Posted on 12/16/2008 12:37:19 PM PST by WOBBLY BOB
Abridged letter from Troy Clarke, President of General Motors
- followed by a response from our son, Gregory Knox:
Dear Employee,
Next week, Congress and the current Administration will determine whether to provide immediate support to the domestic auto industry to help it through one of the most difficult economic times in our nation's history. Your elected officials must hear from all of us now on why this support is critical to our continuing the progress we began prior to the global financial crisis.....................As an employee, you have a lot at stake and continue to be one of our most effective and passionate voices. I know GM can count on you to have your voice heard.
Thank you for your urgent action and ongoing support.
Troy Clarke President General Motors North America
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From Gregory Knox,
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
lousy link
Better link:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.gambling.poker/browse_thread/thread/b27c79cfa1bba2fb
Why not just post the letter?
Mod, if this is not allowed, remove my post.
From Gregory Knox,
In response to your request to call legislators and ask for a bailout
for the United States automakers please consider the following, and
please also pass this onto Troy Clark, the president of General Motors
North America for me.
You are both infected with the same entitlement mentality that has
bred like cancerous germs in UAW halls for the last countless decades,
and whose plague is now sweeping the nation, awaiting our new
“messiah” to wave his magical wand and make all our problems go away,
while at the same time allowing our once great nation to keep “living
the dream”…
The dream is over!
The dream that we can ignore the consumer for years while management
myopically focuses on its personal rewards packages at the same time
that our factories have been filled with the worlds most overpaid,
arrogant, ignorant and laziest entitlement minded “laborers” without
paying the price for these atrocities…and that still the masses will
line up to buy our products
Don’t tell me I’m wrong. Don’t accuse me of not knowing of what I
speak. I have called on Ford,GM ,Chrysler,TRW,Delphi,Kelsey Hayes,
American Axle and countless other automotive OEM’s and Tier ones for 3
decades now throughout the Midwest and what I’ve seen over the years
in these union shops can only be described as disgusting.
Mr Clark, the president of General Motors, states:
There is widespread sentiment in this country, our government and
especially in the media that the current crisis is completely the
result of bad management. It is not…
You’re right – it’s not JUST management…how about the electricians
who walk around the plants like lords in feudal times, making people
wait on them for countless hours while they drag ass…so they can come
in on the weekend and make double and triple time…for a job they
easily could have done within their normal 40 hour week
How about the line workers who threaten newbies with all kinds of
scare tactics…for putting out too many parts on a shift…and for being
too productive (mustn’t expose the lazy bums who have been getting
overpaid for decades for their horrific underproduction, must we?!?)
Do you really not know about this stuff?!?
How about this great sentiment abridged from Mr. Clarke’s sad plea:
over the last few years …we have closed the quality and efficiency
gaps with our competitors.
What the hell has Detroit been doing for the last 40 years?!?
Did we really JUST wake up to the gaps in quality and efficiency
between us and them?
The K car vs. the Accord?
The Pinto vs. the Civic?!?
Do I need to go on?
We are living through the inevitable outcome of the actions of the
United States auto industry for decades.
Time to pay for your sins, Detroit.
I attended an economic summit last week where a brilliant economist,
Alan Beaulieu surprised the crowd when he said he would not have given
the banks a penny of “bailout money”. Yes, he said, this would cause
short term problems, but despite what people like George Bush and Troy
Clark would have us believe, the sun would in fact rise the next day…
and something else would happen…where there had been greedy and sloppy
banks new efficient ones would pop up…that is how a free market system
works…it does work…if we would let it work…
But for some reason we are now deciding that the rest of the world is
right and that capitalism doesn’t work – that we need the government
to step in and “save us”…save us, hell – we’re nationalizing…and
unfortunately too many of this once fine nations citizens don’t even
have a clue that this is what’s really happening…but they sure can
tell you the stats on their favorite sports teams…yeah – THAT’S
important…
Does it occur to ANYONE that the “competition” has been producing
vehicles, EXTREMELY PROFITABLY, for decades now in this country?...
How can that be???
Let’s see…
Fuel efficient…
Listening to customers…
Investing in the proper tooling and automation for the long haul…
Not being too complacent or arrogant to listen to Dr W Edwards Deming
4 decades ago
Ever increased productivity through quality, lean and six sigma
plans…
Treating vendors like strategic partners, rather than like “the
enemy”…
Efficient front and back offices…
Non union environment…
Again, I could go on and on, but I really wouldn’t be telling anyone
anything they really don’t already know in their hearts
I have six children, so I am not unfamiliar with the concept of
wanting someone to bail you out of a mess that you have gotten
yourself into – my children do this on a weekly, if not daily basis,
as I did at their age. I do for them what my parents did for me (one
of their greatest gifts, by the way) – I make them stand on their own
two feet and accept the consequences of their actions and work them
through.
Radical concept, huh…
Am I there for them in the wings? Of course – but only until such
time as they need to be fully on their own as adults
I don’t want to oversimplify a complex situation, but there certainly
are unmistakable parallels here between the proper role of parenting
and government.
Detroit and the United States need to pay for their sins.
Bad news people – it’s coming whether we like it or not
The newly elected Messiah really doesn’t have a magic wand big enough
to “make it all go away” I laughed as I heard Obama “reeling it back
in” almost immediately after the vote count was tallied…”we might not
do it in a year…or in four…” where was that kind of talk when he was
RUNNING for the office
Stop trying to put off the inevitable …
That house in Florida really isn’t worth $750,000…
People who jump across a border really don’t deserve free health care
benefits…
That job driving that forklift for the big 3 really isn’t worth
$85,000 a year…
We really shouldn’t allow Wal-Mart to stock their shelves with
products acquired from a country that unfairly manipulates their
currency and has the most atrocious human rights infractions on the
face of the globe…
That couple whose combined income is less than $50,000 really
shouldn’t be living in that $485,000 home…
Let the market correct itself people – it will. Yes it will be
painful, but it’s gonna be painful either way, and the bright side of
my proposal is that on the other side of it is a nation that
appreciates what is has…and doesn’t live beyond its means…and gets
back to basics…and redevelops the work ethic that made it the greatest
nation in the history of the world…and probably turns back to God.
Sorry – don’t cut my head off, I’m just the messenger sharing with
you the “bad news”
Now THERE'S a novel idea...
Thank you. And I agree with everything in it...except...that part about the Pinto.
DO NOT PICK ON PINTOS! LOL
My first car was a 78 Pinto. White with red interior and four on the floor. I added an 8-Track player and speakers in the back. The car ROCKED. It lived 11 years then I sold it to my sister and she killed it in six months.
*sniff*
I needed an extra car once. I had two restaurants about 60 miles apart. I also had a Cessna 172. So, I thought, why not fly between the two? So, I bought a used 76 Pinto. The Red on with the black racing stripes and hood insignia. It only had around 9k on it, and paid $1500.00 for it. It became my airport car.
But, I liked it so much, I kept it for about 4 years. I never got it serviced, and finally wore the cam lobes almost flat, and traded it in on a Mazda GLC. GLC, BTW, stood for Great Little Car. LOL
Great Pinto story!
I can’t tell you how many people learned to drive a stick on mine. The clutch never gave out!
Oh, everything in this email is the truth as I've posted numerous times on various threads.
My brand new Pinto would sit in the drive way “diesling” for 20 minutes if I didn’t shut it off in gear. Kept the POS only 9 months (11 trips to the dealership) before trading it off.
Wow. Glad you’re alive to tell us about it.
http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov
also write to
LET THEM KNOW WE TAXPAYERS DO NOT SUPPORT THIS UNION PORK!!!
That reminds me of my Mom and Dad. They bought one of those 4-6-8 Cadillacs back then, it always “dieseled” on them. Dad called a tow truck one night to take it away, he was so po’d, when they got there, it was still kerchinking! Then, they got in on the recall, and they gave them a diesel motor and some cash. Haha How ironic.
Mom hated it, and traded it in for an Olds. Smart woman.
Honestly, I had zero problems with my Pinto. I was sad to trade it in. It was a hatchback, and when I opened the hatch at home, my Great Dane would jump in and my youngest Daughter would follow. It was hilarious to see that huge dog in back all wrapped around that little girl. LOL
my 1st car was a Bondo Maverick. but it had the “grabber”
package (302 V8) .great on the frozen lakes racing around silly.
This got sent around at my work since the plant I work at makes the computer chips for GM’s Onstar. I guess they figured we’d call our congressmen.
WRONG!
Knox Machinery sells Japanese stuff...another tool for the Japanese...no principle here...just plain old self serving guy-GM won’t buy these parts as they have suppliers in the US. Since you work in America making chips for GM I suppose you know this. Also, this guy is a former supplier...as for calling your congressman...your industry is in real trouble...did you listen to Fox Business News? It’s a terrible time to be out of work...oh and nothing like screwing your customers.
Thanks for the information. I’ll pass it around in February at GM. Your plant should not be that hard to identify...GM needs to know how their suppliers really feel...perhaps more loyal suppliers are needed.
Kitamura Machinery of USA, Inc. has announced the appointment of Knox Machinery, Inc., Franklin, OH, as dealer for southern Ohio. “Knox Machinery is a leading CNC sales, service and applications company providing process improvement for the manufacturing industry throughout the
Midwest,” said Mike Umeno, Vice President & Director of Sales, Kitamura Machinery of USA Inc.
Knox Machinery has been in business for 11 years - since 1995. Greg Knox, President, prior to starting the company, had 10 years experience in the Detroit region selling machine tools. He and his wife decided to move to southern Ohio to raise their family and start a new business. They now have six children and Mr. Knox continues to build and grow the business.
Greg Knox is active in industry associations, schools and non-profit organizations. He enjoys mentoring in schools to help develop interest in the manufacturing workforce. One of the ways he has worked to interest young people in the manufacturing sector is by sponsoring a team of Battlebot students. Students work together to create a “battle robot” and become involved in competition for the best robot.
“Kitamura is pleased to announce our association with Knox Machinery as the new Kitamura Dealer for southern Ohio,” said Mike Umeno, of Kitamura
Greg Knox, President, Knox Machinery, Inc. sponsors a team of Battlebot students each year.
Knox Machinery offers extensive training classes at its facility.
Machinery of USA Inc. “The company is a knowledgeable, customer service-driven distributorship with deep roots in the community and an extensive product mix to offer their customers. We look forward to a long partnership with Greg and his staff.”
You think I should support the multi-billion dollar bailout of a company because I benefits my company’s bottom line? Ever heard of a thing called principles? Wrong is wrong.
BTW, this isn’t DU. If you want to push for big government you are in the wrong place.
If in fact you make chips for On Star...it is your bottom line. A loan is not a bailout by the way. The government makes small business loans all the time. Maybe that should be ended also if loans are bailouts. I think that it is wrong to talk a customer down. I would bet money your boss would not send a letter like Knox Manufacturing did. Knox manufacturing sells Japanese products and does custom work...they no longer supply GM. Thus, this guy can spout off with nothing to lose...you lose On Star, many in you company are out the door. Not only is it disloyal (GM is customer), it is foolish.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.