Thousands rally against GM's decision to shut plant

[doh]

Originally Posted by Ambalanche

That's the quote that scares me. I know that's in Canada, but you don't have the right to tell any business they can't go where the profit is. Can't be allowed indeed!

Atlast, the answer.

A truely "Golbal Economy" is one that says, "Everyone is happy with paying $10000 for a new car, but also happy making $6.00/ hour.

[2012Aveo]

"It won't happen until we advance beyond the outmoded management vs. worker mindset and start thinking intelligently."

I completely agree with the quote above except nowadays its worse than just management vs. worker; its worker vs. worker.

Freedom of speech and ideas is very important but when it gets to the point where everyone or every worker is arguing with each other and working against each other you have very little productivity and shoddy workmanship. I use to work for a public water utility in New York City where this situation persists.

[Mr. Burns]

LOL! I don't ****ing believe this! On one hand you guys want people to buy cars from american companies so the profits remain with an american company but on the other hand you're saying that it doesn't matter if the american company decides to spend those same profits in mexico or the like.

This is a lose-lose situation for both the mexican worker and the canadian worker, and only benefits the pocket book of the corporation. The Mexican worker is being paid too little, while the Canadian worker has no job, but Wagoner will rake in $20 million by the years end.

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by Mr. Burns

LOL! I don't ****ing believe this! On one hand you guys want people to buy cars from american companies so the profits remain with an american company but on the other hand you're saying that it doesn't matter if the american company decides to spend those same profits in mexico or the like.

This is a lose-lose situation for both the mexican worker and the canadian worker, and only benefits the pocket book of the corporation. The Mexican worker is being paid too little, while the Canadian worker has no job, but Wagoner will rake in $20 million by the years end.

Well since the production is not moving to Mexico...what's your point?

[Mr. Burns]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

Well since the production is not moving to Mexico...what's your point?

Protesting the people who are protesting this quote:

"The other issue is fair trade, free trade. Corporations can't be allowed to take work that we do and take it to third world countries, places like Mexico, and pay (Mexican workers) $4.50 an hour."

I think perhaps there should be some rules put in place to limit outsourcing.

[TJ95GAGT]

Originally Posted by Mr. Burns

Protesting the people who are protesting this quote:

"The other issue is fair trade, free trade. Corporations can't be allowed to take work that we do and take it to third world countries, places like Mexico, and pay (Mexican workers) $4.50 an hour."

I think perhaps there should be some rules put in place to limit outsourcing.

But there isn't so ..... yeah. And isn't a plant in Mexico affect by this as well? Also, wouldn't Canadian jobs be considered outsourced from America? Granted the wages are probably similar, its still an American without a job right?

[ksr]

Originally Posted by K-1

Why not? Corporations owe you nothing. Be thankful you had a job for this long.

Amazing how the union mentality not only thinks that they're entitled to lifetime employment, but also future generations are entitled to guaranteed jobs. they used to protest when GM would eliminate jobs by simply not replacing retirees.

What other workers have this sense of entitlement? My employer could tell me my job is eliminated tomorrow. I wouldn't picket, I'd pick up and move on. I can quit whenever I feel like it; they can't make me stay. But it works both ways.

[ksr]

Does the union really believe that GM should just keep cranking out pickups, regardless of whether or not anyone is purchasing them?

Unlike the past, you really can't blame GM management here. They make the best pickups on the market and were building to meet demand.

There will always be a need for pickups, but just not so many of them now with the current cost of fuel.

[ksr]

Originally Posted by plane

It's probably because the new GM cars don't have navigation available.

LOL.

[Mr. Burns]

Originally Posted by TJ95GAGT

But there isn't so ..... yeah. And isn't a plant in Mexico affect by this as well? Also, wouldn't Canadian jobs be considered outsourced from America? Granted the wages are probably similar, its still an American without a job right?

It's a two way street if you want to consider GM in canada as "domestic" like most seem to like to, those bumper stickers don't sell themselves afterall. But I'm talking in general.

[hotrod1949]

If they want to sell here, build here. If they want to accept government money, spend it here. If they bargain a contract, live up to it.

It seems even the Judge who granted the injuction thinks GM is sleazy in all this. While he agreed the blockade must come down, three days from now, he gave GM a tongue lashing over their handling of the affair.

These people are fighting for their jobs, their communities and their families.Don't want to build full size pickups? Give them something else to build. They EARNED that right, productivity and quality. If everybody sits quietly by, all the jobs will be in Mexico and China. You people pi$$ and moan about the wages and benefits, but they seem high because wages in both our countries have been stagnant for so long. Autoworkers have at least kept pace with the costs of living. Globalization does not work for the average person in North America, it is sucking our standard of living down the toilet.

GM has a right to run their business, you are correct, but they are punishing the very people who have done the most to help them polish their tarnished image, the folks that won them awards for quality, and productivity. By HPV, GM's direct labor costs are going down, faster at their plants in Ontario than anywhere else.Do what we ask you to do, so we can close your plant? GM's timing smells of "We want to avoid as much of the legacy costs of running a plant as possible". They agreed to the contracts, they did not set aside funds for the promises made in the contracts, and now they are trying to run from those costs. It smells, and these folks are right to make their position public.

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by TJ95GAGT

But there isn't so ..... yeah. And isn't a plant in Mexico affect by this as well? Also, wouldn't Canadian jobs be considered outsourced from America? Granted the wages are probably similar, its still an American without a job right?

Yes, a Mexican plant is being closed too. The Toulca plant, it builds medium duty trucks. The Silao plant builds the Suburban, Yukon XL and Excalade ESV, not the pick-ups from everyhting I have been able to find about it. So two plantsin the US, 1 in Canad, 1 in Mexico...sounds actually, pretty fair if you ask me...but I don't have the union telling me what to think.

[Tony_the_Tiger]

Mr. Justice David Salmers, an Ontario Superior Court Judge has ordered the union to remove their blockade of GM's head office by 7:00 AM Monday.

The company was also "judged" to have been less than truthful with the union during this years negotiations.

Now the company should either provide the jobs that were promised or offer buyouts the same as the Windsor workers received for their plant closing......

[hotrod1949]

Originally Posted by Tony_the_Tiger

Mr. Justice David Salmers, an Ontario Superior Court Judge has ordered the union to remove their blockade of GM's head office by 7:00 AM Monday.

The company was also "judged" to have been less than truthful with the union during this years negotiations.

Now the company should either provide the jobs that were promised or offer buyouts the same as the Windsor workers received for their plant closing......

They can't blockade, but they are allowed to keep 20 pickets at the location, another little slap for GM.