These two men are not shaking hands right now.

The president of the United Auto Workers and the CEO of GM Rick Wagoner are probably more ready to punch each other in the mouth.

People, get to a TV or radio right now. The United Auto Workers have gone out on strike. Yes, I’m not kidding. It’s the first nationwide strike during contract negotiations in 30 years.

30 years! That’s a long time. For the most part, labor in the United States has taken the dove approach to contract negotiations, hoping to minimize the pain for workers. No one wants to strike. It costs workers dearly. I’ve seen many a family ravaged by economic heartache because strikes left them with little money to pay the bills.

So just imagine how much General Motors must be asking of the UAW workers and retirees. It must be a lot to them, if the leadership at the union believes workers could handle, or at least support a strike.