| Author |
Message |
Central Committee of The
Guest
|
 Posted:
Mon Nov 21, 2005 8:52 pm Post subject:
GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
FOR RELEASE: 2005-11-21
GM North America to Undergo Major Capacity Reduction
Next Significant Step in GM's North American Turnaround Plan
9 Assembly, Stamping & Powertrain Facilities, 3 SPO Facilities
to Cease Operations - Total Reduction of 30,000 Positions
Total Cost Reduction Running Rate of $7 Billion by End of 2006
DETROIT - General Motors will undergo a wide-ranging restructuring
of its manufacturing operations in the United States and Canada
as part of its comprehensive four-point plan to return the company
to profitability and long-term growth, GM Chairman and CEO
Rick Wagoner announced today.
GM's next step in its North American turnaround plan addresses its
ongoing capacity utilization, a major component of reducing
structural cost. A total of nine assembly, stamping and
powertrain facilities and three Service and Parts Operations facilities
will cease operations.
The additional actions will reduce GMNA assembly capacity by
about 1 million units by the end of 2008, in addition to the
previously implemented reduction of 1 million units between
2002 and 2005. Factoring in the additional capacity from GM's new
Delta Township facility in Lansing, Mich., slated to begin production
next year, the overall net result will be a GMNA assembly capacity
of 4.2 million units. While down 30 percent since 2002, this capacity
level will still provide GM plenty of flexibility to anticipate and meet
market demand, but in a much more cost-effective manner.
A total of 30,000 manufacturing positions will be eliminated from 2005
through 2008.
"The decisions we are announcing today were very difficult to
reach because of their impact on our employees and the communities
where we live and work," Wagoner added. "But these actions are
necessary for GM to get its costs in line with our major global
competitors. In short, they are an essential part of our plan to return
our North American operations to profitability as soon as possible.
"We continue to be equally committed to revenue drivers -
introducing compelling new cars and trucks, and executing our
revitalized sales and marketing strategy - and we have received
ratification of the agreement with the UAW, which will help
significantly to address our health-care cost challenges,"
Wagoner said. "We are making steady and significant progress
in implementing the plan to turn around our U.S. business."
The following six assembly plant sites will be affected in the years
indicated:
Oklahoma City, Okla., will cease production in early 2006.
Lansing, Mich., Craft Centre will cease production in mid-2006.
Spring Hill, Tenn., Plant/Line No. 1, will cease production at the end of
2006.
Doraville, Ga., will cease production at the end of its current products'
lifecycle in 2008.
The third shift will be removed at Oshawa Car Plant No. 1, in Ontario,
Canada, in the second half of 2006. Subsequently, Oshawa Car Plant No. 2
will cease production after the current product runs out in 2008.
The third shift will be removed at Moraine, Ohio, during 2006, with timing
to be based on market demand.
Capacity-related actions affecting stamping, Service & Parts Operations and
powertrain facilities include:
The Lansing, Mich., Metal Center will cease production in 2006.
The Pittsburgh, Pa., Metal Center will cease production in 2007.
The Parts Distribution Center in Portland, Ore., will cease operations in
2006; the Parts Distribution Center in St. Louis, Mo., will cease
warehousing activities and will be converted to a collision center facility
in 2006; the Parts Processing Center in Ypsilanti, Mich., will cease
operations in 2007. One additional Parts Processing Center, to be announced
at a later date, will also cease operations in 2007.
The competitiveness of all unitizing (packaging) operations at the Pontiac,
Drayton Plains, and Ypsilanti Processing Centers in Michigan, as well as
portions of the unitizing operations at the Flint, Mich., Processing Center
will be evaluated in accordance with the provisions of the GM-UAW national
agreement.
St. Catharines Ontario Street West powertrain components facility in
Ontario, Canada, will cease production in 2008.
The Flint, Mich., North 3800 engine facility ("Factory 36") will cease
production in 2008.
Given the demographics of GM's workforce, the company plans to achieve much
of the job reduction via attrition and early retirement programs. GM will
work with the leadership of its unions, as any early retirement program
would need to be mutually agreed upon. GM hopes to reach an agreement on
such a plan as soon as possible.
"These are difficult moves that will affect thousands of dedicated GM
employees and families, as well as state and local governments," Wagoner
said. "We will work our hardest to mitigate that impact."
There will be a significant restructuring charge in conjunction with this
capacity announcement, and also with any related early retirement program.
The details of these charges will be provided when available.
Wagoner also said the company has further accelerated its efforts in
structural cost reduction, raising the previously indicated $5 billion
running rate cost reduction plan in North America to $6 billion by the end
of 2006. In addition, GM continues to pursue its plans to target $1 billion
in net material cost savings. In total, the plan is to achieve $7 billion
of cost reductions on a running rate basis by the end of 2006 - $1 billion
above the previously indicated target.
"Our collective goal remains the same: to return our North American
operations to sustained profitability as soon as possible, thereby helping
to ensure a strong General Motors for the future," Wagoner concluded.
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been
the global industry sales leader since 1931. Founded in 1908, GM today
employs about 325,000 people around the world. It has manufacturing
operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in 200 countries. In
2004, GM sold nearly 9 million cars and trucks globally, up 4 percent and
the second-highest total in the company's history. GM's global headquarters
are at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit. More information on GM can be
found at www.gm.com.
###
Forward-looking Statements
In this press release and in related comments by General Motors management,
our use of the words "expect, anticipate, design, estimate, forecast,
initiative, objective, plan, goal, project, outlook, priorities, target,
intend, evaluate, seek, impact" and similar expressions, including
references to what the future implementation of our restructuring plan and
the tentative health-care agreement with the UAW will achieve, and when, in
terms of cost savings and capacity reduction, is intended to identify
forward-looking statements. While these statements represent our current
judgment on what the future may hold, and we believe these judgments are
reasonable, actual results may differ materially due to numerous important
factors that are described in GM's most recent report on SEC Form 10-K,
which may be revised or supplemented in subsequent reports on SEC Forms
10-Q and 8-K. Such factors include, among others, the following: the
ability of GM to realize production efficiencies, to achieve reductions in
costs as a result of the restructuring and health-care cost reductions and
to implement capital expenditures, all at the levels and times planned by
management; the pace of product introductions; significant changes in the
competitive environment; changes in laws, regulations and tax rates; the
ability of the corporation to achieve reductions in cost and employment
levels to realize production efficiencies and implement capital
expenditures at levels and times planned by management; changes in
relations with unions and employees/retirees and the legal interpretations
of the agreements with those unions with regard to employees/retirees;
shortages of and price increases for fuel; labor strikes or work stoppages;
market acceptance of the corporation's new products; additional credit
rating downgrades; and changes in economic conditions, commodity prices,
currency exchange rates or political stability.
------------------------
( The Short Version of the above): "GM builds gasoline hogging, unreliable
motorcars and the Japanese & Kia are eating our lunch. GM will continue
to
build crap cars and trucks that nobody wants and GM Corporate will cut
jobs instead
of building cars that equal the value of the Honda Civic or Kia Sephia.
We will make
the Shareholders happy and everyone else can go to hell. Thank You."
(Clap! Clap!)
- Shareholders applause as GM advances on the NYSE and the
Titanic sinks...
(FORD IS NEXT.......................just wait and see)
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
enigmatic
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:21 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
How long will it be before GM and Ford must go the way
of Chrysler and internationalize.
The days of mega domestic corporations is seeing its twilight.
Labor costs alone are degrading GM & Ford's competitiveness,
and what happens when Red China gears up and starts
dumping their cheap auots in the US?
Executive salaries and golden umbrellas are taxing
the big two's resources brutally.
Merging with the likes of Toyota or Nissan appear
to be looming in the future. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
CJT
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 12:27 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
enigmatic wrote:
| Quote: | How long will it be before GM and Ford must go the way
of Chrysler and internationalize.
|
Perhaps you should consider GM's and Ford's current international
operations before making a statement like that.
| Quote: |
The days of mega domestic corporations is seeing its twilight.
|
So? That doesn't apply to either Ford or GM.
| Quote: |
Labor costs alone are degrading GM & Ford's competitiveness,
and what happens when Red China gears up and starts
dumping their cheap auots in the US?
Executive salaries and golden umbrellas are taxing
the big two's resources brutally.
Merging with the likes of Toyota or Nissan appear
to be looming in the future.
|
--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.
|
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| Back to top |
|
|
Jerry
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 1:25 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
Technically, the plants are not closing - they are just shutting down. They
cannot close them without union approval. Also, the workers get paid even
though they are not working. Great job - right?
--
Jerry
"Central Committee of The Bonobo Chimpanzee"
<bonobochimpupsidedown9@yahoo.nosp.com> wrote in message
news:bde93$4381df3b$d1cc5806$31575@snip.allthenewsgroups.com...
| Quote: | FOR RELEASE: 2005-11-21
GM North America to Undergo Major Capacity Reduction
Next Significant Step in GM's North American Turnaround Plan
9 Assembly, Stamping & Powertrain Facilities, 3 SPO Facilities
to Cease Operations - Total Reduction of 30,000 Positions
Total Cost Reduction Running Rate of $7 Billion by End of 2006
DETROIT - General Motors will undergo a wide-ranging restructuring
of its manufacturing operations in the United States and Canada
as part of its comprehensive four-point plan to return the company
to profitability and long-term growth, GM Chairman and CEO
Rick Wagoner announced today.
GM's next step in its North American turnaround plan addresses its
ongoing capacity utilization, a major component of reducing
structural cost. A total of nine assembly, stamping and
powertrain facilities and three Service and Parts Operations facilities
will cease operations.
The additional actions will reduce GMNA assembly capacity by
about 1 million units by the end of 2008, in addition to the
previously implemented reduction of 1 million units between
2002 and 2005. Factoring in the additional capacity from GM's new
Delta Township facility in Lansing, Mich., slated to begin production
next year, the overall net result will be a GMNA assembly capacity
of 4.2 million units. While down 30 percent since 2002, this capacity
level will still provide GM plenty of flexibility to anticipate and meet
market demand, but in a much more cost-effective manner.
A total of 30,000 manufacturing positions will be eliminated from 2005
through 2008.
"The decisions we are announcing today were very difficult to
reach because of their impact on our employees and the communities
where we live and work," Wagoner added. "But these actions are
necessary for GM to get its costs in line with our major global
competitors. In short, they are an essential part of our plan to return
our North American operations to profitability as soon as possible.
"We continue to be equally committed to revenue drivers -
introducing compelling new cars and trucks, and executing our
revitalized sales and marketing strategy - and we have received
ratification of the agreement with the UAW, which will help
significantly to address our health-care cost challenges,"
Wagoner said. "We are making steady and significant progress
in implementing the plan to turn around our U.S. business."
The following six assembly plant sites will be affected in the years
indicated:
Oklahoma City, Okla., will cease production in early 2006.
Lansing, Mich., Craft Centre will cease production in mid-2006.
Spring Hill, Tenn., Plant/Line No. 1, will cease production at the end of
2006.
Doraville, Ga., will cease production at the end of its current products'
lifecycle in 2008.
The third shift will be removed at Oshawa Car Plant No. 1, in Ontario,
Canada, in the second half of 2006. Subsequently, Oshawa Car Plant No. 2
will cease production after the current product runs out in 2008.
The third shift will be removed at Moraine, Ohio, during 2006, with timing
to be based on market demand.
Capacity-related actions affecting stamping, Service & Parts Operations
and
powertrain facilities include:
The Lansing, Mich., Metal Center will cease production in 2006.
The Pittsburgh, Pa., Metal Center will cease production in 2007.
The Parts Distribution Center in Portland, Ore., will cease operations in
2006; the Parts Distribution Center in St. Louis, Mo., will cease
warehousing activities and will be converted to a collision center
facility
in 2006; the Parts Processing Center in Ypsilanti, Mich., will cease
operations in 2007. One additional Parts Processing Center, to be
announced
at a later date, will also cease operations in 2007.
The competitiveness of all unitizing (packaging) operations at the
Pontiac,
Drayton Plains, and Ypsilanti Processing Centers in Michigan, as well as
portions of the unitizing operations at the Flint, Mich., Processing
Center
will be evaluated in accordance with the provisions of the GM-UAW national
agreement.
St. Catharines Ontario Street West powertrain components facility in
Ontario, Canada, will cease production in 2008.
The Flint, Mich., North 3800 engine facility ("Factory 36") will cease
production in 2008.
Given the demographics of GM's workforce, the company plans to achieve
much
of the job reduction via attrition and early retirement programs. GM will
work with the leadership of its unions, as any early retirement program
would need to be mutually agreed upon. GM hopes to reach an agreement on
such a plan as soon as possible.
"These are difficult moves that will affect thousands of dedicated GM
employees and families, as well as state and local governments," Wagoner
said. "We will work our hardest to mitigate that impact."
There will be a significant restructuring charge in conjunction with this
capacity announcement, and also with any related early retirement program.
The details of these charges will be provided when available.
Wagoner also said the company has further accelerated its efforts in
structural cost reduction, raising the previously indicated $5 billion
running rate cost reduction plan in North America to $6 billion by the end
of 2006. In addition, GM continues to pursue its plans to target $1
billion
in net material cost savings. In total, the plan is to achieve $7 billion
of cost reductions on a running rate basis by the end of 2006 - $1 billion
above the previously indicated target.
"Our collective goal remains the same: to return our North American
operations to sustained profitability as soon as possible, thereby helping
to ensure a strong General Motors for the future," Wagoner concluded.
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been
the global industry sales leader since 1931. Founded in 1908, GM today
employs about 325,000 people around the world. It has manufacturing
operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in 200 countries. In
2004, GM sold nearly 9 million cars and trucks globally, up 4 percent and
the second-highest total in the company's history. GM's global
headquarters
are at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit. More information on GM can be
found at www.gm.com.
###
Forward-looking Statements
In this press release and in related comments by General Motors
management,
our use of the words "expect, anticipate, design, estimate, forecast,
initiative, objective, plan, goal, project, outlook, priorities, target,
intend, evaluate, seek, impact" and similar expressions, including
references to what the future implementation of our restructuring plan and
the tentative health-care agreement with the UAW will achieve, and when,
in
terms of cost savings and capacity reduction, is intended to identify
forward-looking statements. While these statements represent our current
judgment on what the future may hold, and we believe these judgments are
reasonable, actual results may differ materially due to numerous important
factors that are described in GM's most recent report on SEC Form 10-K,
which may be revised or supplemented in subsequent reports on SEC Forms
10-Q and 8-K. Such factors include, among others, the following: the
ability of GM to realize production efficiencies, to achieve reductions in
costs as a result of the restructuring and health-care cost reductions and
to implement capital expenditures, all at the levels and times planned by
management; the pace of product introductions; significant changes in the
competitive environment; changes in laws, regulations and tax rates; the
ability of the corporation to achieve reductions in cost and employment
levels to realize production efficiencies and implement capital
expenditures at levels and times planned by management; changes in
relations with unions and employees/retirees and the legal interpretations
of the agreements with those unions with regard to employees/retirees;
shortages of and price increases for fuel; labor strikes or work
stoppages;
market acceptance of the corporation's new products; additional credit
rating downgrades; and changes in economic conditions, commodity prices,
currency exchange rates or political stability.
------------------------
( The Short Version of the above): "GM builds gasoline hogging, unreliable
motorcars and the Japanese & Kia are eating our lunch. GM will continue
to
build crap cars and trucks that nobody wants and GM Corporate will cut
jobs instead
of building cars that equal the value of the Honda Civic or Kia Sephia.
We will make
the Shareholders happy and everyone else can go to hell. Thank You."
(Clap! Clap!)
- Shareholders applause as GM advances on the NYSE and the
Titanic sinks...
(FORD IS NEXT.......................just wait and see)
|
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|
| Back to top |
|
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Jerry
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 1:34 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
GM can't afford to buy anyone. No one would buy them with their existing
union contracts. I expect someone to buy them in chap 11 (couple of years)
and dump the union.
--
Jerry
"enigmatic" <genialc@aim.com> wrote in message
news:1132597310.123297.285530@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | How long will it be before GM and Ford must go the way
of Chrysler and internationalize.
The days of mega domestic corporations is seeing its twilight.
Labor costs alone are degrading GM & Ford's competitiveness,
and what happens when Red China gears up and starts
dumping their cheap auots in the US?
Executive salaries and golden umbrellas are taxing
the big two's resources brutally.
Merging with the likes of Toyota or Nissan appear
to be looming in the future.
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
gfulton
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 2:18 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
"Jerry" <NoSpam@???.??.com> wrote in message
news:uapgf.113377$Hs.72439@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
| Quote: | Technically, the plants are not closing - they are just shutting down.
They cannot close them without union approval. Also, the workers get paid
even though they are not working. Great job - right?
--
|
Not in any union I've ever been a member of. Those guys will be on
furlough, with recall rights as per their seniority. Drawing unemployment
until they find another job or get recalled to GM. But certainly not
drawing a paycheck from GM. I've never been a UAW member but I can't
imagine what you're saying here is true. |
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| Back to top |
|
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Jerry
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:10 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
IT'S TRUE!!! They get their regular pay. GM got suckered into these
ridiculous contracts when times were good.
--
Jerry
"gfulton" <lbfulton@alltel.net> wrote in message
news:bc3eb$43822b97$471c6cb3$2388@ALLTEL.NET...
| Quote: |
"Jerry" <NoSpam@???.??.com> wrote in message
news:uapgf.113377$Hs.72439@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
Technically, the plants are not closing - they are just shutting down.
They cannot close them without union approval. Also, the workers get
paid even though they are not working. Great job - right?
--
Not in any union I've ever been a member of. Those guys will be on
furlough, with recall rights as per their seniority. Drawing unemployment
until they find another job or get recalled to GM. But certainly not
drawing a paycheck from GM. I've never been a UAW member but I can't
imagine what you're saying here is true.
|
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| Back to top |
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Jerry
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:14 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
The full salary and benefits end in Oct 2007. At that time these folks can
go on unemployment.
--
Jerry
"Jerry" <NoSpam@???.??.com> wrote in message
news:WIqgf.113393$Hs.96355@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
| Quote: | IT'S TRUE!!! They get their regular pay. GM got suckered into these
ridiculous contracts when times were good.
--
Jerry
"gfulton" <lbfulton@alltel.net> wrote in message
news:bc3eb$43822b97$471c6cb3$2388@ALLTEL.NET...
"Jerry" <NoSpam@???.??.com> wrote in message
news:uapgf.113377$Hs.72439@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
Technically, the plants are not closing - they are just shutting down.
They cannot close them without union approval. Also, the workers get
paid even though they are not working. Great job - right?
--
Not in any union I've ever been a member of. Those guys will be on
furlough, with recall rights as per their seniority. Drawing
unemployment until they find another job or get recalled to GM. But
certainly not drawing a paycheck from GM. I've never been a UAW member
but I can't imagine what you're saying here is true.
|
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| Back to top |
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Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 4:03 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 15:18:24 -0500, "gfulton" <lbfulton@alltel.net>
wrote:
| Quote: |
"Jerry" <NoSpam@???.??.com> wrote in message
news:uapgf.113377$Hs.72439@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
Technically, the plants are not closing - they are just shutting down.
They cannot close them without union approval. Also, the workers get paid
even though they are not working. Great job - right?
--
Not in any union I've ever been a member of. Those guys will be on
furlough, with recall rights as per their seniority. Drawing unemployment
until they find another job or get recalled to GM. But certainly not
drawing a paycheck from GM. I've never been a UAW member but I can't
imagine what you're saying here is true.
Actually, Jerry's right. The current UAW contract forbids GM from |
actually cutting anyone from its payroll until 2007. Right now, from a
pure cost perspective, the only way GM will be saving money is through
not having to pay non-related labor costs associated with operating
the affected plants. |
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Jerry
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 4:04 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
Being familiar with some of these "layoffs", employees love it. It's like
getting a paid vacation for up to a couple of years - good job eh??
--
Jerry
gfulton" <lbfulton@alltel.net> wrote in message
news:bc3eb$43822b97$471c6cb3$2388@ALLTEL.NET...
| Quote: |
"Jerry" <NoSpam@???.??.com> wrote in message
news:uapgf.113377$Hs.72439@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
Technically, the plants are not closing - they are just shutting down.
They cannot close them without union approval. Also, the workers get
paid even though they are not working. Great job - right?
--
Not in any union I've ever been a member of. Those guys will be on
furlough, with recall rights as per their seniority. Drawing unemployment
until they find another job or get recalled to GM. But certainly not
drawing a paycheck from GM. I've never been a UAW member but I can't
imagine what you're saying here is true.
|
|
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| Back to top |
|
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PHILIPHD
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 4:10 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
enigmatic wrote:
| Quote: | How long will it be before GM and Ford must go the way
of Chrysler and internationalize.
The days of mega domestic corporations is seeing its twilight.
Labor costs alone are degrading GM & Ford's competitiveness,
and what happens when Red China gears up and starts
dumping their cheap auots in the US?
Executive salaries and golden umbrellas are taxing
the big two's resources brutally.
Merging with the likes of Toyota or Nissan appear
to be looming in the future. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
gfulton
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 4:10 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
"Jerry" <NoSpam@???.??.com> wrote in message
news:vvrgf.113411$Hs.72062@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
| Quote: | Being familiar with some of these "layoffs", employees love it. It's like
getting a paid vacation for up to a couple of years - good job eh??
--
Jerry
|
I stand corrected. Man, we could use a contract like that in the airline
industry. Hard to believe GM ever signed anything like that. Got to tell
the guys at work about this deal. They probably won't believe it. Thanks.
Garrett Fulton |
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|
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doug
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 4:19 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
"Jerry" <NoSpam@???.??.com> wrote in message
news:vvrgf.113411$Hs.72062@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
| Quote: | Being familiar with some of these "layoffs", employees love it. It's like
getting a paid vacation for up to a couple of years - good job eh??
--
Jerry
gfulton" <lbfulton@alltel.net> wrote in message
news:bc3eb$43822b97$471c6cb3$2388@ALLTEL.NET...
"Jerry" <NoSpam@???.??.com> wrote in message
news:uapgf.113377$Hs.72439@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com...
Technically, the plants are not closing - they are just shutting down.
They cannot close them without union approval. Also, the workers get
paid even though they are not working. Great job - right?
--
Not in any union I've ever been a member of. Those guys will be on
furlough, with recall rights as per their seniority. Drawing
unemployment until they find another job or get recalled to GM. But
certainly not drawing a paycheck from GM. I've never been a UAW member
but I can't imagine what you're saying here is true.
|
Good job? Usually not. UAW jobs are often physically taxing (even with
automation) and often boring. On-the-job accidents are frequent. Many
workers must retire early due to physical problems caused by their jobs.
Good benefits? Damn right. Don't blame the union for a contract that GM
agreed to. Even more important, don't forget the many auto workers who were
killed in the '30s while trying to win union representation. The fringe
benefits that workers of all stripes now have available are a direct result
of union workers' sacrifices. Things like pensions, medical coverage and
vacations. Realize too that as union membership has decreased, so have these
benefits. Is there a direct correlation? Maybe - maybe not. Certainly
foreign competition has affected the situation. But WalMart has no foreign
competitors - and their benefits suck. Be sure of this - no executive at GM,
Ford, or Chrysler has had his benefits slashed. |
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gfulton
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 4:37 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
|
|
"doug" <dougejNOSPAM@SPAMFREEhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:tKSdnaM8v_pl2h_enZ2dnUVZ_sqdnZ2d@comcast.com...
| Quote: | Good job? Usually not. UAW jobs are often physically taxing (even with
automation) and often boring. On-the-job accidents are frequent. Many
workers must retire early due to physical problems caused by their jobs.
Good benefits? Damn right. Don't blame the union for a contract that GM
agreed to. Even more important, don't forget the many auto workers who
were killed in the '30s while trying to win union representation. The
fringe benefits that workers of all stripes now have available are a
direct result of union workers' sacrifices. Things like pensions, medical
coverage and vacations. Realize too that as union membership has
decreased, so have these benefits. Is there a direct correlation? Maybe -
maybe not. Certainly foreign competition has affected the situation. But
WalMart has no foreign competitors - and their benefits suck. Be sure of
this - no executive at GM, Ford, or Chrysler has had his benefits slashed.
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Don't get the wrong idea from my post, Doug. I'm certainly not anti-union
and I don't doubt that assembly line work is likely as dangerous and
detrimental to health as you've related. And I'll add the 40 hr. work week
to your list of things that a lot of stout men in the union movement in the
'30's achieved for all of us. Been a union member since the mid-70's.
Although one that's weak kneed and in bed with management at their beck and
call. Intl. Assoc. of Machinist and Aerospace Workers. (spit)
Garrett Fulton |
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PHILIPHD
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Nov 22, 2005 4:37 am Post subject:
Re: GM to cut 30,000 Jobs & Close several NA Plants |
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I will agree with you that executive salaries and umbrellas are out of
line. When is the last time you heard of one of these executives being
fired for poor performance. However labor cost are only a part of the
problem. The unions have had a rough time organizing the satellite
companies of Nissan, Toyota and Mercedes, primarily because these
companies are located in the good old boy states that have the so
called right to work law. The damn fools working for these companies
have been brain washed and threatened by there management into
beleiving that the union isn't in there best intrest.
We neeed to put and end to the so called free trade agreements the
Senators and Representatives that push this junk should be shoot for
treason. If you took the time to study what free trade is you will
find that it really is an extension of Reganomics and the trickle down
effect. It didn't work then and it doesn't work now. There is no such
thing as free trade and never will be.
You point out trading with Red China. We as a country should be
ashamed of our selves trading with them. It was the lack of a good
industrial base that brought about the downfall of Russia as a
communist country. It is time to wake up to the fact that we are at
war with the third world countries and they are winning because we are
allowing our inducstrial base to be moved offshore. Another thing I
would like to point out is that at the present time there in excess of
35,000 paid lobbyists in Washington influence peddling to our
legislators. This has to stop and our officials have to get back to
representing the American People and this country. It should be
illegal for any foreign government or corporation to lobby in
Washington. It is illegal in most foreign countries.
The bottom line is that the autoworkers aren't over paid. Most of the
gains that they have made where thru cost of living raises. If the
rest of the country had received these raises as they should have
everyone would have been better off. Another thing this country needs
is a National Health Care program so that are companies can compete,
even good old Red China has a National Health Care Progra. |
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