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The
Laborers
are
worthy
of their
hire!
OpEd
by Rev.
Dr.
Wendell
Anthony,
President,
Detroit
Branch
NAACP
 DETROIT
– On
June 1,
2009,
President
Barack
Obama
said, “I
also
recognize
the
importance
of a
viable
auto
industry
to the
well
being of
families
and
communities
across
our
industrial
Midwest
and
across
the
United
States.
In the
midst of
a deep
recession
and
financial
crisis
the
collapse
of these
companies
would
have
been
devastating
for
countless
Americans
and done
enormous
damage
to our
economy
beyond
the auto
industry.
It was
also
clear
that if
GM and
Chrysler
remade
and
retooled
themselves
for the
21st
century,
it would
be good
for
American
workers,
good for
American
manufacturing,
and good
for
America’s
economy.”
In
short,
the
president
indicated,
“Our
goal is
to get
GM back
on its
feet,
take a
hands-off
approach
and get
out
quickly.”
As a
result,
this
commitment,
following
an
initial
investment
of $15
billion
dollars
and an
additional
investment
of $30
billion
dollars
in
General
Motors,
an
investment
that
entitled
American
taxpayers
to the
ownership
of 60%
of the
new GM.
This was
done
because
of the
tremendous
sacrifices
made by
American
workers
and
their
families
across
this
nation.
Well,
General
Motors
today is
back on
its feet
as of
August
1, 2019.
CNBC
indicates
the
company
reported
revenues
of $36.1
billion.
Shares
of GM
rose
more
than 7%
over
that
last 12
months
and are
up more
than 21%
since
the
beginning
of the
year.
The
original
estimation
of
revenues
was
$35.98
billion
vs. an
achieved
$36.1
billion.
This is
an
indication
of a
company
that is
doing
well and
is in a
position
to
support,
encourage
and
invest
in the
workers
who have
enabled
it to
achieve
these
goals.
The
words of
the late
Walter
Reuther
of the
UAW
still
haunt us
when he
said,
“We
believe
this
approach
(progress
sharing)
is a
rational
approach
because
you
cooperate
in
creating
the
abundance
that
makes
the
progress
possible,
and then
you
share
that
progress
after
the
fact,
and not
before
the
fact.”
It is
apparent
that
progress
has been
made. It
is
apparent
that the
progress
to
achieve
income
equality
and
equity
for
workers
has not
been
made. No
worker
wants to
strike
and walk
a picket
line
versus
walking
the
assembly
line.
Yet, one
must
know
that
wherever
they are
walking
and
working
it is
not in
vain.
President
and CEO
of the
General
Motors
Corporation
Mary T.
Barra
gives
solid
advice
when it
comes to
the
firing
of
workers:
“My
advice
on
firing
is
simple:
Treat
that
person
the same
way
you'd
want to
be
treated
if you
were in
that
situation.
They're
still a
good
person,
just not
the
right
fit. So
how do
you help
them
move on
in a
productive
way that
allows
them to
maintain
their
dignity?”
Certainly,
we all
find
common
ground
in being
treated
the same
way in
which
you
treat
other
people.
We
contend
that one
of the
most
profound
ways for
any
worker
to
maintain
his or
her
dignity
is to
pay them
based on
the work
that
they
perform,
the
value
that
they
hold and
the
progress
that the
company
has
made.
Let us
all
stand in
solidarity
with the
workers.
Scripture
teaches
us that,
“Laborers
are
worthy
of their
hire,” 1
Timothy
5:18.
Indeed
they
are!
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