GM to cut 30,000 jobs

[Fade the Butcher]

Too bad I can't post this in Thinker's "Non-Looting of America" thread.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1526021/posts?page=51,50

[Kodos]

This has been a long time coming Fade, other then an act of congress chapter 11 is GM's only legal way out of their crippling legacy costs.

[Felix the Cat]

Q. During the Cold War this would have had serious political consequences, but now what is stopping the US from simply slapping high tariffs on imported cars?

[Crowley]

Why is it the Japanese and Germans can compete and we can't?

[Felix the Cat]

The Japanese, Germans, Italians, Koreans, French etc. don't buy foreign cars

This is clearly unfair to US car producers

[ironweed]

The Japanese, Germans, Italians, Koreans, French etc. don't buy foreign cars


Actually, the French and Italians have abandoned the American car market.

Old joke:

Q: What does FIAT stand for?

A: Fix It Again, Tony.

[Kodos]

Q. During the Cold War this would have had serious political consequences, but now what is stopping the US from simply slapping high tariffs on imported cars?


Why would that be good for the economy? American carmakers simply make crappy gas guzzling cars. And I'd rather the money we spent on foreign imports go to Germany and Japan then terrorist financing arabs. Cars are also an economic neccesity and this takes would be bourne on the back of the working poor to benefit the UAW and GM's bondholders( their shareholders being beyond saving at least till the company accepts reality and declares chapter 11). Fuck that.

If you want to do government intervention right it'd be best to execute of most of GM's management and all union reps in the UAW.

[Felix the Cat]

It's not only cars of course, a similar thing goes on in the aeronautical and other industries

If certain countries refuse to buy your exports, why on earth should you be compelled to accept theirs?

As I said, during the Cold War the US had a political and military interest in boosting the economies of Europe and Asia by encouraging such unequal trade practices

But why tolerate them now?

[Kodos]

It's not only cars of course, a similar thing goes on in the aeronautical industry

If certain countries refuse to buy your exports, why on earth should you be compelled to accept theirs?

As I said, during the Cold War the US had a political and military interest in boosting the economies of Europe and Asia by encouraging such unequal trade practices

But why tolerate them now?


Who the fuck would want to buy American cars that exports to us. Maybe Scandanavian countries( im sorry but Volvos fucking suck). Gas guzzlers don't have much appeal in foreign markets.

[Felix the Cat]

Well, just wait until a billion Chicom peons begin churning out cars

Cars will then become as cheap and disposable as bicycles...

You can be certain the Euros and other Asians will all raise import tariffs to protect their car industries from such a threat, so it's pretty unfair that US car companies will be exposed to the full force of such competition

[Uberberserker]

I just read that Moodys is planning on cutting Fords credit rating.

I think the economy might be about to go back into recession (not really much of a difference since all we have had the last 2 years has been a 'jobless recovery'... doesn't sound like a recovery to me)

[Ambrosio Spinola]

Europe does import foreign cars cowcube, most of it is within the european market but we have plenty of jap, korean, chinese and even US cars (We have also GM here).

[Vindex]

Capitalism strikes again.

[Niko Bellic]

Q. During the Cold War this would have had serious political consequences, but now what is stopping the US from simply slapping high tariffs on imported cars?

It wouldn't make much difference, every Japanese auto maker has factories in the US. The difference is that the Japanese, wisely, don't tolerate unions. The American manufacturers are getting killed by a bunch of gear shift knob putter-onners who think that they're worth $25/hour and a lifetime pension.

[Felix the Cat]

GM to raise India workforce by 30% (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1309881.cms)

NEW DELHI: America's loss is turning out to be India's gain. Within days of announcing 30,000 job-cuts in the US, automobile giant General Motors Corp will this week unveil plans to increase its workforce in India by nearly 30%.

The carmaker has decided to add 450 jobs at its existing plant in Halol (Gujarat) as part of plans to expand presence in India - the emerging low-cost automobile hub in the east.

"GM is going on a hiring spree in India, and it's add jobs both on the factory shop-floor as well in the executive cadre. GM will this week start the process to hire 450 additional people for its India venture," a senior head-hunter told The Times of India.

While it will increase its floor-worker force by 400, another 50 are being added in its executive cadre. "This is in line with the company's plans to expand its presence in India, which GM feels will drive future growth," the source said.
...

...
GM India today has close to 1,600 people on its rolls, including nearly 1,300 on the shop-floor. With GM now preparing to drive into the volume car market in January 2006, the firm is working towards expanding its workforce in the country.

The car maker plans to roll out the premium hatchback Aveo in India in January next year, followed by an entry-level mid-sized sedan version of the car. It will also introduce a hatchback version of its hot-seller Chevrolet Optra in India by mid-2006.

In addition, the firm plans to add another 4,000 jobs in India when it sets up its second greenfield car plant.

The car maker has already shortlisted Andhra Pradesh, tamil Nadu and Maharashtra as the probable sites for its second plant, which will produce the Chevrolet Spark (a rebadged Daewoo Matiz), an all-new SUV and a sedan.

[FranzJoseph]

The difference is that the Japanese, wisely, don't tolerate unions.

You're getting fed some bad dope; Japs have unions in Japan and in the US. The Nippers also consider US unions weak which is true in that Jap unions are still run by the Yakuza and they sometimes machine-gun managers when they get pissed off. It's the Yakuza way!

I've worked with the Nips and when they come over here to the states they think it's like paradise. Even union shops don't pay dick compared to what they're used to back in Kobe or Yokosuka. Shit costs real money over there. On the other hand, America's highest-paid factory workers have, in buying power, a bit less then they had in 1966.

You don't know things like that but the fucking Nippers do.