You are right. In the late 1970’s the quality of American cars, the brand loyalty and the market share declined. This is when the UAW leadership became much more leftist and militant. THe UAW went overboard protecting bad employees, preventing new investment and lowering productivity. In the late 70’s the UAW pushed for the 4 day work week, 20 years and out, paying people 95% of salary and benefits not to work and “shop floor democracy” etc. At the same time they got big increases in wages and benefits. Chrysler would have gone bankrupt in 1979 had it not received federal loan guarantees, closed many plants, lowered wages and greatly reduced their workforce. Ford and GM closed many of their plants in the early 1980’s.
The UAW still maintains the culture it established in the late 1970’s. In the 1980’s Roger Smith at GM tried to change that culture by establishing Saturn, closing the unproductive plants and diversifying into other industries by buying EDS and Hughes. His actions which were ridiculed by Michael Moore in “Roger and Me” kept GM viable until recently. GM sold off EDS and Hughes at huge profits which financed the money losing UAW part of the business.
Since buying a new 1978 GMC, all 7 of my auto purchases since have been either German, Swedish or Japanese. That’s more than $150,000 dollars over 30 years from just one consumer. Unless forced by the government, I will never buy another car from any of the big three or the UAW. If you want me to be proud to own something that’s expensive and made in the USA, then don’t make me ashamed to own it.