http://money.cnn.com/2005/06/07/news...ex.htm?cnn=yes

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - General Motors Corp. is cutting 25,000 jobs and closing an unspecified number of plants over the next 3-1/2 years, CEO Rick Wagoner told shareholders Tuesday, as the world's largest automaker struggles to stem huge losses.

 

The UAW has pushed GM so hard, and played hard ball so long, with no real tangible consessions ... this is what Union Power does! Cool huh!

GM hasn't mismanaged funds, it's simply a matter of the UAW and other powerful Unions like the State Employee Unions that have milked the cow until it's dry ... The UAW has played hard ball and not allowed any plant closing, well, that time is coming unless they don't care and want to see GM go belly up. Trust me, you do NOT want that.

The States are next, except in places here like NY, the Taylor Law makes eliminating a Union Job ILLEGAL. Here in NYS, a person with 30 years in, gets about $60-$80000 a year for life, TAX FREE, with Full Benefits, a benefit package any working fool would drool over.

Then, you all come on the lots and want to steal a car, pay under invoice and think we're still going to be able to buy that Condo in COte'De Azur ... yeah! NOT HAPPENING!

Just my 2 cents.

 

So even if they lay off people because they don't need them anymore they still have to pay them? Wow. Thats incredible.

 

As far as I know, the only GM workers represented by the UAW are hourly paid workers who mainly assemble vehicles and keep the plants functioning. The UAW workers do not design, engineer, plan or in any other way decide GM's course of conduct. I own GM stock but from my call sign you can tell I am an advocate for employee rights. (I am the vice-chair of a chapter of one of those large public employee unions you seem so concerned about. Public employees are represented all across the nation, in all states including right to work states, and in many situations where paying dues either as a member or as a representation fee is totally voluntary -- yet these unions thrive where other unions struggle.) I know GM can produce good vehicles that the buying public wants: Corvette on one end and Cobalt on the other end come to mind. But GM still produces many vehicles most people don't want, which would be ok if produced in the number that befits a niche market. Unfortunately, it is hard for non Cadillac and non Corvette GM planners to think in numbers that make sense and over-production remains a continuing problem.

My rant and I feel I am entitled to it. It is easy to bash the "unions" but even if there were no unions representing GM employees, GM would still need to produce vehicles people want and at a price people can afford. Would need? Try, does need! -- laborsmith

 

Ok how about my 2 cents....

If you dont haev a union the Company Pushes you around

If you do have a Union the union eats away at the company...

Its a lose lose when two sides cant come together, I am not a fan of unions... I own my own business adn the way I see it is... I will do things the way I want and pay you what I think you deserve... If you dont like it dont work for me.

What ever happened to the Boss being the Boss?

 

the unions are what made the car industry what it is today. Toyota and all those other piece of **** china cars will be in the same boat once they have the retirees that GM has. If you people would read what the paper says instead of the headline you would find out that GM is doing a buy-out,........which means people that can retire (30 or more years) will be offered a sum of money or a car voucher to retire. at most plants there is a considerable amout of people that can retire. At my plant I would say there is over 30 percent (around 1000people) that could retire.

the union has done nothing wrong besides make GM provide its employees with the best benefits around. instead of bitching about the the union which some do, why dont you ask yourself why can you have what GM employees have

 

GM would never go belly up. The government would step in if things got that bad! If GM were to go belly up this economy would come to a crashing halt, and some think times are rough now.

IF you think about it if they went belly up that leave AG Diamler Chrysler with 20 percent of the market share then FORD with its 18 percent share...now I'm no genius but i think that would leave foreign automakers, such as toyota, honda, and hyundai with over 62% market share in the U.S. BUT.......heres the killer......that money doesnt stay in the US even though some of those foeirgn cars are made here, all money made from those cars, goes right back to where the company is based..............there's my 2 cents