UAW can't have it both ways on bailout; a lot of laid off workers would have loved reduced wages

I really respect the hell out of the UAW and most every other organized labor group representing hard-working Americans. The gains all of us have realized like a 40-hour work week to benefits from health care to sick leave are due to union member getting their heads bashed in on picket lines and even losing their lives.

Give organized labor the respect it deserves.

But keeping its members employed should be the priority. And while I hate President Bush for even getting involved in the damn bailout in the first place, something must be done about wages with the Big 3 automakers that make them uncompetitive. And lets kick out the current executives while we're at it, no matter of they're only working for a buck.

I hope the UAW will use the time between now to President Obama's ascendancy to consider a counter offer on reduced wages. Don't give in to everything. But please realize that the American public is mostly against a bailout. And I know a lot of former journalists, including myself, who would have loved to have been given an offer of reduced wages to stay on the job.

Fight when necessary. But please realize that the war will be lost without some significant wage concessions.