Contractors and the erosion of benefits

[flew-da-coup]

Obviously after reading the next couple posts after mine I realize that is a very small amount. I did not know that the job offered no sick time no 401k no disability. As stated the government wants universal health care and yet they are not offering health care for thier own jobs??

That's how they get people on the "Universal Healthcare" band wagon. Offer no insurance and they will want free Government ran healthcare. By the way, when has the Fed Gov ran anything right? Social security, Medicare, etc....

[jimmyc]

That's how they get people on the "Universal Healthcare" band wagon. Offer no insurance and they will want free Government ran healthcare. By the way, when has the Fed Gov ran anything right? Social security, Medicare, etc....
[/quote]

i have had gov run health care for 30yrs, and though it may not be the Cadillac of care, i am quite happy with it. 

[flew-da-coup]

That's how they get people on the "Universal Healthcare" band wagon. Offer no insurance and they will want free Government ran healthcare. By the way, when has the Fed Gov ran anything right? Social security, Medicare, etc....

i have had gov run health care for 30yrs, and though it may not be the Cadillac of care, i am quite happy with it. 

My 7 yr old son had taken 3752 shots in 2 years and it doesn't bother him to take shots anymore. However, those of us that don't have to take needles on a routine basis find it rather awful and unpleasant. Or we can look at the Bedouins that roam the deserts of the middle east and drink water that has silt all in it. Yes, it taste good when the sun is beating down on them and it keeps them alive, but I would prefer to drink filtered cold water, but to the them it doesn't matter since it has been a long time or never since they have tasted pure water.

What country do you live in btw or are you talking about military healthcare?  I hope you are not talking about Military care. I went 6yrs going from military dr. to military dr. trying to find out why I had neck problems. They did CAT scans, MRI's and even sent me to a Shrink. They never found the problem. One month after I got out of the military I went to a chiropractor for my neck and he did just a plain old xray and told me that he wouldn't touch me because I had a small bone fragment in my neck that was floating around. He told me to go to my medical doctor. They removed the small bone fragment ( I had a dirt bike crash in my teens)  through microscopic surgery and I have been pain free for the last 15 yrs. Civilian chiropractors are better doctors than what the military has for medical doctors.

[USMCPMEL]

CalibratorJ that sounds pretty lousy?? If you do not use the money for insurance it goes into a non matched 401K. If you do not have insurance you have to take thier "overprice" insurance. I pray that you are on your wifes insurance??? How overpriced is thier insurance ?? I hope that the place is paying you like $28 per hour otherwise you are getting severly ripped.

[Old-Navy]

  Civilian chiropractors are better doctors than what the military has for medical doctors.

That's why they're called Medical Hobby Shops!

[CalibratorJ]

USMC, HELL YEAH I'm on the wife's insurance!

I do not remember the exact figures, but I do remember that it is more than twice what my wife pays monthly for the family, and her's is through Blue Cross.

And we only get the wage determined for the area, and the health and welfare pay (into our 401k) so it is decent pay I reckon. I've never heard of all of the "Technician" pay and whatnot.

Good news is I will be government before the month is out, so YIPPEE!

Ok, sorry to take this on a tangent. So what's up with these Maxwell jobs then?

[clacoste]

That's how they get people on the "Universal Healthcare" band wagon. Offer no insurance and they will want free Government ran healthcare. By the way, when has the Fed Gov ran anything right? Social security, Medicare, etc....

i have had gov run health care for 30yrs, and though it may not be the Cadillac of care, i am quite happy with it. 
[/quote]

We have universal healthcare down here.  Also not perfect....but it generally works well.  Never worry about being sick and financial calamity - that's for sure...The most I've paid to see a doctor (many clinics are free though - they just swipe your Medicare card) is $20 after Medicare deduction.

Most medical tests, operations, hospital stays etc are also free.  I had a minor hernia operation a few years ago - stayed two days in hospital.  Didn't cost a dime....Prescription medications are subsidized - the most you'll pay for anything is under $30.  If you're unemployed or on a disability or aged pension - you'll pay $4.  Dental and optical, at the moment, are usually your responsibility although you can insure for it at low cost (which we do - about $110 a month).  They may go universal on dental soon though....

Lot to be said for universal healthcare - and we're true believers (wife is a nurse).  May pay higher taxes - but the peace of mind is well worth it.  We get good quality care without worrying about losing the house if we get really ill. 

[flew-da-coup]

That's how they get people on the "Universal Healthcare" band wagon. Offer no insurance and they will want free Government ran healthcare. By the way, when has the Fed Gov ran anything right? Social security, Medicare, etc....

i have had gov run health care for 30yrs, and though it may not be the Cadillac of care, i am quite happy with it. 

We have universal healthcare down here.  Also not perfect....but it generally works well.  Never worry about being sick and financial calamity - that's for sure...The most I've paid to see a doctor (many clinics are free though - they just swipe your Medicare card) is $20 after Medicare deduction.

Most medical tests, operations, hospital stays etc are also free.  I had a minor hernia operation a few years ago - stayed two days in hospital.  Didn't cost a dime....Prescription medications are subsidized - the most you'll pay for anything is under $30.  If you're unemployed or on a disability or aged pension - you'll pay $4.  Dental and optical, at the moment, are usually your responsibility although you can insure for it at low cost (which we do - about $110 a month).  They may go universal on dental soon though....

Lot to be said for universal healthcare - and we're true believers (wife is a nurse).  May pay higher taxes - but the peace of mind is well worth it.  We get good quality care without worrying about losing the house if we get really ill. 
[/quote]

No offense, but our health is not the governments responsiblity. I would have a greater piece of mind if the government paid my utilities and satillite tv too. Here in the US the only piece of mind that our constitution directs of the federal government is national security. I realize that all great nations have turned socialist in history due to people becoming more dependent on their government or dictators. They also are no longer great or have disappeared. This is what sets the US apart for now. I personally want to keep it that way.

[griff61]

No offense, but our health is not the governments responsiblity. I would have a greater piece of mind if the government paid my utilities and satillite tv too. Here in the US the only piece of mind that our constitution directs of the federal government is national security. I realize that all great nations have turned socialist in history due to people becoming more dependent on their government or dictators. They also are no longer great or have disappeared. This is what sets the US apart for now. I personally want to keep it that way.

Psst, look north, there's this place called Canada...usually runs budget surplusses...even on pensions. Guess where more 'American' cars are built...it aint' Michigan. Universal health care is good for business.
The US system is only good for insurance companies.

I think maybe we should take this tangent out of the job offer section...

[mdbuike]

Griff, please back up your assertations with some data.  My understanding is while many parts are manufactured throughout the big three's plants around the world, most of the automobiles are assembled here in the USA...

Now as to Canada's health system (let alone the U.K.'s)..why do they come here for medical procedures if their's are soooo good?

And as to SMR's offer, I think it should be discussed in an intelligent and thoughtful manner..

No sick time and no 401k can make it difficult to recruit highly skilled and experienced personnel, let alone finding your own health care if you're not retired military


Mike

[flew-da-coup]

No offense, but our health is not the governments responsiblity. I would have a greater piece of mind if the government paid my utilities and satillite tv too. Here in the US the only piece of mind that our constitution directs of the federal government is national security. I realize that all great nations have turned socialist in history due to people becoming more dependent on their government or dictators. They also are no longer great or have disappeared. This is what sets the US apart for now. I personally want to keep it that way.

Psst, look north, there's this place called Canada...usually runs budget surplusses...even on pensions. Guess where more 'American' cars are built...it aint' Michigan. Universal health care is good for business.
The US system is only good for insurance companies.

I think maybe we should take this tangent out of the job offer section...

Like I said before, some people lack personal responsibility and have to rely on the government to take care of them because they can't do it themselves. I'm just not one of those people. I am a big boy and came off the tit along time ago.

[griff61]

Griff, please back up your assertations with some data.  My understanding is while many parts are manufactured throughout the big three's plants around the world, most of the automobiles are assembled here in the USA...

Now as to Canada's health system (let alone the U.K.'s)..why do they come here for medical procedures if their's are soooo good?

Chrysler builds 25% of it's cars in Canada http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10212990-48.html

Crown Vic has highest domestic content, but is built in Ontario http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-tue-made-in-usa-box-0407apr07,0,3683982.story

As for the healthcare, I started a different thread for that, but the short answer is, because they can. Even though they have a single paryer system. I wouldn't recommend the UK system.

[MRD]

Griff, please back up your assertations with some data.  My understanding is while many parts are manufactured throughout the big three's plants around the world, most of the automobiles are assembled here in the USA...

Even the new Camaro is assembled in Canada.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oshawa_Car_Assembly

Chevrolet Impala and Buick Allure
http://www.gm.ca/inm/gmcanada/english/about/Overview/operations_osh_car.htm

Chevrolet / GMC 1500 Light Duty Pick-Ups
http://www.gm.ca/inm/gmcanada/english/about/Overview/operations_osh_truck.htm

Current production includes the Chevrolet Equinox
http://www.gm.ca/inm/gmcanada/english/about/Overview/operations_Ingersoll.htm

[Smokey]

Yes there is such a thing as GM Canada although the the oshawa truck plant is shutting down. This link has a pretty good list of all the GM plants around the world:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_GM_factories
But if you look at many of the foreign plants many of the brands they build are only available in that country. There are of course large amounts of GM vehicles built in foreign countries just as is the case with Ford and Chrysler. But to suggest that canada makes the most American cars is simply inaccurate.
The Big Three and Canada have had a long standing relationship with Canada supplying parts to them and eventually that led to them investing in manufacturing plants there, no surprise there but more American cars are still built in the U.S. Every article you all posted said nothing to that affect only that about 6 or seven models are made exclusivley there but what of the other 50 or so models?

"In terms of the transplants, Honda in particular has been trying to raise American content, but typically when you're talking about an American producer like General Motors or Ford, about 90 percent of the material, the components that goes into a Detroit Three car is American," he said.

"And virtually all the profits that Ford and GM make, if they have profits anymore, go to U.S. stockholders, whereas less than 10 percent of Japanese carmakers have shareholders that are Americans."

I think someone should be looking into moving to canada! Not me of course but some here. I would hope that if you do move to Canada though the Big Three survives or you might want to come back to the US when all those manufacturing and suppliers jobs are lost.

Here is a good article about "American made" cars.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123265601944607285.html

There is no true American made car anymore, typically if you can get 80% you are doing fine and many foreign brands are built here in the US.  The difference is where the money is going from any profit, it is not being recycled through American shareholders but rather to  of course foreign shareholders. Now we can say we have benefitted in some new jobs true but I think I would much rather have all of the Big three jobs brought back to America versus having foreign automobiles built here, and I would say the same thing about any and all of jobs that have been outsourced overseas.

I know a lot of babbling but you get the point.

[griff61]

But if you look at many of the foreign plants many of the brands they build are only available in that country. There are of course large amounts of GM vehicles built in foreign countries just as is the case with Ford and Chrysler. But to suggest that canada makes the most American cars is simply inaccurate.

Actually what I said was that Canada makes more cars than Michigan. If you look at the US stats, most US built cars aren't made in Michigan, they are built in other states, many in the south. Canada and Mexico make up more than a third of total auto production in North America. Isn't NAFTA great?
Also, GM & Chrysler are also begging for money from Canada, they've ponied up over $800 million US so far for Chrysler. If the two of them go out of business, look for foreign carmakers to jump on the sale of the newer production facilities.