UAW strikes at General Motors

[MagicRat]

Oh boy.......
Just as it seems GM had turned a corner, this happens. It could cost them $2 billion a week in lost sales and revenue.

Personally, this is IMO part of GM's turn around. Obviously they are being tougher now than in the past 37 years (since their last strike) and not giving in too readily to union demands.

As union demands has produced crippling health care costs, which add $1800 to the price of every GM vehicle, the company has my sympathy.

So, in the competitive car market. GM must cut costs to compete, especially with non - union (foreign owned) auto makers in the US.

So, here's hoping for a sense of compromise on both sides and a speedy end to the strike.

['97ventureowner]

I agree. That's why companies like Toyota are beating GM in one area , because they are not straddled with extra costs like healthcare, retiree benefits and other fringe benefits. I'm kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place because I personally know many people in my area who used to work for GM. GM used to operate Fisher Guide here in Syracuse shuttering it in 1991. Many employees retired early, and those that didn't have enough time in were transferred to Michigan. One of the issues holding up a compromise is retiree benefits, mainly healthcare. Many people I know are retirees , and I can say first hand that their benefits are very good. On order to keep them that way it is going to cost GM a lot of money to sustain them at the present rate, money that will be hard to come by. There are many more non GM retirees out there that are surviving on less. It may be time to revisit the issue of retiree benefits and possibly find ways to save money in that area. One argument I hear is that they made GM the company it is today,( well not exactly like today, but when they were in their prime.) O say that it's a different world out there than ot was 10, 20 , or 30 years ago and we must try and find ways to survive, even if that means cutting benefits . Would they rather continue with the present level of benefits ( or possibly increase them even more) or have the company fold entirely and lose all that they have earned up to this point. There are many companies out there that have been in that situation in the past and ended up going bankrupt and everybody ended up with nothing in the end. I think it's time to take a really hard look at the benefits situation and make any necessary changes for the good of the company before it too will just be a big footnote in the history books and companies like Toyota will rush in to fill the void.

[RSX-S777]

50K a year to bolt a seat on an assembly line, then retiring with top-notch benefits. BOO-Fucking-HOO. Unskilled labor for a skilled labor wage with better benefits than most Americans. Labor workers claim that buying foreign cars is like supporting sweat shops, and that we should support the hard-working American and keep him from getting screwed. If your union benefits are extravagant, your salary inflated and the end product is subpar as a result, I think the UAW is screwing America. Greedy, spoiled babies. When you force American car companies into the toilet enjoy your new jobs at McDonalds...

[drunken monkey]

Why can't they see that if they keep pushing GM for more money, GM won't last?

[ericn1300]

The lack of national health coverage and a single payer system to control costs will continue to be the bane of the American economy and will continue to undercut the earnings of the American middle class and American companies. The Canadian and European car makers dont have to account for the cost of health insurance in the cost of their vehicles. Help make America more competitive and humane and push for universal health care.