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Originally posted by legion
I am still holding out hope that GM's current state will force some real reforms at the company. I have a lot of respect for them. After all, they haven't tried to dump their pensions, but have consistently acted to make them more sound. They should leave the low-margin, high-volume cars to the Koreans as they have a cost advantage there.
I'm not a fan of nationalized health care, but most of the companies that GM competes with are based in countries that have this. This gives those companies a subsidy in effect. I remember reading that GM's health care costs (for current employees and its army of retirees) amounts to something like $1,500 per vehicle they produce.
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Yep, good points especially on the health-care. This is why I know it's a losing battle. Once the Dems AND the Corps want the same thing it's over. But I assure you it will not change the dynamic, it's just a band aid. I am in the business and would like nothing better than a robust car making America again. It just isn't going to happen, we screwed it up too much already.
You really need to tour a plant sometime, you will almost want to cry at how incredibly inefficient and wasteful they are. And the red tape, it's insane! The line leaders take great happiness in shutting down a line on a technicality (this rewards them with overtime later). Then they play cards till the white collars whitewash the situation. I'm not making this stuff up, talk to these guys.
Now how can that crap possibly compete, with or without pensions. Oh, and how bad do you think employee moral will get when they lose pensions and or have to use health-care programs designed for the masses rather than the gold plated versions they are use to? It's gonna be bad my friend, real bad.