A must read article for all concerned regarding the automakers

[dboat]

Very well done article.. too bad this guy wasnt elected president.. IMHO


Dana

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/opinion/19romney.html?ref=opinion

[WA 2 FST]

Yep... he's got a lot of excellent points. And I liked him as a Republican candidate. Maybe in 4 years.

[dboat]

The labor and benefit costs per hour for a Big Three car is $78 vs $35 for a foreign one made/assembled here..

But when the executives of the Big Three fly around in corp jets and arent willing to give them up.. well, what does that tell you? Also, the UAW rep at the congressional meetings said his group does not expect to give up anything in this process.. I guess the union wants to go down with another ship.. I have seen it happen enough times up here..

Dana

[Shiner1]

I agree..

[tiffo60]

very nice read:tu:

[TXLIGHTNING]

+1 Good find :tu:

[Ohmsby]

a voice of reason

[98Cobra]

While I think it would ge great if GM could enter Chapter 11 to get out from some of its labor problems, I think it has substantial consequences.

100k people could lose their health insurance. Suppliers would be forced to lay people off or close themselves. If they close, other automakers that use those same suppliers will be scrambling for parts as well, weakening them. I dunno. I just dont think it is as simple as let them fail.

Also, this: http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2008/11/chinese-automakers-may-buy-gm-and-chrysler/

[Ohmsby]

I agree with you no simple answer exist but pissing on a brush fire is rarely a way to extinguish it. The business model used by US automakers is broke

[my2002lightning]

Obama's going to fix it all. No need for anyone to worry.

[dboat]

Obama's going to fix it all. No need for anyone to worry.

Thanks, I feel better already. :mad:

[L8 APEX]

The US makers need to use this depression to break the unions. The cost to quality ratio is very low for US cars. Too much money is wasted on union labor and silly contracts. GM spends more on employee insurance benefits than they do for steel to build cars... $50hr floor sweepers, get real...

There was a GM thing on the news months back. GM asked workers to take a 4 day work week, or risk closing the plant. The day off would save GM 100K in utilities required to run the plant. UAW said hell no and they closed the plant down... Union won:rolleyes:. The majority of auto assembly is NOT skilled they are an organized mass of spoiled hillbillys:hammer:.