American Axle is no longer on strike. I worked the last OT detail there yesterday. My friend works there and spoke to him yesterday. They are taking a $28.00 to $18.50 pay cut, and he is getting an appx. $110k buydown over 3 years. The benefits got hammered some as well. Since they make ONLY big truck (SUV) axles, and the SUV market is way down, cuts had to be made or layoffs. Look at what Ford announced yesterday regarding their SUV lines and layoffs. They have a choice..and a hard one, and they (American Axle) voted 4 to 1 to the referendum. And by the way, they got $200 a day, for a 4 hour day for strike pay. That is $50 an hour with limited benefits.

Do I agree? Would anyone agree? This country was founded in part to unions. Part of why the economy was so screwed up was from Unions, their want, their greed. I am a union worker. Is it right for one union worker to tout unfairness as to how well one gets paid or compensated? Yes.

There is a difference between "salary" and "wage". A salary is a fixed amount per hour as a "wage is the same, but can fluctuate.

Can a salary be a wage? Sure, IMO. I can work my 40 hour week for 2080 hours a year and be salaried. If I want, I can make my bonuses, court pay and OT to me a "wage" worker.

I am union, somewhere in constitutonality and by law, can not strike. Am I upset that my contract (increase) does not keep up with the cost of living? Am I upset when I have to pay more for benefits? Yes and no. I have a choice. I have a job and for the most part, stable. Was I upset when I was going to have to take a 10% pay cut, be laid off, reassigned? You bet...But at least I have a job.

Geting back to topic, Refuse to buy Chinese goods. I would take those plugs back and buy Delcos. I do not mind paying for a quality part (Irridiums) if recommended and worthy even if the price per is inflated.

We all have choices...to buy domestic, to buy a gas guzzler, to live the American dream, if you can call it that anymore. Now that dream requires smarter thinking to make ends meet. Fair? Cause and effect. It is not one particular groups influence ("Big Oil") nor is it extreme and sudden. This all has been coming for a long time.

FYI, I moonlight at receiving at Home Depot. 95% of the goods that come in is Chinese made. I make $70k a year at my union "wage" but work a $10 an hour job 20 hours a week to make up for what I need and what my union couldn't give me and what City "took" away.