GE's Welch Used Same Line About Unions On Panel Sorkin Moderated
As we've been reporting, earlier today, New York Times business reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin appeared on MSNBC and seemed to question the entire idea of unionization. "Name a successful unionized company. Think. You're going to go to [commercial] break before you come up with one."
Last week, Sorkin moderated a forum, hosted by Vanity Fair and Bloomberg, which included, among others, former General Electric CEO Jack Welch and Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz.
During the discussion, the Welch trotted out roughly the same that Sorkin brought on to Morning Joe against Stiglitz "[G]ive me a highly successful, unionized American industry," he demanded.
Here's the entirety of the exchange:
WELCH: Joe, do you think that if we trace back things like this, they're going to give us a more competitive America to compete in the global world? Now, do we - should be retained good wages? Should we have benefits? Should we have enlightened management to take care of workers? Absolutely.But should we get all organized again and get all these work rules and have General Motors and U.S. Steel and the airlines and all these businesses - give me a highly successful, unionized American industry.
STIGLITZ: Well, I do think that - that workers who are treated better or more productive.
WELCH: I agree.
STIGLITZ: Now - now, one of the things that has induced a lot of companies to treat the workers well is the fear of unions coming in. So it has been an incentive device that has, I think, encouraged better treatment of the workers at by some of the non-union firms.Well, I do think that - that workers who are treated better or more productive.
More on the answer to Welch's (and now Sorkin's) question in a moment. Funny how that line made it from the lips of the former chairman and CEO of GE on to a GE-owned cable network. I'm sure Welch is extremely proud.
Late update: You can read Sorkin's apology here.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Hmmm. Somehow, being unionized didn't prevent GE from being one of the most successful companies in history. But then Welch is a windbag and Sorkin is apparently a corporate brownnose.
June 3, 2009 2:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Welch says:
Hollywood
Broadway
Broadcasting
Other entertainment
Most telecoms
Railroads
Aviation
Professional sports
Casinos and hotels in Las Vegas
Disneyland and Disney World (an industry unto itself)
Retail food (minus Walmart and Food Lion)
Much of food processing (e.g., Kraft, General Mills...)
And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
June 3, 2009 3:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
So, another NYT writer gets caught passing off someone else's thoughts as their own. Ho-hum. That happens every week.
Just a tip for young Andrew, maybe consider whether the the "borrowed" thoughts are even remotely accurate before repeating them. And eat something for God's sake, you're too damn thin.
June 3, 2009 3:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
sorkin shows us his true aspiration: jack welch's shoe shine boy. well done, kid. keep up the good work and maybe jack'll flip you a nickel tip next time!
June 3, 2009 3:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lick-spittle is the proper term, I believe.
June 3, 2009 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
The corporate media have become such shills for their overpriced owners, and, like their bosses, they have no shame.
June 3, 2009 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Absolutely nailed it.
June 3, 2009 4:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
that nantucket sugar daddy sure does have some influence. all the msnbc fratpac couldn't be more subservient to him when he appears on hardball and morning joe.
and i see that sorkin has now apologized. and the only ones who will know it will be readers of tpm.
mission accomplished. sorkin provided msnbc with a nifty soundbite -- and it was made by a reporter from the commieleftistpinko new york time...
June 3, 2009 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Am I not mistaken or doesn’t GE own NBC, the very network on which Sorkin spewed his anti-union ignorance, which Welch seems to be parroting in the quote you cite? Is NBC’s crew in the studio unionized?
Didn't GE just ratify earlier this week a four-year labor contract between it and 12 unions within the International Union of Electronic Workers?
What about the 2007 agreement between GE and the Coordinated Bargaining Committee of General Electric Unions (CBC) that the New York Times reported on back in 2007?
Does Welch even grasp numerous areas of the companies he used to head up were unionized? Is he suggesting his own former company GE (NBC being but one of them) are not successful?
June 3, 2009 6:14 PM | Reply | Permalink