As of 2003, GM had 339,000 retirees and Toyota had 65.
Those numbers will change as retirees die, the auto companies downsize retiree benefits and Toyota’s workforce ages and retires. ~But first the damage will get more severe.
The difference is simply that GM is an American company with a long presence and Toyota is a newcomer with fewer liabilities.
Sorry, attributed to:
http://www.industryweek.com/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=1331
Chrysler is in about the same shape.