I'm sure there's 2 sides to every story... like GM using the media to slander the UAW as a way of covering up the company's mistakes of the past. The UAW must learn to become more flexible. The public perception of the UAW seems to be one of hostility, opposition and repugnance. There comes a time when a person stops asking for more favors from someone who's bleeding to death. Hopefully that time is now for the UAW. Toyota and the other Japanese manufactures don't deal with the issues facing the big 3... maybe if the UAW could change their ways, the Japanese-American automakers will allow them in...

 

GM fast tracks factory closures

Wagoner: Company has 'clear line of sight' on plants' restructuring, lopping 25,000 jobs.

DETROIT -- General Motors Corp. is intensifying its push to cut 25,000 factory jobs and close several plants over the next few years.

The moves are critical to GM's goal of running its 24 North American assembly plants at 100 percent capacity by 2008, up from 88 percent this year.

"Over the past four months, we have done a lot of detailed work on this, and have at this point a reasonably clear line of sight on our overall manufacturing restructuring plan," GM Chairman Rick Wagoner said. "Our next steps will be to work this plan in detail with the affected unions. We are planning to announce further details on this manufacturing restructuring by the end of this year."

Several plants are shaping up as likely targets for closure, which likely would occur after GM renegotiates its labor contract with the United Auto Workers in 2007.

Analysts say a number of factors will determine which plants are shuttered -- the age of the factory, the amount of investment GM has made in it over the past 15 or 20 years, productivity and production flexibility. Labor relations will also play a key role.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosins...C01-352381.htm

 

Most other people see the assets, but they also see the overwhelming debt load.

Of course, a GMAC spin-off would take care of much of that (GMAC borrows just about every penny that they loan out to consumers), and a run through bankruptcy court could be used to clear up the remaining $40B or so.

I was really surprised that GM got anywhere with the UAW, considering how little they obtained from the CAW during the recent contract talks.

 

I suspect Canadian legacy costs are much, much lower and the fully loaded hourly cost is in Canada is still advantageous.

 

I thought maybe they would tell us Camaro is coming back on the front wheel drive chassis...called GM80 That would suck. I'd loose all faith in GM and start buying anything but GM.