corporate tendency is to expect more and pay less. It is also true that large corporations would exploit their workers given a chance. Ever read The Jungle? It specifically concerns the early meat packing industry and at that time people would literally lose body parts in the machine and guess what? Production never stopped and fingers, arms, etc. would be packaged and sent out with the product. Companies used to literally kill people because they were expendable and cheap. Ever hear about the Johnstown flood? They knew that dam was going to break and it's documented.

Yes things are very different now, but there is a reason why that is so. It's a balance system and both sides are important parts of the equation to keep things that way. Even today.

In GM's case I'm sure that worker pay/benefit packages are a problem for them but at the same time it is not the fault of the Average Joe who pushes a button all day that the design of his machine is bad, or that SPC practices weren't adopted until waaaay after the Japanese were gobbling-up marketshare with superior products in the US, putting GM behind for decades. That blame can be put 100% on the shoulders of management where it rightfully belongs.

It is true that it is much less expensive to produce things outside of the US in developing countries because guess what? Those countries don't have the same standard of living to support. It is natural for the Unions to want more, just as it is natural for companies to want to pay less. So what is the solution? Close the boarders? Huge taxes and tariffs? Who knows. Regardless, a: poorly designed, poorly conceived, poorly marketed, and outdated vehicle design can't be compensated-for on the manufacturing floor.

The first thing GM needs to do is produce a truly world-competetive product that can sell based-upon it's own merits. At the same time it needs to figure-out how to make money on every vehicle. Not an easy thing to do when incompetence has been expected and sub-par products have been the norm for so long. That's why I say clean-house, and develope a team that does not accept failure. Maybe apply more of a GE type business model?

posted by 67.10.24...

• GM Says It May Kill Off One of Its Brands, dmz789, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 13:28:49
  • Why not manufacture everything in China?, Draken, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 10:51:02
    • Good question., dmz789, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 18:31:14
    • Re: Why not manufacture everything in China?, compaqted, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 13:30:20
      • Re: Why not manufacture everything in China?, Draken, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 17:18:21
  • need to be lean and mean, compaqted, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 09:11:35
    • sounds great, TML , Thu, 24 Mar 2005 10:13:58
    • Now now... I'd agree with that, but fold Saab?, NateinAA, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 09:31:58
  • To a certain extent they get what they deserve, Noel, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 07:26:32
    • Anti-union, eh?......, Blobakazeke, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 08:21:05
      • Re: Anti-union? Absolutely!, Noel, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 10:53:19
        • Anti-unionism and the corporate state..., Blobakazeke, Fri, 25 Mar 2005 07:34:57
          • Re: Anti-unionism and the corporate state..., 2 9-5's, Fri, 25 Mar 2005 10:28:16
            • There are some times when you have no other option, RS , Fri, 25 Mar 2005 11:34:45
        • Re: Anti-union? Absolutely!, 2 9-5's, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 17:20:13
      • Zeke isn't totally off-base here, it is true that the, Drew in Houston, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 09:50:47 <-- Viewing This Message
      • Re: Anti-union, eh?......, 2 9-5's, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 08:50:13
        • I think I should've been a diplomat ..., Urby, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 09:11:10
      • Re: Anti-union, eh?......, Urby, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 08:48:04
        • On Teachers..(and more)..>>>, PGAero , Thu, 24 Mar 2005 10:31:32
  • Killing brands is just plain stupid IMHO....more, Mark, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 03:49:16
  • Things to consider REALLY LONG, Caarma , Wed, 23 Mar 2005 22:17:25
    • Re: Things to consider REALLY LONG, mac, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 16:42:08
  • Buick?, Draken, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 21:58:26
  • I'd kill off more than two . . ., miked, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 21:50:12
    • it's a good point, Scott Paterson , Wed, 23 Mar 2005 23:54:42
  • Re: GM Says It May Kill Off One of Its Brands, Drew in Houston, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 21:23:06
    • Re: GM Says It May Kill Off One of Its Brands, dmz789, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 00:27:16
      • Re: GM Says It May Kill Off One of Its Brands, Drew in Houston, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 04:49:42
  • Re: GM Says It May Kill Off One of Its Brands, 2 9-5's, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 19:27:45
    • A Caddy with 120K miles on it is, Noel, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 07:11:41
      • agreed - caddy is safe too, Scott Paterson , Fri, 25 Mar 2005 18:24:52
    • Kill the Impaler, nypb, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 20:28:51
      • Re: Kill the Impaler, Stan, Sat, 26 Mar 2005 16:27:27
  • Re: GM Says It May Kill Off One of Its Brands, Erik W, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 17:28:06
    • easy way to save money, Brian_in_MA, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 17:39:16
  • Buick is very strong in Red China, Sam, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 15:29:11
    • Chinese Buicks Different than American Ones?, Draken, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 22:06:46
      • Even the Chinese get better GMs then we do, Mark, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 23:29:22
  • Re: GM Says It May Kill Off One of Its Brands, dboone, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 14:58:03
  • No mention of Saab, but it's always possible. Still...., Noel, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 14:09:09
    • I like your ideas, but... (very long), MO, Thu, 24 Mar 2005 15:13:08
  • If they kill Pontiac, Rafe, Wed, 23 Mar 2005 13:44:21

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