Auto Industry: GM/Chrysler

[Arraya]

If Detroit scales back it operations by 50%, 2.5 million jobs will be lost. GM October sales were down 45%. We call that the writing on the wall. The cheerleaders who wrote this report can talk all they want about the terrible consequences of scaling back, but at least that is less idiotic than producing cars just to let them sit in the lot. Consumer demand is plunging throughout the entire economy, not just for automobiles. Are we going to let everyone keep their jobs at the expense of everyone else? How absurd would you like it? I haven’t seen any recent claims about making a profit on the AIG bail-out, but that’s about the level of emptiness we’re talking here.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=3ee58fb8-577c-495b-afda-3bc9ada52b6e

TORONTO — A leading think-tank has drawn a doomsday picture for the North American auto industry showing that if Detroit’s automakers shrink further or even fail, the U.S. economy will suffer a crushing blow.
In a report released Wednesday, the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich., outlined what would happen in two separate scenarios if General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC were forced to scale back or shut entirely.

[Coronita]

I don’t think that GM and Ford can scale back. Because I thought per union contracts, if they idle plants, they still need to pay people.

I wish though if they do idle a plant, they would make a rule to have those folks idled to be doing something like either

1) get retraining
or
2) do some community service

Toyota started doing this. When they started idling plants in the U.S., they paid people to go do community service and or get retrained while the retool the plant for other productions.

http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/10/11/1011toyota.html

The theme that constantly happens is the GM/Ford is cutting non-union, salaried workers. That usually means brass that is doing design, technology, and product improvement. That’s not good for GM/Ford’s future. I’m sort of sad to see this, because for awhile, I thought they were finally going to turn around. They’re product mix isn’t that bad (at least where they wanted to go with stuff). Now there’s things perculating that the Chevy Volt is put on hold (I guess because of the lower gas prices).

That’s the problem with all automakers. They really aren’t commited to alternative fuels. The moment oil/gas takes a nosedive, it’s not gonna be good for these alternatives…Automakers are going to stop investing in alternative energy stuff.

[Coronita]

I don’t think that GM and Ford can scale back. Because I thought per union contracts, if they idle plants, they still need to pay people.

I wish though if they do idle a plant, they would make a rule to have those folks idled to be doing something like either

1) get retraining
or
2) do some community service

Toyota started doing this. When they started idling plants in the U.S., they paid people to go do community service and or get retrained while the retool the plant for other productions.

http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/10/11/1011toyota.html

The theme that constantly happens is the GM/Ford is cutting non-union, salaried workers. That usually means brass that is doing design, technology, and product improvement. That’s not good for GM/Ford’s future. I’m sort of sad to see this, because for awhile, I thought they were finally going to turn around. They’re product mix isn’t that bad (at least where they wanted to go with stuff). Now there’s things perculating that the Chevy Volt is put on hold (I guess because of the lower gas prices).

That’s the problem with all automakers. They really aren’t commited to alternative fuels. The moment oil/gas takes a nosedive, it’s not gonna be good for these alternatives…Automakers are going to stop investing in alternative energy stuff.

[Coronita]

I don’t think that GM and Ford can scale back. Because I thought per union contracts, if they idle plants, they still need to pay people.

I wish though if they do idle a plant, they would make a rule to have those folks idled to be doing something like either

1) get retraining
or
2) do some community service

Toyota started doing this. When they started idling plants in the U.S., they paid people to go do community service and or get retrained while the retool the plant for other productions.

http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/10/11/1011toyota.html

The theme that constantly happens is the GM/Ford is cutting non-union, salaried workers. That usually means brass that is doing design, technology, and product improvement. That’s not good for GM/Ford’s future. I’m sort of sad to see this, because for awhile, I thought they were finally going to turn around. They’re product mix isn’t that bad (at least where they wanted to go with stuff). Now there’s things perculating that the Chevy Volt is put on hold (I guess because of the lower gas prices).

That’s the problem with all automakers. They really aren’t commited to alternative fuels. The moment oil/gas takes a nosedive, it’s not gonna be good for these alternatives…Automakers are going to stop investing in alternative energy stuff.

[Coronita]

I don’t think that GM and Ford can scale back. Because I thought per union contracts, if they idle plants, they still need to pay people.

I wish though if they do idle a plant, they would make a rule to have those folks idled to be doing something like either

1) get retraining
or
2) do some community service

Toyota started doing this. When they started idling plants in the U.S., they paid people to go do community service and or get retrained while the retool the plant for other productions.

http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/10/11/1011toyota.html

The theme that constantly happens is the GM/Ford is cutting non-union, salaried workers. That usually means brass that is doing design, technology, and product improvement. That’s not good for GM/Ford’s future. I’m sort of sad to see this, because for awhile, I thought they were finally going to turn around. They’re product mix isn’t that bad (at least where they wanted to go with stuff). Now there’s things perculating that the Chevy Volt is put on hold (I guess because of the lower gas prices).

That’s the problem with all automakers. They really aren’t commited to alternative fuels. The moment oil/gas takes a nosedive, it’s not gonna be good for these alternatives…Automakers are going to stop investing in alternative energy stuff.

[Coronita]

I don’t think that GM and Ford can scale back. Because I thought per union contracts, if they idle plants, they still need to pay people.

I wish though if they do idle a plant, they would make a rule to have those folks idled to be doing something like either

1) get retraining
or
2) do some community service

Toyota started doing this. When they started idling plants in the U.S., they paid people to go do community service and or get retrained while the retool the plant for other productions.

http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/10/11/1011toyota.html

The theme that constantly happens is the GM/Ford is cutting non-union, salaried workers. That usually means brass that is doing design, technology, and product improvement. That’s not good for GM/Ford’s future. I’m sort of sad to see this, because for awhile, I thought they were finally going to turn around. They’re product mix isn’t that bad (at least where they wanted to go with stuff). Now there’s things perculating that the Chevy Volt is put on hold (I guess because of the lower gas prices).

That’s the problem with all automakers. They really aren’t commited to alternative fuels. The moment oil/gas takes a nosedive, it’s not gonna be good for these alternatives…Automakers are going to stop investing in alternative energy stuff.

[Arraya]

If they don’t idle plants we are going to have a lot of cars sitting around collecting dust.

[Arraya]

If they don’t idle plants we are going to have a lot of cars sitting around collecting dust.

[Arraya]

If they don’t idle plants we are going to have a lot of cars sitting around collecting dust.

[Arraya]

If they don’t idle plants we are going to have a lot of cars sitting around collecting dust.

[Arraya]

If they don’t idle plants we are going to have a lot of cars sitting around collecting dust.

[Coronita]

Looks like GM is running on fumes… It’s pretty sad…
http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/07/news/companies/gm/index.htm?postversion=2008110711

[Coronita]

Looks like GM is running on fumes… It’s pretty sad…
http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/07/news/companies/gm/index.htm?postversion=2008110711

[Coronita]

Looks like GM is running on fumes… It’s pretty sad…
http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/07/news/companies/gm/index.htm?postversion=2008110711

[Coronita]

Looks like GM is running on fumes… It’s pretty sad…
http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/07/news/companies/gm/index.htm?postversion=2008110711

[Author]

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