More Tears
I guess honesty and integrity aren't part of your vocabulary. From your address, I hope you aren't working for a financial institution that people trust their money to.
Ford building European models here
Mr. Mulally,
GREAT decision to build some of Ford's fuel efficient European models here in North America! I've posted here before about how bringing the Fiesta to market here in the USA before the announced 2010 date would make you a hero. I also read that some inside Ford are resisting your plan! Don't be deterred from taking the strong, decisive action that you know needs to be taken. I wish you and Ford the best and am cheering you on. "Action this day," as Winston Churchill wrote on urgent memos.
More Tears
I can't believe the salaried people demanding action on their healh insurance. Almost as bad as the UAW posts. Forget the health insurance. Its gone. If I were you people, you better do all you can to make sure those auto companies survive. If they don't, you are in bad shape.
And, the UAW folks who write in and complain about how hard they work. I have news for you. Most people in this country work just as hard as you do. Minimum wage people work just as hard as you, perhaps harder. Bottom line is if the employer can pay someone less to do you job, then you need your wages cut. This is economics 101.
Need proof? Easy. Did you notice that every automaker that has a UAW issue is going out of business, and that automakers that are doing well keep the UAW out?
CHRYSLER WHITE COLLAR RETIREES
I would say that this a reflection of the leadership. The company always stabbed the salary in the back when it came to union issues. My friend at the Lordstown plant told me how the shop chairman had other people clocking him in and out while he was in Las Vegas. They made a big deal of firing him and it was all over the local news. Well, they hired him back. That was several years back. It is hard to work in an evironment where honesty, ethics and integrity are thrown out the window. You could go on and on. I am sure that there are abuses on both sides. Right now there is a real problem with the insurance for the retirees. This should not be tolerated in our country and the elected officials should all be sent letters or called. Public opinion is really heavy against GM using these tactics. They have been planning this for awhile. I have talked to several people, Ford and Chrysler went under the radar when it happened there. I guess there are several other large corps doing the same thing. The union retirees are the next ones to get it. The pension is also in trouble because of this bad leadership. They are all over the news like deer in the headlights now. Well, hello, five years ago the average man on the street predicted this. Obama should be thankful for about 100,000 votes they just handed him. I sure am looking to vote for him. Maybe I can get a decent priced health care plan.
Chrysler Retirees Seek Protection
old 999
Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading your comments about the goings on at the big 3. you have a talented way of getting your point across in an informative and amusing manner. As a recent retiree from Chrysler and Ford, I couldn't agree more with you on the root cause of the problems in the Industry. Trust me when i tell you that as bad as it is at ford, it's worse at chrysler. Cerebus has made it clear to their shareholders that its duty is to put perfume on the pig and sell it at a profit (they essentially got chrysler for free) asap without regard for chrysler employees, retirees, or dealers. while gm retirees moan, justifiably, about losing company paid healthcare at age 65, chrysler did that four years ago. but here's the kicker. gm adds $3600 per year ($7200 if married) to the retiree's pension to offset the cost of supplemental insurance. chrysler coughs up $1805 per year and adds $1750 for a spouse. they also dropped our lfe insurance in june. imo, chrysler is the most likely of he big 3 to go belly up because of their awful management.
former engineer, boston, ma ----
former engineer from boston, ma why is it that when you make a post on this forum that you have to make a personal attack on the men and women of the UAW as "unskilled and uneducated"? Why do you not reveal just as you say that you are a "former engineer" from what company and how many years you worked for them? What kind of vehicles do you and your family drive and how long have you owned them?? Would you like it if someone was to call one of your family members "unskilled and uneducated"?
GM_cost_cutting
I hope it will help. My concern is trying to buy ANY 2008 or 2009 car with a 1970's income. I constantly heard the phrase "global competition" in connection with wages. Guess what?..ALL asking prices have to be globally competitive also. I'm certain the automotive high-priests realize this, but are too stubborn to admit it. The housing industry is learning its lesson right now. Multi-thousands for annual health care and insane gas, food etc. prices leaves no room to pay 2008 MSRP's. I hope they catch on real soon. Serious reductions in window sticker numbers will increase sales.
GM_cost_cutting
GM needs to hire a new leader like Matt Millen. They could get him for about $6 million a year. He only gets $5 million per season from the Lions. Matt Millen will do for GM what he has done for the Lions. He took a playoff team and blew it up. He then rebuilt it in his own image. Matt Millen is a born leader. He is a man's man. His rebuilding plan only takes about 10 years.
Willie in the D
Volt technology objectives
Skeeter: "Undoubtedly your numbers and assumptions are close to real world but the warm and fuzzy Volt isn't intended to go far from home or in other words a daily driver to and from work perhaps (within the 40 miles). Have heard zip about what gives the heater hot water (perhaps coils) and how about AC. What does AC do to the numbers. The Volt is getting way to much press and will most likely perform much poorer than what the hype suggests."
Skeeter, you are right on all points, with a clarification that I believe is correct.
The 'volt' range, as I understand it, is 20 miles with a round trip of 40 mile. Am I correct?
In my fuel efficiency/cost comparison between the 'volt' and the MY2008 diesel Astra 5 Door Estate 1.7CDTi 16v M5 spd, I did not include the 'volt' "loss" impacts of power steering, cabin environmental management, entertainment/communications, or external lighting. Those losses should already be accounted for in the VCA numbers for the Astra.
So, the benefit estimates of the 'volt' are potentially over estimated to its' advantage by as much as 10 to 20%.
This still leaves the question whether the 'volt' will deliver petroleum savings in 2015 equal or better than GM's 2008 Vauxhall/Opel diesel Astra being sold in Europe today?
From the little that I know, I'd say it is a toss-up!
From a product cost and delivery schedule (with volume) to the US consumer, a US built diesel Astra should easily be the clear winner!
*** SAVE the US ... ONE GALLON ... at a TIME! ***
government_bailout
former engineer, boston, ma
I have disclaimer here first, I am not Union people. and my family does not live on any Union related activity.
I am so disappointed to see that some people is still stubborn like donkey. The blog you posted is such full of crap.
It is no time to play blaming game. we need to point out the problem and look for solution. MI needs solution not blaming.
Auto workers are not all lazy, unproductive group. The 99% UAW are line workers, do you know Line-worker means, that means the people are working along the CONSTANT moving assembly line, building 60-70 vehicle per hour. They don't have time to play, even go to restroom. You have to have a relief person to take over you job to let you go to bathroom. It is extremely tough to stay on job for 8 - 10 hours a day. You call yourself an engineer but don't know the auto plant operation. That is reason why Detroit Big3 have you to design such lousy vehicle. I am glad that you're no longer at MI.
You must be a fake engineer too or big three dropout. Detroit did every thing Wall Street wants them to do: merger, downsize, cuts, eliminating products, bust Union, spinoff....... Now look at the result, none of them are working but chaos, labor relation is soured, company becoming fragment pieces........etc.... Wall Street provided no help but counterprocuctive. If you were not a doctor, how could cure the patient? By the same principle, if you don't know the business, how could you improve it? Wall Street cannot get their act together in their own finance world, how can they help Auto industry? Like some said in this blog: a drowning man to help another drowning man.
I have several friends graduated from Ivy League college, working at Wall Street big famous firms. They told me their job is boring and short, absolute waste time every day, but getting colossal pay.
Do you know how the Parasites live? Parasites need live on warm body has blood and flesh. I instantly thought about the Wall Street, they need fresh corporations to provide profits and margins, so they can split them, chew them and feed them. They move target from one prey to another. I wish Big Three could be independent, getting rid of debts and standing along.
Please don't forget, every single financial crisis in the history, all root from The Wall Street!!!!! I believe that our world would be a lot less trouble if there were no Wall Street.
Please don't give us garbage like that wall street said this or that. This deeply insult me.
GM cuts
As a Ford salaried retiree, I am very disappointed with the Ford and GM cuts targeting salaried retiree benefits. IMHO, it really jerks the rug out from under the fixed income/elderly. What did I work for? http://cliffster51.nfshost.com/WhatDidIWorkFor.mp3
government_bailout
Whoa! What happened to "keep the government out of my life?" I suppose when it's convenient, though, it's o.k. to have the government in your life. Typical Republican malarky, of course! Actually, I DO want the government involved in my life. But I don't want them bailing out car companies that have built nothing but crap for years and have then told their customers, "you bought it, you got it!"
government_bailout
All of you auto workers are out of your mind. There is no reason to bail out GM and Ford. They are not important once you get 200 miles outside of Detroit.
I read someone that claims the domestic auto industry is responsible for 1 out of 6 jobs. Where do you get this garbage? On the east and west coast, GM and Ford dealerships are failing fast but the east and west coast economies are pretty decent. In fact, all over the east and west coast, Michigan and Ohio cars are visible. Many.
On wall street, we all know what is wrong with GM and Ford. Money that should be spent on making products is wasted on wages and benefits for the unskilled and uneducated UAW worker. So, GM and Ford products suck. Toyota and Honda outspend GM and Ford on each product line and it shows. I know the UAWers love to get on here and blame management for a poor product line. You know this is a big lie. The product line is poor because there is no money left after they waste it on the UAW worker who would have a tough time getting a job at McDonalds. I was hoping the Detroit News would post wall street analyst report that detail the problem. The top brass of the UAW have seen them. But, the don't want the general public to see them because the public would turn on the UAW once they realized the UAW is the disease destroying GM and Ford.
As far as a bailout, what good is that. The only thing that would happen is taxes would be raised on high income people, this money would be given to GM and Ford, then the UAW extort more of this. I could support a bailout if and only if GM and Ford break the union.
Yes, it's here. Welcome to the Detroit Depression. A single state depression. No, don't drop whatever it is you're doing. Don't get up. It's not going anywhere. It will wait. It's just going to sit over here in the corner and read a magazine while you do whatever it is you need to do.
A Depression doesn't run hot and fierce like some crazed meth burner. A Depression is methodical, purposeful, patient. It will build a shelter out of tree branches and newspaper, light a small, well-contained campfire and wait you out, brother. While you feed on the empty calories of denial and popcorn, it will quietly gather shards of broken dreams and fashion them into a terrible weapon of blunt force reality.
Volt technology objectives
Undoubtedly your numbers and assumptions are close to real world but the warm and fuzzy Volt isn't intended to go far from home or in other words a daily driver to and from work perhaps (within the 40 miles). Have heard zip about what gives the heater hot water (perhaps coils) and how about AC. What does AC do to the numbers. The Volt is getting way to much press and will most likely perform much poorer than what the hype suggests.
government_bailout
wifc: "Absolutely! Manufacturing was the very foundation of 'The Arsenal of Democracy' during WWII. Without that capability it is not clear to me that we would win that war. If another great war should break out, do we place our dependency on outsourcing to provide for our needs at such a desperate time?"
I agree that manufacturing is the foundation of OUR, or any, NATION!
However, the D3 have contracted out and outsourced so many critical materials, components, subsystems, and processes, could the D3 still be considered even "a possible foundation"?
