GM lays off 25,000 workers, jobs go overseas.

[ibewgypsie]

I don't want a gm product anymore. They shifted these jobs out of country is what the evening news said.

Ford refused to answer my emails asking how much of my then new 99 ranger was made overseas.

Kinda sad Toyota is more patriotic than a American company. They have vehicles on the Union Approved list. (Made in America by Americans)

I guess I'll have to build a new car of my own. Right now it ain't looking good, spin off job losses will go all the way across the country.

And, Just where can a UAW worker find another job running a ten million dollar robot? They are mucho worse off than me for sure.

------------------
David Cofer, Of:
Tunnel Hill, North Georgia

[Rustybolt]

Dave. I hate to tell you, but my 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 was Hecho en Mexico. The engine was Hecho in Canada. A lot of the grunt jobs are going out of country.And the skilled trades that suppport them. The sad thing is that if a young person wanted to learn machinig or tool and die instead of going to college, the jobs just aren't out there. We are rapidly loosing our knowledge base.

[ibewgypsie]

Rusty:

I have put in some resumes with the local mills. They don't want a electrician as good as me, they want one just good enough to make $10-$12 a hour.

Once you make 2-3 times that they know you won't be happy. I have been hired before just to get machinery running again after the "just good enough" electricians screwed it up.
I walked in one day and a guy was labeling the "lights" on a plc. I asked him what he was doing, he said "when this light comes on it does this" if this light ain't on it won't do this. I looked and he had a jumper going from point to point.. Now this was on a 4/20ma rack not a digital.. He was throwing full value current to the steam control valves. Steam was gushing out next to people on the assembly line.
People that "think they know" are dangerous to everyone around them.
They train electricians like that here. Someone has to follow them around fixing thier fixes.

[jamscal]

I am a UAW autoworker for Ford. I'm not so impressed with the idea that there is any Made in America car or truck anymore. We make the Super Duty (F-250 350 etc. and soon to be discontinued Excursion) Wiring Harnesses: Mexico. Springs: Mexico Most of the electronics are probably Mexico. The 6-spd. trans used to be a ZF, I dont know if it still is, but that's German, I believe.

The parts situation is the worst, however. You'll probably never know the origin of most of them.

I think soon all ten of us will open a crate from China, put some wheels, tires and a few stickers on an almost complete truck, and call it a UAW-assembled vehicle.

Not that I'm bitter. I really don't like my job, except for the pay, but I'm realistic...People would be lined up for our jobs at half the pay.

Yea, a bunch of the Japanese companies have been here a long time, and are just as 'American' if not more so. My wife's Honda was Made in Ohio, (I've bought 2 new Fords in my life...my limit).

(The robots are Japanese, at least at our plant)

[wierdscience]

I would not be suprised if GM,Ford and Dodge all go toes up.Pension debt,recalls and declining market share will all take a toll.

[cuemaker]

Just for info, I live in Marysville Ohio, where the most of the Accords, Civics, Crv and Elements are made.

I dont believe the Honda workers are Union. But there are plenty of people around here who retired after just 15 to 20yrs with very decent retirements. Honda has never laid off a full time employee, but they do have a large pool of temps. Right now there is a hiring freeze.

, I couldnt work in a factory to save my life, no matter how much the pay was.

[3 Phase Lightbulb]

Did GM they lay off anyone from my favorite auto plant in Bowling Green?

-Adrian

[jamscal]

I think GM only made an announcement that they will lay off, in the future, a bunch of people, and close a bunch of plants.

I think the Corvette plant is doing alright.

Honda and Toyota are non-union. The UAW is trying to organize the Camry plant here in KY. Unsuccessfully. I don't believe there has ever been a successful organization of a Japanese plant in the states (Exclude certain joint ventures, and rebrands, of course).

Cuemaker: The 'large pool of temps' is what some of the Toyota workers (and UAW) are complaining about. Toyota says it's for flexibility. The others say its about paying less in wages. I think the Toyota Temps start at $15 and go to $18 an hour. Not bad, but UAW is closer to $27.

WeirdScience: Dodge is already gone...DaimlerChrysler? Who's the CEO? Who calls the shots? It's just part of a German company now. Which brings me to my somewhat wild prediction: A large, healthy foreign industrial concern will buy either Ford or GM's automotive unit. I'm sure they'll have the tact to call that one a merger too.

[Toolmaker Extrodinair]

would love to see GM go belly up. When you hire nothing but losers its their own fault. From top execs to the janitor none impress me a bit. Never seen a good toolmaker come out of any of their plants and I've seen quite a few.

[ibewgypsie]

Toolmaker:

That is what the Japanese said about Americans in general.

I have worked for three japanese companies now. They all treated me really good. Good pay, good benifits. They expected me to work, lots of new-hires didn't make it the first week.
Americans have forgotten the age old law, Honest days work for a honest days pay. Everyone wants something for nothing. Like spoiled children.

David