advertisement

Unions became downfall of Detroit

Detroit was once the affluent industrial capital, a city with its own emblematic musical sound and a storied union movement That drew Democratic presidential candidates to Cadillac Square to kick off their campaigns.

The downward spiral for Detroit started with racial discord and most of all with the formation of powerful unions. The unions dictated to the auto industry requirements such as when employees were laid off, they would receive 80 percent of their pay and all benefits. To get the benefits the employee had to report to the workplace, and after a period of time the individuals became bored so the union demanded professional help to make sure that they were not going crazy. Obviously the costs were passed on to the consumer.

The price of the cars skyrocketed and the quality degenerated. To eventually seek refuge from the city’s powerful unions, the auto industry started to expand beyond the city and built plants in suburban and rural areas. So the city with the once-most innovative, cutting-edge, dominant industry in the world has filed for bankruptcy. Race discord and powerful unions will be the downfall of Chicago, which of course is the most corrupt city in the country.

Silvio Pontarelli

Mount Prospect

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.