let's rally for the big three

[stinger396]

Well Corvette lovers its time for us to help the big three, I hate to think that all we will have is foreign cars left in this once great country. Its bad enough that we have lost many manufacturing jobs to them now the biggest corp. in the world is on their knees. If you think about what the big three did for all of us one way or another and this country it's a sad day for Americans to lose. I agree that the unions went over board with the demands, but you want the most money you can get for the job you do also,right. We need to get all car people no matter what American marque they drive to change the senate mind. They need us and we need them !!!

 

[Heavy Duty]

What he said. From the sounds of it the UAW is not willing to play. Even if it means taking the ship down.


Opps..what happened to the other post?




HD

 

[killain]

I really don't understand this situation, does the UAW consider No Jobs better than Some Jobs . . . ?

 

[stinger396]

I really don't understand this situation, does the UAW consider No Jobs better than Some Jobs . . . ?

I don't think its a matter of no jobs better than some jobs. i realize that the uaw is a little out of line,but they are standing up for thier membership. put yourself in someone elses shoes, wouldn't you want someone standing up for your job?? remember GM made a lot happen for this country. they paved the way for jobs,independence,and security. they have helped this country in many ways, they always tried to give the American people what they wanted in the way of cars. although not always successful they continued. We Americans always wanted big, flashy,high horsepowered cars and they did their best to give them to us.Do you really want all foreign car and manufactures in this country? we need to get more manufacturing in this country of we will all be on the outside looking in.

 

[BigJimZ16]

The United States Government OWES the Big 3 a helping handout. Who was it that gave the Asian/European transplants all of the tax credits and incentives to build here to begin with?? Gee do you think that those plants are in the Southeast where all those Senators are from who voted against the bailout??? Smells fishy to me!!madad

 

[warren s]

I don’t need to put myself in the shoes of any one else, the UAW is dealing with a virtually bankrupt GM. If the company cant afford my rate, than I have 3 choices, go some where else where I can earn my going rate, take less and keep my current job or head for the unemployment line.


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<st1lace w:st="on">US</st1lace> auto industry, even if it’s just for the time being – but with the UAW playing hardball and GM teetering on bankruptcy the outcome is inevitable. <o></o>

 

[killain]

I can see the Unions point, BUT we're dealing with a company being GONE. After that happens who are you going to have stand up for your rights? Look what happened when the UAW said No, the senate deal fell through and GM shut down 20 plants. When the unemployment and the unions funds run low, how many of those plants will still be shut down? I would think you'd be willing to do whatever to keep as many plants running as possible, at least till some other form of help can arrive? What's it worth to say I am a autoworker, or I was an autoworker?

 

[stinger396]

It seems that our goverment would rather see GM go down rather then lend a helping hand. I agree that the UAW could bend a little more. How much did the goverment give the foreign automakers? At least the UAW cares about there members health care and retirement package. That's more than the foreign car manufactures do, now it seems like the American auto worker has to take the hit because of that and it's going to take the Big Three with it. I know that I'm probably one of the few who will never purchase a foregn car.

 

[killain]

Well I don't understand the unions tactics, but it does seem that the current administration couldn't care less if General Motors and Chrysler fail, but they have a whole different set of rules for Wall Street? I can only hope the Big 3 can hang on till the Obama people are in power and can come up with a long term, long range plan to help the auto industry back on it's feet. I'm really ashamed of the current Bush administrations lack of leadership.

 

[redvett]

For the uninformed the UAW's 2007 contract actually lowered there wages 30 cents per hour below Toyota & Honda. The UAW has made sacrifices in three contracts but the CEO and upper management have not. Foreign workers make $1 for every $7 there CEO's do, and in comparison its UAW workers $1 and $45 for the Big Three CEO's make, does this sound right. Time for the big wheels to take lots of cuts.
If GM goes into chapter 11 the hourly & salary pensions will be cut 2/3 and then there will be 500000+ retires on welfare for the tax payers to support. If GM goes down so will Ford,Chrysler and since all the foreign MFR's use the same suppliers they also will stop building vehicles. Remember there is a content requirement for all MFR's either USA owned or foreign owned.

 

[invinceablevett]

I did my part when purchasing my vette(and other vehicles).
I don't really care to know who's at fault...if my business would have failed,my employees would find some other job and I would not have seen any help from anyone....let the chips fall where they may...As bad as that sounds,it would be the best solution.
The automakers will bounce back in some way shape or form....If they get any gov't help it wound just buy them time until the inevitable happens...that my $0.02......I could be wrong...I've been wrong before.....

 

[killain]

I sure we all want the whole situation to work out Ok, but from what I've read and seen I'm not sure the big 3 can make it despite any efforts put forth. The amount of debt is incredible and their market share is shrinking. Not a good forumla for future success? but I don't know all the details.

 

[lnirenberg]

I am not a union apologist, however there has been a lot of misinformation regarding the union workers compensation. The $70+ per hr oft quoted takes into account all the benefits paid to retirees and spreads them out among active workers. The top pay of a union auto worker is $29 per hour and change. Newly hired workers are being paid $14 per with a greatly reduced benefit package. The $29 per is less than the pay of the workers in the foreign auto plants in the USA. The major difference is the benefit package. Given the problems with social security and affordable health care is there anyone among us who would willingly go backwards in this aspect of our compensation? The problem has always been and continues to be the lack of forsight and sound business judgement of the management of the companies. Line workers only make what they are told.

 

[warren s]

I. The major difference is the benefit package. Given the problems with social security and affordable health care is there anyone among us who would willingly go backwards in this aspect of our compensation?

Its too bad the big 3 are held responsible for those problems. I guess i am just jealous working for corparate America where my employer pays just a portion of my healthcare.

 

[lnirenberg]

No one held a gun to management's head to sign contracts with such generous benifit packages. My guess is, based on performance, upper management got overcompensated way beyond union workers. I say all this as a business owner who faces these same issues daily.

 

[warren s]

Really, no one held a gun to their heads?

So what happens when the UAW union doesnt get what it wants?

 

[simbadb]

I see a managed BK as the only way out for GM. GM is already $66Bil in debt and garners a mere %15 of the U.S. retail market. The Govt. will provide $50bil in DIP financing and insure the warranties.

GM can then right size down to apprx. %60 of its current size with only 2 brands (Chevrolet and Cadillac) offering 20-25 models down from the 49 currently offered.

If they do this they can survive and thrive another 100 years. If not, no amount of Govt. intervention will save them (nor should it be provided)

The Future of the Corvette? I am afraid it is unlikely to survive into the C7 generation.

 

[redvett]

If GM goes bankrupt so will Ford & Chrysler along with 2200+ suppliers and many of the foreign MFR's, since there will be few suppliers to provide parts for them. They still have a content requirement here in the USA and without them no parts for the leftover MFR's.

 

[killain]

I see a managed BK as the only way out for GM. GM is already $66Bil in debt and garners a mere %15 of the U.S. retail market. The Govt. will provide $50bil in DIP financing and insure the warranties.

GM can then right size down to apprx. %60 of its current size with only 2 brands (Chevrolet and Cadillac) offering 20-25 models down from the 49 currently offered.

If they do this they can survive and thrive another 100 years. If not, no amount of Govt. intervention will save them (nor should it be provided)

The Future of the Corvette? I am afraid it is unlikely to survive into the C7 generation.

This is the unfortunate part. To reorganize GM would need the UAW leadership to say'"OK, we were overeaching when we won these contracts, and we're willing to trash the whole thing and start with a fresh slate." BUT, the chance of this happening is like absolutly positively impossible to happen. The union says the executives got theirs and we want ours, all of this belies the fact that GM, the whole company is worth about 8 billion, their asking for many times that in billions in financial help. The math just doesn't work out that any of these parties are going to come together and work toward a common goal. With that in mind, the future is very dim. Mathamatics never lie, the amount of debt GM is carrying is unsustainable, and therein lays the problem. No one is going to allow General Motors to unload this debt so they can regain some sense of operational fuctionality. I won't start to name any or all the people responsible, but the outcome is the same. The company needs a lifeline and there isn't any in sight.

 

[redvett]

Give the UAW a break its not there fault that GM is in trouble Ford isn't broke and has the same contract. GM spent money on lots of vehicles, SSR,XLR, to name a few that haven't made any money and the CEO and upper management & board members got way too much money and had no clue what direction the company needed to go. Remember the problem isn't the MFR's its the economy, wall street, banks and the prime loans that got us where we are now.