Ford announced yesterday that they would offer buyouts to many of their employees, as part of a massive restructuring to get the company back to profitability.  Malcolm Gladwell and others have argued that private health care and pension costs are hamstringing Big Business and Big Manufacturing here in the US, compared to foreign companies who benefit from their home countries' public systems.

It looks like the UAW has signed off on Ford's buyout program, as they did with GM's earlier.  This approval is probably necessary for Ford to move forward with its reform.

My question is (for Chris Finn perhaps):  why don't the unions demand an unequivocal statement from Ford that they would support a more robust public health care system?  The details probably wouldn't be too important:
"Ford and other flagship American companies are under great financial stress from the lack of a public health care and pension systems.  We compete with foreign firms that enjoy the freedom to focus on their core business, rather than benefit management.  Ford and the UAW stand together and urge Washington to take this incredible burden off of American business and help make American firms competetive in the globalized economy."  Yadda Yadda.

Just getting them on the record (even if Ford didn't back it with campaign contributions or political support) might change the health care debate's frame to "business competetiveness" or "pro-business".  Frames which probably increase the liklihood of enactment of a comprehensive reform program.

So, why don't the UAW and other unions make this a plank in any buyout (and, perhaps, collective bargaining) agreements?  Would they have to trade that much for such a statement?

A larger question is: what role can unions play in opening policy windows, particularly with health care policy? To what extent should they bring larger issues into the confines of the bargaining room? Does adding such a plank dilute their bargaining position, and hurt their membership? Or does the potential long term benefit outweigh those concerns?