[Azzurri]

Each Big 3 autoworker costs $30 more per hour than those working for the foreign automakers building in the US. Most of that is retiree and pension benefits. The latest deal negotiated actually will bring labor costs for the Detroit companies in line with those of the foreign makers, but the deal does not take effect until 2010. IF the Big 3 make it to 2010, they will be able to compete on a level playing field for the first time with Toyota, Honda, etc.

[riverdawg]

The so-called Big Three will not be able to compete with Toyota, Honda, etc. until their workers (the few who actually build cars) ditch the UAW and their stockholders demand a management team that has a clue about how to design, build, and market vehicles that people want to buy at a price that covers the full cost of producing them.