In The News

Actually my father in law is concerned about making $18 an hour straight time after 43 years. Don't know if that is accurate or not, but that would suck! He currently makes well over 100k and has made the huge majority of his money because he works nights and a lot of overtime. He is hoping to make $60k/yr for 6 years.

Now, I am anti union, and I can share A LOT of stories he has shared which make me more anti union, but how many of us can leave 100k on the table???
 
Agreed Brandon. That would be difficult. Sounds like another overreaction to cut more than needed to make sure the numbers are met. Going to be an interesting year. Right now, the DOW is up, but I'm sure with announcements of plant closings and layoffs it will take a dive soon. :(
 
The fact is with over 900 cars per every 1,000 drivers in the US the auto industry needs to change. Personal opinion is the whole industry needs to shrink by 60%.
 
I'm neither anti-union or pro-union (and happy to discuss it another time). My problem is that the millionaires and billionaires in charge of this mess will not (and have not) lost one dime. They will actually make money on the deal - in fact they already have. The stimulus plan was great for them and now the bonuses are back, the back room deals are back, and the middle-class working stiffs have spread they're but cheeks wide to take in the back - one more time for the cause.

Then, the taxpayers will pay, the workers will be out of work, and the rich will be richer, and eventually Chrysler will be no more. They'll spin it - so much spin it'll make you dizzy to try and follow along. They'll blame the union, the management, the retirees, the economy, they'll blame the product - then they'll shut it down for the good of us all. Give me a break.

Today, a commentator "joked" that if Obama would have campaigned that he was going to make GM a taxpayer owned company, and Chrysler a union owned company controlled by the Italian government nobody would have believed him - but here we are.

The scary part really is that this is just small stuff - auto factories, unions, planes flying overhead, flu vaccines, etc. Small stuff considering that these people have to protect us against Russia, North Korea, Iran, China, Pakistan, Saudi Oil Sheiks, et al - all at the same time ! Tim's right - they had a 4 DAY decision (with high level meetings) concerning 3 or 4 teenagers in a blow-up raft that was tied to a US warship. How long do you figure the Chinese or Russian military would have let that scenario play out? Three maybe four MINUTES - guraanteed.

Rant Over - Next Issue
 
From the article:

Among the bidders for Saturn is a group led by Oklahoma City private equity firm Black Oak Partners LLC. The group said in a statement that it would get vehicles from GM initially, but it expects to sell smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles from other global manufacturers using Saturn's well-regarded dealership network.

Comment: Do you think that if Saturn was a looser that these smart guys would buy it? Fact is they will get a bargain, they'll make a profit for themselves, and probably get some gov't aid in the process. When it ends after much spin, they'll probably sell it to North Korea.

Just my .02 - and worth almost as much.
 
Love the Saturn Sky. Was looking at one but passed on it cause there was some minor things that bugged me, & I didn't want little things bugging me in a vehicle that I was considering paying over 30K for.
 
GM did the same thing with Saturn that they did with the rest of the company and expanded their line to too many other products. Whatever you do well, do that. Still like the Saturn Sky better than the Solstice, but there are more performance parts for the Solstice. Either way, both products wouldn't make it in my garage, so will I miss it?
 
So what happens to the dealership network. Like the new store in Chesterfield and the huge franchise fee the poor sap paid???
 
I wonder that too as well as the warranties on the exisitng vehicles on the road for all of these brands going out of business. A blurb on the news the other night asked many of the same questions. What about the dealers that have 100's of thousands of dollars wrapped up in unpaid warranty work? Will the warranties be honored? And what about dealerships that do their own financing? What a mess. :rolleyes:
 
Dealers have contracts - so they be bought out. Their inventories are paid for just like you and I would pay for a car - through GMAC. So, they'll be returned. Buildings - varies, but most will go vacant. Just look at Manchester Rd. They'll take a haircut kinda - but the small towns and workers will loose everything.
 
Well, I worked in the industry for only 12 years, so I don't know as I'd be much help. :rolleyes: I do know as the assembly line engineer, we had to go to great pain to make each station as fool proof as possible. (ie a product didn't move forward unless we had collected 4 required good torques from the electronically controlled torque gun) In my opinion, the line workers got away with murder at our plant. I blame both parties. Both management for not standing up to them and the unions for looking the gift horse in the mouth and always demanding more for a job that wasn't that highly skilled. Repetative work is so boring though, I know I couldn't do it. I also know there were a hell of a lot of good workers on our lines that took pride in their work. Like in most industries, you spend 80% of your time managing 20% of your workforce. When things were good, they gave away the farm and when it went bad, they couldn't get it back in time to save themselves. I got out and I know a lot of good people, both salaried and hourly have suffered for the greed of a few on both sides of the company vs union equation. Each side can recite times when they took advantage of each other. Like two kids that can't play well together.
 
You are correct....the union's have to take care of the 20% you mentioned to keep getting the dues from the other 80%.
I always managed on the 10% rule.i.e:there will always be bottom 10% regarding performance, attendance, etc..hopefully it is not the same 10% all the time. If it is the same 10% then "documented counceling" is in order(can't say discipline to a union worker or grievances will abound).
You have to realize that the unions are nothing more than a business and they derive thier revenue from the rank and file.
I never felt I needed to pay some organization to keep my job for me. Maybe I should have been a UAW member and I would be sitting home on "layoff" and still have all my medical benefits and approx 80% of my pay while moonliting for cash for some one else.I think they call that scabbing.
 
To what Tbull said. I remember distinctly when the ford plant closed. They were talking to a fork lift driver who was upset that he could not find another job at his pay rate. When he mentioned what it was, it was more than most Architects or engineers make. I don't want to offend anyone, but I designed warehousing and distribution for years, and you have to make it as damage proof as possible. The fact is unskilled labor is making way over their pay grade thanks to the unions. (I define unskilled labor as: No post high-school education required, and you can be replaced with someone else, with little to no training the next day.)

My dad was a union printer in Sparta Illinois for years. The unions ate his company alive, and then the union fat cats, shut it down and walked away with the cash. I also grew up in coal mine country, working a little grocery store. I heard almost daily these guys bragging how they slept through their shift, or hid their truck behind a pile. They were always the first ones crying when they went on strike. It all has left a very bad taste in my mouth. Not too mention working with the unions on my projects, but that is for another time.

I truly believe the unions time has past.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Chrysler files for bankruptcy - http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090430/ap_on_bi_ge/us_chrysler (make sure you also watch the video on the right side "The Future of Michigan")

I have many friends in the union and they all say one thing - "I wouldn't be a member if I didn't have to be" One works at a lumber mill and tells me all the time about watching soap opera's, sleeping, pulling practical jokes, using company equipment to build things....all while making $50k - $60k / year driving a forklift. Of course, most of them think that all non-union companies are filled with uneducated and untrained personnel. Mmmm, how did they get their job? Well, off the union topic, let's move on....

Fiat taking over Chrysler is about as bad as Ford taking over Jaguar, Really?! So, who can explain bankruptcy in laiman's terms?
 
The NEW Gun Control will be....Economic Gun Control

Looks like Obama can now exert far greater power and control of what we buy... in far more draconian ways than just what brand or type of automobile we can buy...

The precedent has now been set and Pandora's box just flew open....

"Laws...LAWS....??? We don gat to shew yu no stikin...LAWS...!!!

http://www.slate.com/id/2217117/

Kerry
 
Purple Venom said:
So, who can explain bankruptcy in layman's terms?
Click to expand...

All proceedings go to a Bankruptcy Court, where a Judge reviews the filing, and determines what is the appropriate amounts for repayment or assest swap (etc.) for the reduction of debt which the filing company is stating they have no way of repaying under the original terms...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top