[Buckeye McFrog]

I am not completely buying this.

Most of the assembly work on cars these days is done by robots, whether in Detroit, Mexico of Korea.

And foreign manufacturers are making cars here. Granted in non-union plants, but still, at greater cost than they could in other countries.

[TwelveOfTwenty]

And foreign manufacturers are making cars here. Granted in non-union plants, but still, at greater cost than they could in other countries.

I don't have the numbers, but I suspect the retirement benefits are also more expensive. That cost would be lower for the transplants because most haven't been here that long, and have fewer retirees to account for.

Does anyone have the numbers to support this or show otherwise?

[chrisser]

I don’t know if this is still the case, but I recall a few years ago someone (probably here) pointing out that just about everyone on a union auto factory floor is considered an “auto worker” meaning even the guys running tow motors and sweeping the floor get unusually high salaries compared to other industries.

[mythenjoseph]

What is the cost to ship cars...in contrast to making them where they are sold?