GM to cut 30,000 jobs

Reuters, Bloomberg | 21 Nov, 2005 | Self

[Red Badger]

The remaining 80-90% or so just did what they were told and what the union rules stipulated, no more no less.

There's the problem........

[SDGOP]

Why doesnt GM build more plants in 'right to work' states then?

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"The plants being closed include Oklahoma City,

Does anyone know the average worker wage at the OKC plant?

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Buick's big new model for 2006 is the "Lucerne"


IIRC, Lucerne is also a dairy products line, GM's tried to milk that name but got creamed.

[OpusatFR]

"Why doesnt GM build more plants in 'right to work' states then?"

Because the state still can't compete with .27 an hour in China.

But, take heart! Within a decade the downward wage pressure will be great enough to create $5,000 a year programers and $7,000 a year doctors not to mention all those clerks, secretaries, admin assistants and insurance salesmen who will be making $1,000 a year.

I just can't see how anyone is going to pay property tax on 250K house, much less a mortage.

But hey, things will be cheaper won't they? Live long and prosper Walmart!

[AFPhys]

Hey! Wait a minute!

I drive a Buick - I got a '91 last year with 42,000 miles on it. Got it for a song, in Excellent condition, and loaded. Really has been a great car. I've spent almost nothing on maintenance so far, too (snow tires, oil change).

I'm older than I was a couple years ago, but my eyesight is fine and so are my reflexes!

I _did_ buy it from one of those "very old folks with bad eyesight and slow reflexes", however she apparently hardly drove it.

[Alberta's Child]

Probably because their labor agreements are national in scope, not specific to certain manufacturing facilities. I'm sure the UAW would automatically represent any GM employee even in those "right-to-work" states.

[GallopingGhost]

While I would never defend union activities, especially the UAW, these cuts have already been agreed upon in August.
GM specifically chose the plants that they did because each of these plants produce models or parts that will be end-of-lifed by 2008. It is part of the union contract.

Today was just the announcement day. All of these jobs are union jobs and will be made through attrition and "early retirement".

GM will probably announce in a couple of months how many white collars will get the axe.

[Spktyr]

The UAW throws a fit every time GM brings up the idea.

They also start throwing money around to obstruct it.

[neutronsgalore]

"Too much of a union presence in Michigan (most southern states are "right to work" states where unions don't have much influence), and much higher taxes in the Rust Belt than in the South."

A solid combination of a National Right to Work law, Right to Work laws in all states that don't as yet have them on the books (to break the union coercion machine), a return to economic nationalism instead of the mercantilism of free trade, severe reductions in legal immigration levels, and heavy investment in rebuilding infrastructure I have no doubt would put this country back on track. Especially if you concentrate heavily in 4th generation N-reactors and stuff like mag-lev trains with MADE IN THE USA requirements a lot of the excess tooling/assembly/personnel capacity in GM and FMC could get soaked up. Putting Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter's plan for requiring everything for the US military to be MADE IN THE USA, with available US raw materials by 2030-2040 into reality would help considerably as well.

[NautiNurse]

my eyesight is fine and so are my reflexes!

Hmmmm...that's what all the senior citizens say...

[Spktyr]

If you think that's a good idea, then half the missiles and ALL the tank guns will no longer be available to US forces and we'll be making do with second or third best options.

Rheinmetall in Germany makes our current tank guns. We don't have any tech like it, and they're NOT going to move the tech to the US. So, what you're saying is, don't buy the best for the troops, buy whatever we make in the US even if it's greatly inferior.

That's disgusting.

[Trust but Verify]

That's too bad. My son drives a Malibu, so I guess it doesn't fit the template.

[conservative physics]

many union members may vote republican but all their union money is spent trying to elect democrats.

[Knute]

"We designed and made made really crappy Saturn small cars for 5 years now, and the plant does us no good"....

My 2001 SL1 gets 35MPG and has cost me $0 in repairs beyond normal maintenance items. I have 112,000 miles on the odo.
I have been pleased with the product.

[conservative physics]

If I owned a company who's employees were voting to start a union, and I wasn't allowed to just fire the whole lot of them on the spot, I'd tell them flat out that if they vote for the union, I'm shutting the company down and selling off the assets because I can make alot more money elsewhere without all the aggravation.

Might as well cut to the chase, because in the end the union will drive me out of business anyway. Better to do it up front so the blame falls squarely where it belongs, instead of years latter where the unions will just blame inept management.... actually the inept management IS the problem, any company that would allow it's employees to form a union IS INEPT.

[Revolting cat!]

Their new model is named after skim milk

What skim milk? It's named after Vitamin D Whole Milk! Want one now?

[Yossarian]

Yeah, but I remember the SL1 quite well, as I was in the market for a car at the time, and I gave it a test drive: it was the most dull looking thing out there. Toyota and Honda were all over it, at least looks wise. I don't remember any spirited driving experience, either.

Is that the best metric to use for buying a car? Not really. But it is one that gets used.....