UAW deserves America's support during this strike

Support of the United Auto Workers' strike is crucial at this point in history (“UAW strike: 13,000 auto workers walk off,” Sept. 16).

The struggle between “labor” and “capital” has been going on since the end of the feudal area. Mostly, labor has been on the losing side in the struggle, but it still has managed to make some significant gains for the working classes. But the question remains as to who will win the strike and what it means for the future of our country and the rest of the world.

The classic portrayal of the contest between labor and capital questions what is more significant in the production process — the role of capital in creating the opportunity or the workers who actually do the work to successfully produce the product.

The problem arises because capital also expects a return on the investment (aka the surplus value that remains after the initial investment with its attendant risk after the wages for the workers are taken into consideration). The friction comes when workers feel they deserve a share of the surplus value as well.

To determine feasibility, consideration for things like working conditions must be balanced with the degree of risk for those providing the capital. Only then can we determine a fair allocation of the profit.

For the most part, capital has not been willing to share in the profits of any given enterprise. It deems the workers wages as sufficient compensation.

However, when considering the $28 million one of the auto industry CEOs reportedly received as a bonus, as well as the record profits taken in by the three automakers these past years, the lack of fairness seems apparent — especially since the government recently bailed out the industry.

A fair share of the profits is what autoworkers deserve.

— Gerry Pearlman,

Muir Beach