[jkarolyi]

Quote from article:

"The company's contract with the United Auto Workers union essentially prevents layoffs before it expires in September 2007, as the company needs to pay union members whether or not there is a job for them."

I guess my comment above is true!!! No wonder the company is swimming in red ink. Union contracts will be the ruin of GM, just like all the US airlines and steel companies. When more work needs to be done, you hire more employees. When less work needs to be done, you have to lay people off. Christmas or not, this is life. Unions prevent this simple truth and sink companies. Poor GM, what a sad relic of a once-prosperous business who once produced some of the world's best cars.