Comments on: New GM CEO Fritz Henderson Says “We Will Get the Job Done”

By: Texas

Texas — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 07:13:19 +0000

It won’t matter what you do with the UAW if you don’t take away operational control (where they manufacture, labor levels needed for that production, what technology used for manufacturing, etc.). If you don’t get that, GM will not be able to compete. Period. End of discussion. All the other stuff is fluff. Debt can be wiped clean in one day with government help. If the remaining business still has their hands tied then it’s game over before it starts. I hope the decision makers realize this. Operational control needs to be returned to the same people that are responsible for increasing the wealth of the shareholders.

If not, the non-union auto manufactures are going to eventually win out. How could it happen any other way, especially with the very determined and competent competition? Oh, did I mention that electric cars are going to have even smaller margins and can be made so reliable (except for the battery) that they may need only minor maintenance (no oil changes, no filters, no mufflers, no breaks – regen takes much of the stress away, less parts to replace, etc.). How are the dealers going to survive? It’s going to be tough.

By: J Man

J Man — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:57:58 +0000

159 Dave G
A while back, a worker for a Toyota plant in the U.S. posted here. He said they didn’t have any pension at all, just the standard 401K stuff. Do you know any specific details about this?

I have heard they also loose their health care when they retire. So if you are luck enough to retire at 52 with 30 years of service you would have to go get another job till you get medicare. Or you will just have to keep working with Toyota till you get to medicare age (or die getting there). I have heard this for Honda as well.

There are 2 unionized Toyota plants in CA if I remember right, not sure how they differ.

By: Dave G

Dave G — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:12:09 +0000

#157 Jonathan Cassidy

A while back, a worker for a Toyota plant in the U.S. posted here. He said they didn’t have any pension at all, just the standard 401K stuff. Do you know any specific details about this?

Also, I’m not sure there will be a Gen2 Volt as such. They’ll probably just make continuous improvements every year.

By: Dave G

Dave G — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:05:53 +0000

#156 Leon Says: In any case, I’m not buying a car from the government. Ford has some very nice cars.
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If it weren’t for the Volt, I wouldn’t even consider buying an American car.

By: Jonathan Cassidy

Jonathan Cassidy — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:31:22 +0000

The process of separating the survivable GM from the non survivable is part of the process of credit holders standing in line to get a protion of their value back. The non survivable part will be sold off for salvage value, this includes equipment, land, buildings, brands, Oldsmobile and Saturn can be sold to a new entity.

Honda and other off shore makers do not have the numbers of retired or laid off workers that domestic makers have. It is this number, also seen in the passenger rail system, that is a burden to operation of a smaller survivable entity. If Amtrak could have shed it’s pention and health care costs for all the passenger lines the rail industry had and stopped running then Amtrak would have been profitable.

Start ups always have a jump on lower structural costs, pensions and retiree benifits. They do not have the people and facilities to get to the work of producing what we need. This is Why GM, Ford and Chrysler are important. They are ready to produce now. Particularly GM in the case of the Volt. The development is done and the plant is being tooled up for making these cars.

I want the smaller Gen2 model. I am #8 on the list.