Are the jobs that are being cut, and the manufacturing plants that are being closed, being moved to foreign soil? I've been a staunch fan of the "General" with a "Bow Tie" tatooed on my arm for over 40 years, but if they are moving these jobs to foreign soil, I'm gonna have a problem that won't go away. I am an American first! Info and comments welcomed.

 

the plants are running at 85%, so they are going to close some and run the remaining ones closer to 100% - same production, lower cost, more profit.

BTW, your instrument panel is made in Japan, the brake calipers are from Austraila, the rotors are from brazil, the engine is from Canada, the suspension is tuned on tracks in Germany

 

 

I have been giving this a lot of thought and am worried that the way the General goes, so goes America. The big 3 offer health and retirement plans that are among the best. I'll bet the Japaneese, and Korean auto workers don't get anywhere near what GM offers. GM has to reduce these costs as will the other American companies. The American companies have to compete on an unequal playing field. Where will that leave the American worker? The only answer is a government funded allowance for the companies to provide insurance or a system similar to Canada's. I know the Canadian system is flawed but may be the only answer.

 

GM is fighting for its life...
It needs to do whatever is necessary...
The problem is too many people buying foreign cars...
But they are doing that because the quality is better, the reliability is higher and the price is lower.
The problem starts here.... not there....

You can't stop progress. Other countries are developing, educating their people and giving them skills to compete. They have the same right to earn a living as we do.

In the 50's when we were at the top of the heap it was because our products were the best in the world. Our lifestyles were simpler and our standards of living lower.... One car and one TV per household.. Not a truck and a car and a boat and a snowmobile and a quad...... Not a TV in the living room, one in the basement, one in each bedroom and often one in the kitchen.....

Workers demanded more because we knew we could get it... and get it we did.....
Now we are paying the price for our greed. Our jobs are disappearing to other countries where people have simpler lives and lower standards of living.....

The anwer is not government subsidies on health care.... the answer is getting more productive and tighening our belts while we re-strucuture and figure out what we can be best at.... IMHO

 

The quality is better because they have more $$$ to spend on each car and turn a profit. GM fights for every penny and is the reason they can't spend money on better quality interiors and other parts that make up the whole car.

 

Wagoneer told all the GM suppliers to look torwards China and India. Good reading at detroitnews.com

 

Foreign manufacturer's employees get their health care paid by the STATE.........not the United States, but by their country. The health care costs paid by GM are passed onto the consumer. Import companies can use the saved health care expenses to improve quality, do more research and development, and still undercut GM's price.

So yes the playing field is not level, unless you start posing an import tax on the imports to raise their price to compete with GM's. But the import taxes will just mean the foreign companies will level taxes on US imports.

Please look at Canada's healthcare system before you break that turkey wishbone at dinner.

I am about to retire from a Forbes top 50 company after 28 years and I have to pay for my health care costs once I retire. WHY CAN'T some of the GM retirees pay for some of theirs??????????????

Look at GM's top salaried management costs.................and start chopping there with their pay and stock incentive packages. If a business is going bankrupt, I say hold management accountable.....
[B]MAYBE GM SHOULD BE OWNED BY THE EMPLOYEES!!!!!!!!!!!!
[/B]
The first thing they would do is get rid of the union which would save them a lot of money, and jobs. Why pay union dues for a union that cannot save your job or guarantee your security?

I am done...............now a word from our sponsor.........KIA!

 

Also If you want a 100% american car with 100% american parts, it hasen't been built in 30 years. If your all for buying american cars and supporting american workers, what about toyota. They have gave thousands of americans jobs in their american factories. Whare as ford and gm are cutting costs and laying off employes. I work for Mercedes Benz and both the ML class and R class are both built in Alabama. The cars arn't American or foeiren anymore, the names are. Technaly Chrysler is now a German company, owned buy Benz. The Chrysler crossfire is 80% Mercedes slk, and the 300,charger, and magnum is a Mercedes E class platform. If GM made well made cars under $40k that didnt look like a rolling joke (aztec) and had good fit and finish and quality, they wouldn't of gotten into this mess.

 

And, the window control modules, and, control panel door switches are made in Mexico. The "International off shore manufacturing" list is quite long.

 

domestic content is still high like 85%