2008-11-10

Union Ad in Seattle Times

I saw this ad in the Seattle Times on 2008-11-09.

Recently, Boeing and its machinists union ended a strike that went on for more than 8 weeks. Boeing now faces a possible strike with it's engineering union.

This ad (click the image for a larger version), which purports to be from the union mechanics at a local Ford dealership, chastises the other unions in the Seattle area for not supporting one another. It call on member of the IAM,SPEEA, and other organizations to support all union workers by buying only from other unionized companies.

We support you in all your endeavors. But do we support each other? We think not. Is support between unions often nothing mor than lip service used to threaten management? Clearly, we don't begin to support each other nearly enough. We are aware of even our own union leaders purcahsing non-union-made automobiles and not having them serviced by union technicians. We can all make excuses. Or are you just hypocrites who won't put your money where your mouth is?


It goes on from there.

The point of the ad is to encourage union members to bring their vehicles to Sound Ford for service.

Printed in smaller- (but certainly not fine-) print at the end of the ad, it says, "Paid for by Sound Ford in support of its Union Service Technicians."

I am neither and big union supporter, nor a union hater. I'm not sure how I feel about this ad. On the one hand, calling on those with similar interests to bring their business to you makes sense. On the other hand, it seems like cheap shot some how.

Regardless, it's an interesting move.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

my One customer experience as a Ford owner was So negative that I would never consider responding to the ad. As a union member, I find the ad a little unseemly, but that probably has more to do with my general distaste for all things Ford. Pointing out when union leaders fail to support union members with their purchases may be fair game, but this ad certainly wouldn't work on me.