We haven’t seen the video of the MSNBC interview when Sorkin had some less than flattering things to say about the unions, but his words of contrition should tug on the heart strings of union employees everywhere.
I did not mean to suggest that there are literally no successful companies that employ union workers. Of course there are! Your readers have provided a good list (though I might quibble with some of the names.)
I made the unscripted comment with my financial columnist hat on in the context of the problems at GM. That’s what the discussion was about on the program. And when you look at some of the once great iconic American industries that have faltered — automobiles, airlines, steel, apparel, etc — there is a fair question worth asking about whether those industries were helped or hurt by their unions. But let’s leave that debate for another day
Update: ARS’s exact words which led to the heartfelt fake apology
Greg, how can you offer commentary if you haven’t seen the video? Why even bother to post that, it only makes you look (more) uninformed and (more) like a jackass.
Wanted: SWM for long walks on the beach, late night taco bell runs and dissenting conversations about Jim Cramer’s use of new sound effects while drinking bottles of MD 20/20. Seeking long term relationship.
-anus (Latin for ‘Greg’)
@1- do you have to see the video to know ARS is a douche?
i’ll go on the record and say unions killed america. so what?
@1 = sorkin
Unions are un-American. Why apologize?
The unions could not be reached for comment as they were on their regularly scheduled smoke break.
Unionized GM employees did better than GM shareholders and US taxpayers. Does that mean all CEOs and US Presidents are worse than Union bosses?
greg is a dumbass
The Guy From Delaware
@10 – should be ‘dumbanus’
What if mommy makes pot roast? Will that bring Greggy-Poo home?
The comments on the link are great.
It isn’t the unions fault!!! It is always the fault of management. The reality is that mgmt of a lot of these companies did make mistakes, but it is hard to manage a company when you have zero labor flexability.
That, and the unions suck.
NYT is a union shop, so I assume ARS is a union member.
13 Of course its the fault of management – they signed the contracts. And don’t say they had no choice. They certainly did – just needed to negotiate better. And the fact that they didn’t leads back to my opener – its the fault of management.
[the sound of one hand clapping]
It’s clear that non-union shops like Bear, Lehman, B of A, etc. have succeeded beyond our wildest dreams…
There are union people making $60,000 a year and now out of a job and others working at Walmart for $18,000 but still working. Seems to me that although both played the globalization game differently, they both lost. Rather than criticize, I’m just thankful I’m in neither camp. At the same time I could care less that, thanks to the efficiency of (or exploitation by) Walmart, I save 25 cents on every bottle of Tide that I buy. Whoppee.
@14
Non of the high profile writers are union members. ARS would qualify, whether we like to admit it or not.
ARS got that anti-union line from Jack Welch in a panel that he was moderating just a few days ago. Sorkin “apologizes” but Welch will not, as he’s still too busy trying to catch Immelt, whom he told CNBC a while ago that he was going to shoot. (Though Welch later “apologized” for his Immelt threat, Immelt is keeping his personal bodyguards on the payroll.)
md 20/20, vn…
Is that a fact or a threat?
WTF does the Atlanta Rhythm Section have to do with any of this?
Thanks for the list of stocks to short. (see the link) What will happen when GM goes for Chapter 22 (11 x 2)? Will people then finally realize that unions are a joke/inept/incompetent/racist? Or would these unmotivated slobs like to bring back Smoot-Hawley? The world is changing, change with it. No one has a right to a wage, no one. There is a reason they call it “earnings”. And why can’t ARS express a negative view of these corrupt institutions? What happened to our First Amendment Rights? If anything, ARS is being a pussy for not taking them to task. Why beat such a hasty retreat you pansy? He’s probably too busy watching his own ass with this going on – New York Times Union: Fire ‘Superfluous Managers’ Before Docking Our Pay. (http://gawker.com/5195937/new-york-times-union-fire-superfluous-managers-before-docking-our-pay)
Unions suck, they destroyed this country…why does this asshole need to apologize?
I suspect that unions have secret article posters to spread their anti-american propaganda.
I just cannot believe someone who reads a website about business would actually support a union.
26 Maybe because their father did OK as a result of belonging to a union. Which supported a decent life in a working class suburb, a decent high school education, good college, an OK starting job. This led to saving a bit and, with some help from said parents, the ability to duck out for an MBA which then led to a very good career on Wall Street. Its called being grounded. The opposite of you lumps.
A number of years ago at a company party (Alliance Capital) a fellow employee (lawyer)railed against unions and how they were destroying the U.S. I (daughter of union members) calmly waited for her to finish and then not so gently reminded her that approximately 50% of Alliance’s institutional business was union based pension money.
@28 are you single