American Woos Unions, Seeking Cooperation (AP)

[FWAAA]

Seeing what GM did to their workers today, as 30,000 workers will lose jobs because management can't come up with vehicles people want to buy. (BTW, I drive nothing but GM)

Will the afl-cio step up and finally lead?

Not as long as they don't feel the pain. Nearly like a modern CEO, afl-cio union leaders have six-figure salaries, untouchable pensions, private jets, cars, mansions, and no accountablity to their members.

Its no wonder we are on the way down to a third world ecomonmy, at least some of us.

:down:

Vehicles people want to buy?

I've bought more than a dozen new GM vehicles in my lifetime (as did my grandparents and parents), but let's be honest: GM still sells millions of vehicles every year.

Problem is, GM's market share used to be 50%+ but now it's under 20%. When you're far and away the big kid on the block (like GM was for many, many years), there's no place to go but down.

The fruits and nuts on the coasts look down their noses at GM (and Ford and Chrysler, to a degree) and love their imports, be they BMW or MBZ or VW or anything from Japan (and now, Korea). These liberal elites love saying they adore unions, but their tastes in vehicles have completely abandoned the UAW members.

Funny that I'm characterized as anti-union yet I love driving my Flint-assembled GNX and my Van Nuys-produced Camaro. My everyday driver is an Arlington-assembled Escalade. Imagine that - a Republican who drives GM produced cars. I'm just about the only person in my neighborhood (LA suburb) who drives anything with a GM nameplate. Other than the elderly Oldsmobile 88 and Buick LeSabre drivers).

While all the liberal-leaning Californians and East Coasters have bought imports like there's no tomorrow. Wouldn't matter to these liberal morons if GM cars ran forever without maintenance and came with free gas. In their view, only rubes buy GM cars (or Ford or Chrysler), and they look oh, so much better in a Lexus or Infiniti.

Welcome to the rube club, Hackman. B)

 

[local 12 proud]

Seeing what GM did to their workers today, as 30,000 workers will lose jobs because management can't come up with vehicles people want to buy. (BTW, I drive nothing but GM)

Will the afl-cio step up and finally lead?

Not as long as they don't feel the pain. Nearly like a modern CEO, afl-cio union leaders have six-figure salaries, untouchable pensions, private jets, cars, mansions, and no accountablity to their members.

Its no wonder we are on the way down to a third world ecomonmy, at least some of us.

:down:

hmmmmmm......no closings announced in MEXICO or CHINA, Perhaps if the AFL-CIO would offer up child slave labor and wages to match we could see these jobs saved!

 

[Bagbelt]

Interesting side note. Did you know GM is the fastest growing car co. in the world? China is their new home now. Look for them to blame retirees and try to out airline the airlines and dump their pensions and medical on Uncle Sam. And being one of those horrible Bostonians, I love my fohren cahh!

 

[Bob Owens]

The fruits and nuts on the coasts look down their noses at GM (and Ford and Chrysler, to a degree) and love their imports, be they BMW or MBZ or VW or anything from Japan (and now, Korea). These liberal elites love saying they adore unions, but their tastes in vehicles have completely abandoned the UAW members.

By the way its coast. The one known for Fruits and nuts is the west one, havent you ever seen "All in the Family"?

 

[Hunter]

[...]Problem is, GM's market share used to be 50%+ but now it's under 20%[...]

B)

Please cite your source for the market share percentage.

 

[Bagbelt]

Please cite your source for the market share percentage.

Even if that were true, I believe it's 26%, thats domestic. GM is a worlwide conglomerate with huge operations in Asia and Europe. Not to mention being a huge defense contractor.I believe they were a partner in Fuji heavy industries. Not sure about their partnerships, but to cite as an example Ford owns Mazda as well as Jaguar, Ford just sold Hertz for Billions. I'm not saying they don't have problems, but it's the suppliers they spun off that are really getting it. I think airline managments really showed 'em how it's done.

 

[FWAAA]

Please cite your source for the market share percentage.

My bad; Bagbelt is correct. My apologies.

GM's share of the market slumped to 22 percent in October and stands at 26.2 percent for the year to date -- half its market share in the early 1960s.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0.../A01-369542.htm

Still, total NA sales of 4.7 million vehicles in calendar year 2004 is impressive for a dying company producing cars not liked by the intelligentsia. At least the west coast fruit and nut crowd.

By the way its coast. The one known for Fruits and nuts is the west one, havent you ever seen "All in the Family"?

Good point, but poor white bigots in Queens probably don't buy too many new vehicles. I'm talking about all those libruls in the more prosperous parts of metropolitan NYC. Don't they all live in CT or NJ anyway? Not to mention all the liberals in Boston, Philly and the DC metro area.

 

[Hackman]

Vehicles people want to buy?

I've bought more than a dozen new GM vehicles in my lifetime (as did my grandparents and parents), but let's be honest: GM still sells millions of vehicles every year.

Problem is, GM's market share used to be 50%+ but now it's under 20%. When you're far and away the big kid on the block (like GM was for many, many years), there's no place to go but down.

The fruits and nuts on the coasts look down their noses at GM (and Ford and Chrysler, to a degree) and love their imports, be they BMW or MBZ or VW or anything from Japan (and now, Korea). These liberal elites love saying they adore unions, but their tastes in vehicles have completely abandoned the UAW members.

Funny that I'm characterized as anti-union yet I love driving my Flint-assembled GNX and my Van Nuys-produced Camaro. My everyday driver is an Arlington-assembled Escalade. Imagine that - a Republican who drives GM produced cars. I'm just about the only person in my neighborhood (LA suburb) who drives anything with a GM nameplate. Other than the elderly Oldsmobile 88 and Buick LeSabre drivers).

While all the liberal-leaning Californians and East Coasters have bought imports like there's no tomorrow. Wouldn't matter to these liberal morons if GM cars ran forever without maintenance and came with free gas. In their view, only rubes buy GM cars (or Ford or Chrysler), and they look oh, so much better in a Lexus or Infiniti.

Welcome to the rube club, Hackman. B)

I'll be a rube anytime when it comes to wheels FWAAA. I drive a Z71 4x4 with a 126,000 miles on it and going strong, so far. Nothing I detest more is some fart-piped 4 cyl wrong-wheel drive stickered-up noise maker. They sound like nails on a chalk board. Wrong wheel drive is GM's most glaring problem in its lower cost performance cars. Forget the high priced GTO, weak rear suspension and encono car looks. No one wants a V8 front drive like the new Pontiac Grand Prix GTP either. Why GM can't come up with cars like hot selling rear drive Chrysler 300 SRT8 and Charger SRT Hemi, they might need some new management I surmise. The late Camaro was a great car, but was over priced and kind of ugly. I'm not a Ford fan, but the new Mustang GT hits the mark, great looks and performance for a great price. Why can't GM do it like Ford has? Then you have the high-end BMW, Benz, Lexus drivers who will pay for $50k to $100k for a car, $120-$150hr labor rate on the cars maintenance, parts that cost huge money, but cry about a $500 round trip plane ticket, and A@P mechanics who make less than a high end car mechanic.

I told a rich aqaintance of mine who has a new 06 'Benz AMG CL55 ($190K 605hp twin-turbo V12) that a 06 $70k Z06 Vette will spank his CL55 on the track, and give it a real bad headache at the strip, for less than half the price. He didn't care for that much, but I enjoyed it. Stick another 20 grand in the Z06, and nothing but nothing will touch it, price or performance.

I'm not going to get into politics, I hate most all polititians, Dumbacrats and Retardicans alike, they are all crooks to me. I am definately not a liberal, but I don't agree with the right either. Stuck in the middle I guess. I try to buy American when I can, and I think we have come a long way in the US automotive world. We can compete with any country. Its just corporate greed that won't let it happen.

I am a big muscle car fan, I still have my 79 Z28 after 22 years which I am building into a pump gas Vortech supercharged 496 big block steet terror from the ground up. I also have a 72 El Camino SS that will be my driver with a 383 stroker small block. Of course, these projects have taken longer than expected because of the paycut, ever increasing taxes and living costs.

Your lucky to have a GNX, hang on to it. It will be an all time rare classic (it is now) in the future. If you have ever watched Barrett-Jackson, the muscle cars prices are nuts.

Hopefully the workers in Detroit and elsewhere in the US will get to keep their jobs making some of the best cars in the world. Looks like its going to be a tough year for all american workers. I sure don't see much "Wooing" going on, and the AP needs to talk to a few more people in its bias articles.

 

[Bear96]

The fruits and nuts on the coasts ...

Why such hatred towards those who don't think exactly like you?

 

[Hopeful]

I wonder how many GM workers, both active and retired, are flying scab airlines like Northwest and non-union airlines like JetBlue. Do you think that any of the GM employees shop at Wal*Mart?
Is it just the burden of airline workers to "do the right thing" and purchase only "Made in America" automoblies?

The raping of the American worker is being condoned because of the "global" economy and "new world" order.

GM was once the icon of the world, let alone America!
GM, like the legacy airlines, failed to adapt to a world economy and now blame "high" labor costs as the reason.

But these greedy corporate bastards aren't happy having cut the American worker's pay and benefits. No, now they have to outsource to increase profits and pad their own greedy pockets!

You just cannot compete with China and its workforce of bicycle riding robots!

 

[TIME FOR CHANGE]

83 SS Showroom condition 40 K original miles B)

 

[TWskyliner]

Why such hatred towards those who don't think exactly like you?

They teach that at Ann Coulter University. B)

 

[Bagbelt]

I've allways bought American new. But a good used deal is worth it. Besides a lot of American cars are foreign hybrids. Ford rangers and escorts are full of mazda parts. The only thing I will not buy is foreign tools. If that means I pay Snap-on $25 for a cup of coffee, so be it.

 

[AMFAMAN]

83 SS Showroom condition 40 K original miles B)

Hey that pop-up sunroof is made in China...

Only kidding...she's a beauty.

 

[Hunter]

My bad; Bagbelt is correct. My apologies.

No problem.

To be honest, the motivation for calling you on your "over reaching statement" was to demonstrate just how easy it is to make a compelling arguement when facts are distorted.

You did self identify as a republican didn't you?