GM Announces Layoffs / Plant Closings

[Vash00es]

GM has just announced plant closings

General Motors Corp. announced plans Monday to cut 30,000 manufacturing jobs and close nine North American assembly, stamping and powertrain plants by 2008 as part of an effort to get production in line with demand.

Rick Wagoner, chairman and CEO of the world's largest automaker, announced the closures during a speech to employees from GM's Detroit headquarters before the financial markets opened.

Oklahoma City 2006 -- Closing
springhill tenn -- Saturn Production
dorvil ga -- Closing
oshawa plant 1 -- Third Shift
oshawa plant 2 -- Closing
maraing Ohio -- Closing
The Lansing Craft Center, where GM builds the Chevrolet SSR, will be shut down because the convertible sport pickup has not sold very well and GM has idled the plant for several months in 2005.

[SleptWithURWife]

Well thats ****ty but that pick-up is by far one of the ugliest cars on the raod, along with the HHR, like who the **** says that is going to production? I think that bitch should loose his job before anyone.

on a side note, about your sig, You should change your engine discription to 3400 V6 or 3.4l V6, its like me saying my engine is a 1800 1.8l i4. I realize its the name of the motor but I've never liked how they call it a 3400, 3400 what? 3400ml? just a thought.

[Henchman]

Weird, the GM workers just made concessions through their unions to take on more of their healthcare costs to prevent massive layoffs. Well I don't know how the higher ups get 3-6 millions dollar bonuses and people get laid off.

[Gro Harlem]

0wn3d................GM keeps making piss-poor business moves and coming out with lame-O models that no one gives a **** about....who is really suprised?

[ProtegeGT]

Man, GM is too god damn huge. Their quality is pretty low compared to other asian and european auto manufactures. Remember Kia, how ****ty their cars were? Now look at them, fasting growing auto manufacture on the planet. And why? Because their cars are cheap, depenable, best warranty around, better looking and higher quality than most other auto manufactures(excluding Hyundai which owns Kia and is pretty much the reason why Kia is the way they are today). Hell I would buy Spectra5 over a Colbolt anyday! Why a Spectra5? Because it has factory sport suspension and a short shifter. But anyway, if GM wants to make more profit their cars have to have better quality and be more cheaper and have a lot fewer models per brand.
My .02 cents anyway

[Kevin]

Man, GM is too god damn huge. Their quality is pretty low compared to other asian and european auto manufactures. Remember Kia, how ****ty their cars were? Now look at them, fasting growing auto manufacture on the planet. And why? Because their cars are cheap, depenable, best warranty around, better looking and higher quality than most other auto manufactures(excluding Hyundai which owns Kia and is pretty much the reason why Kia is the way they are today). Hell I would buy Spectra5 over a Colbolt anyday! Why a Spectra5? Because it has factory sport suspension and a short shifter. But anyway, if GM wants to make more profit their cars have to have better quality and be more cheaper and have a lot fewer models per brand.
My .02 cents anyway

According to JD Power and Associates, they're keeping pace with European cars, if not doing better. So the "lack of quality" that is so stereotypical of their productions isn't going to last that long!

The problem with GM is the UAW contracts and the pension liabilities they've undertaken. The contracts have progressively gotten larger and larger, and it's to the point where GM can no longer keep up. It's just like the Airline Industry in this country.. they weren't slammed by 9/11, it was more like the fault lines that existed in their business practices were brought to the surface. Hence why we've seen so many of them go bankrupt.

And why do the higher ups in GM keep getting large bonuses? Because thus far, they've managed to turn the books in a positive direction to save the company. They will still likely declare bankruptcy, they will de-unionize some of their workforce either forcefully or the unions will collapse under their own accord (or become less powerful), and there are probably going to be alot of pensions that go unfunded. Run the usual taglines of evil corporate America if you want to, I think it's a perfect example why unions put a strangle-hold on our economy!

Look at the teachers unions across the country. We've spent MORE money on education.. year over year over year! And yet, we're still ranked low among developed nations? Instead of blaming the teachers, we're left blaming learning disorders, society and bad parenting? To me, I see teachers gaining tenure after 2 years of teaching. This means that no matter how little work they do, they still have a job because of the teachers unions. GM, just like every other UAW based car manufacturer, has been consistantly getting screwed. The Toyota plant based in Kentucky has a workforce that earns around 10 to 15 an hour whereas the Springhill Saturn plant (mind you a 4 hour drive away), the median wage is somewhere around 22 dollars an hour. Here in Philadelphia, the entire city turned upside down for a full week because of a transit strike. The unions had negotiated a ZERO-COST healthcare deal where their employees wouldn't pay a dime of their healthcare costs (minus co-pays). When SEPTA says that the costs are rising too much, people look to the transit authority to pick up the tab? This same company, mind you, is underfunded by nearly $150 million dollars and needs STATE funding because they have NEVER turned a profit in their operating expenses. The union is the largest contributor to SEPTA's liability.

What you're seeing with Hyndai is a massive undertaking by building their cars IN America in NON-UNION shops. They pay lower wages, they give comprable healthcare, and their corporate philosophy keeps workers on the line instead of unionizing. Honestly, I'm wondering what going to happen to Ford. Their company may only be a micro-cosm of GM's problems, but they're doomed to stream line their business as well.
Kevin

[Gro Harlem]

agreed....the "quality" as far as I'm concerned is no longer an issue with any new cars. Only ones I can think of, of recent history, are the Focus with notorious reliability problems & some other chrylser models that had a ****load of recalls (ahem...pt cruiser).

Pretty much any car you buy today will be a damn reliable mofo for years to come.

I more question GM's total lack of sense in terms of the market. They keep coming out with boring models that aren't inspiring or "refreshing". They don't bring anything new to the table...they merely copy other companies successes & hope to capitalize on them. What the **** is the HHR? a total rip off of the PT cruiser, 5 years after the fact. It might sell some but I dont think in 3 years it'll be selling enough to warrant its existence. The Malibu Maxx 5 door? What the ****? Thats a rip off of all of the euro 5-door sedans (audi, volvo, the mazda 6?). The new pontiac solstice? Miata/S2000 rip off. I think it'll sell however but its styling isn't for everyone.

On top of that the models they do come out with are uninspiring. Too many times do I read comparison tests where the GM gets criticized for stupid design errors that could easily be avoided. Piss-poor instrumentation & control layouts, poor interior plastic quality, stupid locations of buttons & controls, difficult to service engine layouts. Stupid **** like that can be avoided. If they actually pulled their head out of their ass they'd see that & try to fix those things, Then maybe their models would get the respect they deserve from the press.



As far as I'm concerned, the damage is done to GM's reputation. Many people have read the articles about how ****ty their quality, fit & finish, recalls & now the stories of more layoffs will turn anyone in their right mind off to invest in their empire. GM brought it upon themselves and it will be VERY difficult for them to repair the damage to their reputation. All I can say is thank god for the new corvette & Z06. A 66,000 car that can beat 95% of the 150,000+ cars proves GM has the talent & technology to create a SERIOUS product line up.

They need to fire that ****head Lutz & pull their head out of their ass....simple as that

[ProtegeGT]

I really wish this didn't happen though. So close to Christmas and those employees facing layoffs in the near and distinct future. And Ford is next in line, if they don't turn around soon. If it doesn't, it would be one hell of a blow to the economy to U.S. an Canada.