought that the MOA on Ancestral Domain would push through and the US could negotiate a bases agreement with the Bangsa Moro. "GMA's US visit (last October) was only allowed for a head-of-state attending UN-related conferences or meetings. "It is out of protocol (that) Mrs. Arroyo is allowed to come to the US, but not her husband. There is a report that Atty. Arroyo's emergency landing in Japan happened when the presidential party learned (that) his request for (a) US visa wasn't granted, and he really needed (one) for a stop-over in Los Angeles. "Mike Arroyo might suffer what happened to Joc Joc Bolante and be detained�." I do not know which version, if either one, is accurate: was Mr. Arroyo about to be arrested in LAX for money laundering, or was his request for a US visa denied and he was going to detained, like Joc Joc Bolante before him, for having an expired US visa. I tend to doubt that Mr. Arroyo would leave for LAX without a valid US visa. As for money laundering, in my article US Capitalism Implodes (Sept. 22, 2008) I speculated if "the reason President Arroyo suddenly left for New York yesterday (Sept. 21) was to look after her family's investments in the suddenly nationalized AIG (American International Group). Illicit funds parked in AIG would now be subject to US anti-racketeering RICO laws�." But both Columnist Banayo and Crusader Wenceslao did not mention a significant fact: namely, that six hours out of Manila, in a non-stop 12 hour flight eastward towards LAX, PAL Flight 001 would have been within or near a triangle described by Wake Island, Midway Island and Hawaii, the first two US territories, the third a state in the American Union.. In case of a medical emergency situation � and I have no doubt that Mr. Arroyo needed emergency help - the most logical place to make a stop would have been Honolulu, about an hour and a half or two hours away from where the plane was when the decision was made to land and rush him to a hospital. Turning back to Osaka suggests that the party deliberately avoided US territory � for either of the reasons suggested by Banayo and Wenceslao, or for another reason unknown to us.. Stopping at Honolulu also would not have delayed PGMA's trip to Lima as much as the stop-over in Osaka did. Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno was quoted as saying that "Six more hours to reach LAX! There was no way we could wait that long. I think the precautions taken were warranted. It is very hard to take risks with anyone's life." What risks would there have been in landing in Honolulu, aside from the two suggested by Banayo and Wenceslao.? Why the presidential party seems to have deliberately avoided US territory should be the subject of a Senate investigation, not to determine if Mr. Arroyo really suffered from infectious diarrhea, but to salvage what is left of our national self-respect. Is it really true that Mr. Arroyo was about to be arrested by authorities in LAX for money laundering activities? We have a right to know. Is it really true that President Arroyo has been black-listed by US authorities and may set foot on US soil only for UN-related meetings and conferences? We also have a right to know.. The key element to ascertain in such a Senate investigation would be the exact location of the aircraft when the decision was made to make almost a 180-degree turn to Osaka. This can be extracted from the pilot, co-pilot and navigator under oath, with the understanding that perjury would cost them their licenses. It can also be verified by the aircraft's voice and cockpit recorders, as well as by the electronic records of the Los Angeles and Osaka control towers, all of which, presumably are beyond being corrupted by Filipino politicians and their lackeys. Once the exact position of the aircraft has been established, the question of why the presidential party sought to land in far-away Osaka, and not in nearby Honolulu or other US airport , has to be answered satisfactorily. ***** PACQUIAO MANIA. Not being a boxing aficionado, I did not find time to watch the celebrated match. But I join in the national celebration of Manny Pacquiao's victory over Oscar de La Hoya. Pacquiao is now an authentic giant in his field of expertise, with tangible and convincing evidence of his superiority, compared to whom the pretentious President Arroyo is only a pygmy. (With apologies to the pygmies.) I hope Pacquiao will have the humility to admit to himself that he knows absolutely nothing about the parliamentary system of government, and will resist the efforts of Kampi (the party of predatory pygmies) to make him the Poster Boy for Parliamentary to help the predatory pygmies remain in power beyond 2010..***** Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles in acabaya.blogspot.com. Tony on YouTube in www.tapatt.org. To subscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Subscribe. To unsubscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Unsubscribe. . OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to "Diarrhea in the Air" More Reactions to "ConCon,. Not ConAss" Automakers' Bail-Out Re: your column today in Manila Standard, the other question is: If FG can freely go to the USA, would he have missed the dela Hoya-Pacquiao fight? Francis Varela, (by email), Dec. 09, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Kuya Tony, Your suggestion of a 'Senate investigation' on the Osaka landing instead of Honolulu, would be 'in aid of legislation?' or 'in aid of castigation?'. I doubt but I could be wrong if the Senate now would go into such investigation to ferret out the true story. Let us wait for more details on this. Thanks and please keep writing on. One last thing, if Con Con would be the choice and takes place after 2010, would you run as a delegate? Mind you, you will be a very excellent material in that body to look out for the interests of the Pilipino people. Please think it over for our country's sake and future. May God always bless you. Leona Guera, (by email), Australia, Dec.09, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, When I read and heard the news that the chartered flight of the presidential party bound for South America was diverted to Tokyo, (You mean Osaka, ACA) Japan, my initial thought was there must be something SPECIAL cause and that the diarrhea was just a light excuse. First of all, FG was medically fit to travel. Secondly, a medical doctor was on board the chartered flight and he can dispensed first aid since FG Mike A did not have a heart attack but a stomach disorder. At the back of my mind, for sure a political or diplomatic problem was facing the group and your article confirm now my earlier doubts that the medical cause was only to cover up something the country will again be facing an embarrassing situation. Indeed, Mike Arroyo's possible arrest at the port of entry in US is the main reason to divert the flight to Osaka. At least, now I know why despite the important fight of Manny Pacquaio, FG was not visible at this historical fight in Las Vegas, USA. Even if million of dollars was at stake, no visa no entry, sorry but that's USA, not the Enchanted kingdom of GMA. Jojie Umali, (by email), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 09, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I believe GMA and the First Gentleman are beyond redemption so I'll take a pass and will not venture a guess on the their latest exploit. Instead please allow me to delve on Manny Pacquiao's case. We should protect this future Hall of Famer at all cost from the dirty game of politics. I envy the voters of GenSan city for showing maturity in voting a competent and charming lady over the so called pambansang kamao of the Philippines in the last congressional election. Or the local voters were just being practical and protective of Manny's enormous reputation. Whatever reason, it was a very wise decision. His loss in the election was a blessing in disguise. Imbes na kay Dela Hoya ay baka sa makakapal na mukha sa kongreso nagamit ang kaniyang mga kamao. Cheers. Arcy F. Sibal, (by email), Santa. Maria, Bulacan, Dec 09, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony, The words I have for Manny Pacquiao is that he is the greatest -- not Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, or Oscar dela Hoya -- but Manny Pacquiao! The Pacman has once again made every Filipino anywhere on the planet proud of where they came from. And it is such a welcome feeling especially for us locals who have felt shame most of the time from our politics and poverty which are among the worst in the entire world. Even for yet another brief shining moment, the Pacman has united all Filipinos anywhere -- something no president, senator, or congressman could ever do. I hope Manny does not join politics after his illustrious boxing career. Manny will be able to help other people more by staying out of politics instead of being in it. For one, he can keep his good name if he stays out of it. With his fame and fortune, Manny can already pursue any worthwhile advocacy without getting compromised which is a certainty once he gets himself embroiled in partisan politics. He should not listen to the whisperers around him with all their ulterior motives. It would be such a shame to see Pacquiao turn into a dela Hoya who loses out in the end if he fails to heed this writing on the wall. I think I agree with Freddie Roach who said that Manny should fight twice more at the most perhaps against Hatton or Mayweather and then retire as the greatest boxer of all time. In his current form, the Pacman is invincible against any of the two. One last word, shame on those Filipinos who bet on dela Hoya. Manny does not deserve such shabby treatment from so-called kababayans. Regards, Dennis Acop, (by email), Dec.09, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Yes, there should be a Senate investigation on this. What a shame if this is true, and from where I sit, the story is credible. My God, is there no more integrity left in these persons, i.e. Mr and Mrs Miguel Arroyo? Is our country so damned that we have been getting trash for President? Oh God, when will all these end? With this story, I can only grieve for our country. Ed Valenciano, (by email), Dec. 10, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Mr Abaya, This is a column worthy of Sherlock Holmes. I think it is incumbent upon the concerned government offices to investigate further into the matter. Ethel, [email protected], Dec. 10, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Here's another angle that you may want to consider. FG Arroyo is an avid fan of Pacquiao. Normally the FG would attend Pacquiao fights barring very important reason(s) that would prevent him not to. Was there any published news about FG's whereabouts during the Dec. 6th bout? Probably his beer tommy is still sore? Noli, the Speaker, the Philippine corrupt ruling class and political gangsters, mostly from Tongress were there. Where was the FG? Just wondering. Mark Enriquez, (by email), Pomona, CA, Dec. 10, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony: The stopover in LAX must have been arranged thru the US ambassador to the Philippines. It would be interesting to find out why the ambassador did not inform Mike Arroyo or the President before they enplaned that the US authorities were waiting for Mike Arroyo to enter US territory to arrest him for money laundering. Amado F. Cabaero, (by email), Dec. 10, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I wonder why Mr. Mike Arroyo was not at the Pacquiao-de la Hoya fight? He has been very visible at Pacman's fights in the past. Rudy Villarica, (by email), Quezon City, Dec. 11, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Mr. Abaya, Here's another angle to Mr. Arroyo's story, an official declaration of Mr. Dureza in LA. Thanks and best regards, Romy Marquez, (by email), Dec.11, 2008 PHILIPPINE VILLAGE VOICE - Redefining Community News The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Thursday, November 27, 2008 ~ Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is by far the second-longest sitting President of the Philippines, with nine years to her credit, and still counting. The record holder is, of course, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. She was on a chartered flight to Los Angeles last week and midway, her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo, had "very severe stomach pain" that forced a stopover in Osaka. All the while, one of the biggest protest rallies against her in the United States awaited in Los Angeles. Was it a medical necessity or a convenient excuse to avoid the embarrassment on her way to Peru? Her press secretary professed ignorance about the protest while saying his condition was "almost fatal". (The Arroyos are used to street protest rallies, here and abroad. What they are not used to is facing arrest for money laundering. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Regardless of whether the 'First Husband' really suffered from Montezuma's Revenge or not, other symptoms indicate that he and his esposa suffer from an affliction worse than a merely physical malady - a total lack of credibility. Even if he were to show us a sample of his stool, which should be no sweat for him since he is so full of it, people would still rather believe a Lito Banayo or a Frank Wenceslao in explaining the true reason for the aerial turn-around. Being a long-time aficionado of the pugilistic art, I naturally rejoiced with fellow Filipinos at the sensational victory of Manny Pacquiao. The sweetness of his victory, however, was spoiled for me by 'flies in the ointment' in the persons of trapos who swarmed all over the pambansang kamao, all eager to bask in the Pacman's moment of triumph. While boxing promoters are naturally eager to exploit Pacquiao's now immeasurable marketability, with plans to match him against Brit Ricky Hatton and Amerikan Floyd Mayweather, it is actually Philippine politicans who are salivating at the prospect of sinking their hooks on Manny and getting their sticky fingers on his millions (billions?). Their plan, it is reported, is to move him from the South Cotabato arena where Darlene Antonino-Custodio gave him a beating, to the presumably more manageable Quezon City ring. Where before I have always joined the nation in praying for his victory in the ring, I now pray that people who truly care for Manny and to whom he may listen, will knock some sense into his head and dissuade him from entering the red light district of politics. Bill Ibanez, (by email), Dec. 11, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww It looks like they avoided ending up like Marcos did , landing in Hawaii . Victor Manalac, (by email), Dec. 11, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Mang Tony, Thanks a lot for keeping us, ordinary citizens, informed about the off-the-wire and off-the-records events surrounding Philippine politics. Since almost day 1 of Arroyo administration, there has been a lot of cover up, denials, invoking executive privelege, etc. etc. As long as we are paying taxes, I believe we have the right to know about the going ons in the country or in Malacanang in particular but that is not happening and will not happen under Arroyo. Thanks again, Edel Anit, (by email), Dec. 11, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Your article on Diarrhea in the Air has been making the rounds and hope the Senate looks into it... With apologies to pygmies as you said. As they say in the vernacular... masuerte talaga ang mga enanos!. More power. Carmita Francisco, (by email), Dec. 12, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww May I post this in my Hobby Forum? Arch. Jose A. Miranda, (by email), Dec. 12, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to "ConCon, not ConAss" (Dec. 02, 2008) It is obvious that ConAss will not pass, some are pushing ConCon as a substitute just to push change. In the end who will have the bigger slice of cake? Change for the benefit of the people, I doubt it. Keep the Constitution and have our leaders work to improve the quality of life of the citizen and not just for themselves. Gregg Ignacio III, (by email), Dec. 13, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Our present constitution is all right, generally speaking. It is a matter of really implementing its provisions properly. We should not make basic changes like going from a presidential to a parliamentary system of government, or from a unitary to a federal form. We can fine tune it with small changes like electing senators by region (same number regardless of population per region). A ConAss can do it. Jose Dado, (by email), Dec. 13, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony, It seems that GMA is a good student of history. I wouldn't be surprised if she took some lessons from her father. Wasn't her father the President of the 1971 ConCon? Leo Venezuela, (by email), Dec. 14, 2008 Senior Analyst, CLSA Philippines wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Obviously there will be good to come out of such changes. It's the motive that surfaces quite obviously that makes the plan suspicious and therefore rejected by a mounting number of our citizenry. Extending themselves is all that they want. From that, every other item will be made to fit their power and money objectives. The least (if any) purpose would be us, the citizens. Marcos, his family and cronies tried to hang on like forever. After all legal means were exhausted an angry people finally took to the streets to bring them down and take them out. We shouldn't want to do the same again. But this government seems to be goading the hotheads into the same...I pray this does not happen. Some people may think that GMA and some congressmen believe that in the existence of a global financial crisis they are the best team to govern our country - now and forever. It would be fair perhaps to give these proud and arrogant people credit for whatever substantial good (if indeed any) they may have also caused. I personally believe, however that there are equally smart and better leaders who can replace them. Everyone of us says we are proud to be Filipinos because we have the talent, the skills, the brains, and so much of these that we even export our highly educated and trained countrymen to different parts of the world and so on and so on. So, why should we be so desperate that we should fear changing leaders in the face of this crisis ? The only reason for elected officials to want to make the changes is for them to hang to their source of income. They are as greedy as the CEOs abroad who have caused the financial breakdown that the US and Europe are going through which is shaking the entire world. Victor Manalac, (by email), Dec. 14, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I took time to read and analyze the commentaries to your Essays/Writeups and there is one that I felt need close attention. This is the comment of Efren Padilla, of Hayward,CA, Professor of Sociology and Urban Planning, California State University in East Bay. His analysis and suggestions are sharp and put the Filipino in proper perspective. I hope we will live long enough to realize that unless we, the people, change our ways-- e.g. our way of choosing and supporting leaders in this country, no amount of philophysing will do any good. This is only one part of the problem. When we consider accumulation of wealth through corrupt practices and cheating in elections as "a mere nothing" in our culture, for one, we really do have a huge problem. I have seen this coming way way back, and I thought it will pass. Today, it is "The Filipino" that need watching! Unless and until we re-discover ourselves and see in us the way Rizal and Ninoy, among the few, "see"--that the Filipino is worth dying for, they sacrificed their lives for nothing! We need more comments, the likes of Prof. Efren Padilla. Thank you sir. Jose I. Regino, (by email), Zamboanga City, Dec. 14, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Mr. Abaya, Thank you for spending part of your precious time to react to my reaction to your article, "ConCon, not ConAss." We need not necessarily have philosophers in the mold of Plato and Aristotle. We need not define philosophy in its strictest sense. For the purpose of argument, let us just expand our definition to cover those political scientists, thinkers and teachers, the members of the academe, professionals whose ideas and stand on issues are known, those who walk the talk so to speak. In choosing the independent scrutinizers, let us follow what they have beendoinghere in Europe called the "Eurovision Song Contest." Each country is allowed one participant who is required to go through an elimination process. The finalists perform in the contest held in the country of the previous year's winner. Voting is done by telephone. Each country has its own center where calls from its citizens are received. Citizens of one country are not allowed to vote for their own representative. They are required to cast their votes for the contestants of other countries. In our case each sector should choose its own representative/s who will then choose from representatives of other sectors until the creams of the crop are found. The exercise may not be perfect but for lack of a better way, why don't we adopt it? There is an abundant supply of intelligent Filipino people, we hope, who can devise the mechanics, improvise the crude method we have proposed or find better ways on how this can be done. No. I don't know of any country who follows my stringent requirements. But I do know that there is a word called pioneer. After all, was not our country the first one to overthrow two corrupt presidents in peaceful people power uprisings within 15 years? Before those events, had anyone ever imagined that such event could happen? Yes Sir, my requirements my be stringent, as stringent as the requirements of a classroom teacher that his students should know 100% of what he taught them. But he allowed those who got the grade of at least 75 to pass his subject. Ramon Mayuga, (by email), Essen, Germany, Dec. 14, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, PGMA's Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said--Bless the president so we will have forbearance, good health, the tolerance to lead the nation up to 2010 and perhaps who knows even beyond. Come on Mr. Press Secretary, let me say this, I am not a foreign-based critic of PGMA but I think "she (PGMA) doesn't have what it takes to lead the nation even up to 2010 and more so beyond.." Please do not take it personally, but I believe, she got everything nobody wants except you and a few more. Mike M. Moreno, (by email), Richmond, BC, Canada, Dec. 15, 2008 Chair, Fil-Am Fil-Can Alliance wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Mr. Abaya, I have been following the subject matter quite seriously, but so far I have not seen, or heard of the reasons for the con-con or the con-ass. If charter changes are necessary, what are the parts or articles of the present constitution that should be changed and why? Then, we the public must be informed of the proposed changes and the benefits to be derived from such changes. (You should read the newspapers and watch the TV talk shows more closely. The advocates of ConAss and ConCon give their reasons: to switch from presidential to parliamentary, to shift from unitary to federal, to remove nationalistic provisions in the Constitution that allegedly discourage foreign investora, etc. ACA) It is like calling a meeting, any meeting. There should be an agenda issued beforehand so that participants would be informed of the subject matter to be taken up in such meeting, have time to study it, and be intelligently prepared to discuss the issues at the meeting. And, if this procedure is an intelligent approach, why not in a con-con which is of paramount importance, as it is the framework of our government and natioal guide to our future? For example: I would recall that when I was in Grade VII, we had Philippine Government as a subject. I remember very well, when we studied the 1935 (Commonwealth) Constitution, there was the provision disqualifyng people accused in a case involving "moral turpitude" from being a candidate for public office. What do we have now? We have a Jalosjos and several other criminals as candidates for public office, and they even get elected(for whatever reason)! That constitution also had provisions protecting our natural resources from exploitation by aliens (a provision that could be re-introduced to allow foreign capital to help in the development of our natural resources). What else do we have to tackle in a con-con? We must be informed, item by item, if only to be fair to the general public. Anything outside of the proposed changes should not be accepted. It will be like diluting an original formula. Edmundo Ledesma, (by email), Cainta, Rizal, Dec. 15, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi, Mr Abaya, I only mentioned the pamphlet "To Pay is to Die" in connection with our foreign debt. Nobody, especially. I, will recommend not paying debts that were contracted by Presidents, even if such debts turn out bad, like the debt used for the Bataan Nuclear Plant. Perhaps what I had in mind were more like amnesty, or the condonation that some banks extended to some chosen countries--certainly not outright repudiation. [Although, some people said that Cory, at the very outset, should have repudiated Marcos' debts. While this sentiment may have seemed right at the heat of the moment, what about banks who had lent the money bona fide? They will certainly not have welcomed the idea. What I did think then was that since most of the money went to the Marcoses anyway, that perhaps we could have had the creditor-banks go after the Marcos money themselves--they may have had better chances of recovering all that hidden wealth. Ethel, [email protected], Dec. 16, 2008 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (Forwarded to Tapatt by Fil Juntereal) Automakers' Bail-out According to Forbes: Labor cost per hour, wages and benefits for hourly workers. Ford: $70.51 ($141,020 per year) GM: $73.26 ($146,520 per year) Chrysler: $75.86 ($151,720 per year) Toyota, Honda, Nissan (in U.S.): $48.00 ($96,000 per year) According to AAUP and IES, the average annual compensation for a college professor in 2006 was $92,973 (average salary nationally of $73,207 + 27% benefits). Bottom Line: The average UAW worker with a high school degree earns 57.6% more compensation than the average university professor with a Ph.D., and 52.6% more than the average worker at Toyota, Honda or Nissan. Many industry analysts say the Detroit Three, must be on par with Toyota and Honda to survive. This year's contract, they say, must be "transformational" in reducing pension and health care costs. What would "transformational" mean? One way to think about "transformational" would mean that UAW workers, most with a high school diploma, would have to accept compensation equal to that of the average university professor with a PhD. Then there's the "Job Bank" When a D3 (Detroit 3 carmaker) lays an employee off, that employee continues to receive all benefits - medical, retirement, etc., etc., PLUS an hourly wage of $31/hour. Here's a typical story.... Ken Pool is making good money. On weekdays, he shows up at 7 a.m. at Ford Motor Co.'s Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, signs in, and then starts working -- on a crossword puzzle. Pool hates the monotony, but the pay is good: more than $31 an hour, plus benefits. "We just go in and play crossword puzzles, watch videos that someone brings in or read the newspaper," he says. "Otherwise, I just sit." Pool is one of more than 12,000 American autoworkers who, instead of installing windshields or bending sheet metal, spend their days counting the hours in a jobs bank set up by Detroit automakers as demanded by the United Auto Workers Union - UAW - as part of an extraordinary job security agreement. Now the D3 wants Joe Taxpayer to pick up this tab in a $25 Billion bailout package - soon to be increased to $45 Billion if Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton have their way. The "Big 3" want this money - not to build better autos. No. They want it to pay the tab for Medical and Retirement benefits for RETIRED auto workers. Not ONE PENNY would be used to make them more competitive, or to improve the quality of their cars. We ALL have problems paying for our Medical Insurance - but the Democrat leaders in Congress now want us to pay the Medical Insurance premiums of folks who have RETIRED from Ford, GM and Chrysler. How about Chapter 11 - and getting rid of these ridiculous union contracts? LATEST HAS IT THAT UNIONS ARE BALKING AT THE BAIL-OUT DUE TO NOT WANTING TO REDUCE PAY AND BENEFITS...WHAT A C R O C K !!! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO To subscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Subscribe. To unsubscribe, send a blank email with the subject heading Unsubscribe. |
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