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Bye Bye Union Jobs
General Motors announced today a 2007 loss of around 39 BILLION dollars! Solution? Fire, lay off and offer buy outs to current long-time employees to cut costs. Perfect!
I wonder if GM CEO Rick Wagoner will give back some of his salary, bonuses or stock options in order to help the struggling auto maker recover. Yeah, right!
Current auto worker contracts allow those who are let go for all of the above reasons to be replaced with lower payed, untrained, less competent personnel. That should help quality of product which, by the way, may be the REAL reason for the obscene losses.
What happened, GM? Couldn't corporate greed move enough of the manufacturing process out of the country quickly enough? Can't you find anyone in Mexico or other countries to work for $5 per hour. It's difficult to understand how Michigan stayed afloat through these years of reconfiguring cost/profit structures.
Oh, that's right... Michigan sometimes votes Democrat! Working people who fought and died to build and support unions for decades didn't plan for the long term. Then again, it was inconceivable back when they were being beaten on the picket lines to contemplate our current administration's “corporate” mind set. Who could have imagined such greed, arrogance and incompetence?
And the beat goes on...
Comments (7)
Chuck, buddy, come over to Eric's place and join fellow TPM refugees at the Saloon!
http://forum.projectlucidity.com/
You have to sign up. It's easy.
See you there!
If you see other "backbenchers," give them an invite. It's peaceful and we're having a lot of fun!
February 12, 2008 11:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
I've been there and just went again. Can't figure out how to post or comment. I never said I was very bright!
Have you figured out this new site yet? Anyone figured out how to access old blogs or comments?
February 12, 2008 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
You have to register first!
Try this:
http://projectlucidity.com/forum/index.php
Look for a way to register or join. There used to be something welcoming Cafe refugees.
Don't give up! Eric made the site private, so you can only see things if you register.
Now that you have this blog up, we can try and help you "get in." It's so nice there! And encourage anyone else you know from the Cafe.
February 12, 2008 12:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've registered twice. I'll keep trying..
February 12, 2008 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Chuck,
How do you explain Toyota's great rise in the United States, then? They are profitable, have the highest safety standards, manufacture in the United States, and do not employ union workers.
You have to have a viable business before you can have employees.
And, do you really think Rick Wagoner has $39 billion stashed away in stock options and salary? And actually, in 2006, Rick Wagoner took a 50% pay cut because he believed in the "pay for performance" executive compensation package. So, I wouldn't discount Mr Wagoner doing the same, or similar, in 2007.
February 12, 2008 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Damn, I hate not being able to go back and edit a comment.
Rick Wagoner actually took a 50% pay cut to his base salary in 2006, and an additional 25% pay cut to his base salary in 2007.
February 12, 2008 1:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Eric, Chuck, as you can see is having some problems. You have his email and so maybe you can help him a bit. He sent me a private message and I tried to provide as much info as I could. Not sure if he registered for the TPM Saloon or for the regular site.
Cheers! ♪♪♪
February 12, 2008 1:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
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