GM Canada, CAW reach cost-savings deal

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GM Canada, CAW reach cost-savings deal

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CTV News Video

CTV News: Roger Smith on the deal

CTV Toronto: Paul Bliss on the conclusion of a hard-fought deal cost-cutting agreement for GM

CTV Newsnet: Chris Buckley, Local 222 President

CTV Ottawa: John Hua speaks with a frustrated GM dealer

CTV Edmonton: Alberta GM dealership among casualties in new agreement

CTV Newsnet: Bernie Wolf, Schulich School of Business with reaction on the deal

CTV Toronto: Paul Bliss on what workers gave up in the new deal reached by GM and the CAW

CTV Newsnet: Charlotte Yates, McMaster University, on the GM-CAW deal

CTV Newsnet: BNN's Michael Hainsworth on what the GM-CAW deal means

CTV Newsnet: CAW President Ken Lewenza discusses the deal during a press conference in Toronto

CTV Newsnet: CAW officials reveal details about the deal with GM from Toronto, part two

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CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Fri. May. 22 2009 6:46 PM ET

The head of the Canadian Auto Workers says his union has come to an agreement on further cost-cutting measures with GM Canada, which will allow the Detroit automaker to remain competitive and qualify for government loans.

Ken Lewenza told reporters gathered at a Toronto news conference on Friday morning that it was "a struggle" for his union to come to a deal with GM, but he felt the CAW had done the best it could under the circumstances.

"We have preserved our wages, we have preserved and secured our pension benefits, we have protected most of our core benefits," Lewenza said.

"Another key victory is an agreement to restructure our pension plan, which has been in real jeopardy," he added, noting that GM's pension load was a "huge" issue during the talks.

Under the deal, Lewenza said the union's pension rates will be frozen until 2015.

He said the deal also stipulates that the GM plants in Oshawa, St. Catharines and Woodstock will stay open.

Other specifics of the deal were not immediately made available, though Lewenza said it would deliver $15 to $16 in savings in the average per-hour wage of GM's Canadian workers.

Lewenza said the two sides came to the deal at 11 p.m. on Thursday, after two weeks of tense negotiations.

"It has been the toughest two weeks of our collective career for this bargaining committee," he said.

The deal is still tentative, as it must still be ratified by CAW members.

The union had been forced into the negotiations, which saw the CAW sit down with GM for the third time in the past year.

The previous agreement was signed in March, but was rejected by the provincial and federal governments, saying it did not go far enough.

"It is incredibly frustrating to go back to the members with a new contract, the third ratification in a year," Lewenza said.

CAW Local 222 president Chris Buckley told CTV Newsnet the last year has been a "rollercoaster" for auto workers. But he said that the new deal gives him some "relief in a very, very difficult time."

"We did the right thing. The alternative was, if we walked away from this, General Motors would have been forced into liquidation and all of us would have lost . . . thousands of jobs across Canada," he said Friday evening.

The provincial and federal governments had said the increased cost savings were necessary if the automaker and CAW members wanted to qualify for financial aid -- something Lewenza said was "crucial" to GM's long-term survival.

Speaking in Calgary, Prime Minister Stephen Harper expressed his approval of a deal being reached.

"I'm hopeful when we look at the deal that all involved have made the difficult decisions necessary to create a viable company," he said.

On Thursday, Lewenza had hinted that the two sides were making progress in their negotiations.

The CAW deal was announced one day after the U.S auto workers reached a deal of their own with GM.

The troubled automaker still plans to close 16 factories in order to trim its bottom line to stay afloat -- a move that will put some 21,000 hourly workers in the U.S. and Canada out of a job.

GM is facing a tight deadline to restructure its operations by June 1, a deadline that has been set by the U.S. government.

Otherwise, the company will be forced into bankruptcy protection.

With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press

Comments are now closed for this story

Brad
said
0 0

Who cares?

Jason in Kelowna
said
0 0

"We have preserved our wages, we have preserved and secured our pension benefits, we have protected most of our core benefits," Lewenza said.

If you think I'm going to buy another "North American" vehicle again to support this group of pirates, you're sadly mistaken!

Tired of my taxes bailing out big corporations.
said
0 0

So if everything has stayed pretty much the same, where is cost savings? It's my tax dollars going to bail them out and I want to know where they made the concessions.

Suckered again...
said
0 0

So, I guess the government is going to throw more of our money at GM. It doesn't sound as if the union has given much in concessions though, so in the end, we will end up bailing them out again.

This is not the way to a creative future.

C.B.
said
0 0

"It is incredibly frustrating to go back to the members with a new contract, the third ratification in a year," Lewenza said.

What's frustrating is listening to you Ken.
We the tax payer are fed up with you and the CAW.You should be ashamed. The bullying tactics may have worked in the 60's but we're on to you. NO more tax dollars to these clowns!

Edmonton Jim
said
0 0

What started out as a financial crisis because of the great of Bay Street and Wall Street, now has impacted Main Street. Why do working families have to pay for this mess---it makes me very angry!

Rob
said
0 0

How can you have concrete and predictable savings without firm wage concessions and long term commitments to prevent the "we'll get your later" mentality of the union. Oh yeah I can say this since it is my money bankrolling your existence.

Jimmy B - Perth Ontario.
said
0 0

It's about time. It's sink or swim time and the tide is going out. As tough as it is we all have to deal with this world wide situation and for those who will retain their jobs at GM congratulations. The sooner these automakers rise out of the ashes the better it will be for all. Just Git R Done!!

PeterS
said
0 0

Glad to hear it...even though they won't agree, the union had to make concessions, and so does management. The pay and compensation packages for all employees, union, management and CEOs, had really gotten out of touch with reality.

Linda in Halifax - NDP and Unions not for NS
said
0 0

Typical Union kills a great industry employing ten of thousands of workers supporting hundred of thousands of kids and tons of spin off jobs. Lets hope Nova Scotia is watching and doesn't vote for the union making job killing government called the NDP. I am starting to think that means No Darn Profit, and when the profit and jobs are gone who pays the taxes to fund the social programs, the NDP is too short sighted.

duck
said
0 0

I have made my last contribution to the GM pension fund when I purchased my last GMC truck.
I will never purchase another CAW or UAW built vehicle.

Diana
said
0 0

Hey you complainers of the bailout!
If GM were to fold, don't you think the employees would get unemployment benfits. Think about it.

Diana

Philip
said
0 0

The government needs to make Ontario more competitive for labour and unions need to make more concessions in order for jobs to remain in the province. What is important to realize is the spin off effect from one company to another in the auto industry and the economy in general. Tata Motors started producing vehicles in India recently, and that is some of the new competition. There are also Chinese producers who have comparatively very low labour costs.

WHAT??
said
0 0

"It is incredibly frustrating to go back to the members with a new contract, the third ratification in a year," Lewenza said.
-At least you have jobs to negotiate for! If you didn't renegotiate you would be like a lot of us...on EI.

Andre
said
0 0

I do not see GM surviving at all in the future. This may be a temporary fix but I thing they will disappear in the future. Unions are no longer required. The imports will prevail. All people want are cars that do not break down at a fair price. And people will pay for quality and reliability.

RVH
said
0 0

What was lost if everything is preserved? How stupid is this. Tax payers get screwed once again.

Ron
said
0 0

I assume the bosses are all taking pay cuts also.

concrenedcanadian
said
0 0

ummmm BRAD .. your reading it , and commenting on it .. so obviously you care enough to express yourselve online

Show me the numbers
said
0 0

"We have preserved our wages, we have preserved and secured our pension benefits, we have protected most of our core benefits," Lewenza said.

I guess the CAW took concessions on some of their core benefits (ie. healthcare) and frivolous benefits such as the tuition rebate were lost? I would like to know the details.

I would like to have a more detailed explanation of the numbers behind GM/CAW costs. We have heard that the all-in cost used to be ~$75/hour, $33/hour is for wages, but how much went to health care, legacy heath care, pension, other benefits, etc. The CAW claims that the manufacturing cost of a vehicle is only 7% of the total cost. Is this the $33/hour directly paid to employees that amounts to 7%, or is it the all-in $75/hour? Does this only include core CAW member and not all the contract work in the plants (ie. sweepers and security have been replaced with cheaper outsourced jobs years ago). The 7% figure could easily balloon to 20% if the numbers have been fudged enough.

The numbers that get produced by the CAW and channeled to us via the media have little meaning if all ambiguities haven't been removed.

RJ in Halifax
said
0 0

What I find "incredibly frustrating" is Mr. Lewenza's attitude that contracts should be honoured, no matter that ones negotiated in "good times" no longer apply during a severe economic downturn (recession?). He has chosen to make these negotiations very public with his almost daily interviews with the media; however, the combined restructuring plan, which should include all corporate-related cuts, is not due until the end of this month. Perhaps Mr. Lewnza should hold off on his "pity me" attitude until we see how deep the cuts are for all GM matters, not just the union contract. At that time - and not before - can any of us reach a rationale conclusion on just how badly one "group" has suffered versus another. It may well turn out that non-unionized GM employees will end up taking a bigger hit - percentage wise - then the CAW.

SCH
said
0 0

I have had enough listening to how we can save GM, Chrysler and Ford. The only way they are going to learn is by starting over. Get rid of Management, put people in who care about the product they make and will stand behind it! I just purchased my second vehicle for the family, a Nissan Quest made in North America, built with quality and care. It goes along with my Nissan X-Trail that has had no problems at all, a dealer that treats me with respect and does rip me off. Need I say more. I will not shed a tear for either GM, Ford or Chrysler should they go under.

Lorne
said
0 0

The information on this agreement is quite sparse.
It appears from the outside that nothing was given up in the negotiations and everything remains at the status quo.
Once ratification of the new agreement is done, the governments involved had better let the taxpayer know the full extent of the agreement.
I would hope that this so called "tough stance" by the governments was not a ploy, to garner votes.
The electorate will be very hostile if this was the case.

Greed is never the answer
said
0 0

Why should one company get to keep everything when smaller companies are not only closing but cutting wages.

There should have been concessions long ago. I think GM waited too long and the ones who will suffer the most are the children of the workers who selfishly fight to keep an extra 10.00 an hour.

Shame on the greed of you all

Paul
said
0 0

I completely understand the public's sentiment regarding bailing out GM, Chrysler, or any company that has a failed business plan. I am a GM hourly employee, and I strongly felt all along that GM and Chrysler should have been allowed to go into bankruptcy protection back in Novemeber. The union should never have screamed "what's the gov't going to do about this" ... because I know that the most dangerous words anyone can hear are "We're from the gov't and we're here to help you."

Let's just remember however, that in the past 10 years on average, 18,000 GM hourly employees have paid on average of $19,000 each in income taxes. That doesn't include any salaried employees, any corporate taxes on profits or taxes generated from PST and GST that went into the gotvernment's pockets.

So before anyone bemoans the fact that it is "their" tax dollars alone that are going into these bailouts, let's reflect on the fact that the hourly employees of GM have contrubuted over $3.4 BILLION in direct tax revenue for the provincial and federal gov'ts just in those past 10 years.

It was the New York banksters that created the credit meltdown, not the workers, not the unions and not the factory management of GM and Chrysler.

Not all autworkers are proactive labour supporters, and many of us have absolutely no use for socialist gov't policies whether they be personal or corporate "welfare."

Roger T
said
0 0

The Union MUST be dismantled. Unions are just workers they DON'T own the company.

GM needs to get rid of the current entire management team starting withthe TOp executives and to mangers in order to save the company from free fall. Mis-management and mis-handling of the business by these management levels have cause it to collasped and putting it's own workers in jeopardy.

The Union MUST and SHOULD go in order to move forward.

Remarkable
said
0 0

As far as I can see, GM and the CAW will be back to the bargaining table within a matter of months.

This deal was just so that GM could qualify for loans from both the Federal and Provincial Governments.

Who's to say that the next time they need money from the Government, that they will have to head back to the bargaining table again?

We shall see just how long this goes on for.

Rantin'
said
0 0

More bailouts for Ontario, the center of the universe. Who cares about saving an uncompetetive dying industry. Let natural market forces rule and let companies go out of business. The companies that are actually run well will survive, those with bloat and products no one wants, should be allowed to go under.

William Hammerstrom
said
0 0

These comments are beyond harsh. Let's not forget that it was these workers taxes (too) that are being used to fund the bailout. If you have any doubt about GM's contribution to the economy, then have a look around the Durham region and the St Catherines areas, both thriving thanks to GM. Meanwhile, you their neigbors buy imports and wonder why your property values drop, and property taxes rise.

Sylvia
said
0 0

Yes they would receive EI.. but at least there is an end to that!! This insanity just keeps on going.. and the 'poor' autoworkers will continue making $35 an hour and still demand more. Get the union out of there.. let's see where they end up. Earning less, but employed, and not killing the rest of the country with their greed!

Frank.
said
0 0

Frank from Montreal

Great, a $4 Billion investment to save a company for which no one wants to buy their products... How about some $$ to save Canadian High Tech companies like Nortel.

CDB
said
0 0

What a joke!!! No more tax dollars to these clowns. Let them go bankrupt. Time to start over.

Steve in Mississauga
said
0 0

I'm still curious on the fact that if they secure the wages and pensions they still are over paid, where as other people have made it through their lives on a quarter of what they make.

fed up with unions, tired of bailouts
said
0 0

Ha ha ha what a laugh, same old crap different day right, my gosh how many times do you and your crew need to sit down and negotiate your contract, you didnt do it right the first time, bet ya didnt do it right again this time, tell ya what, since you are so damn worried about your pensions which is ok to think about and your wages, why dont you try negotiating something more to the minimum wage factor, some of us are going to get much for pensions anyways,, oh unless of course your pensions include trips to the bahamas or somewhere overseas, yep bet that is it, or a higher than life lifestyle. Which hey people i am sure we all wish we could have right,, am i right, tell me you all wont love to be on a cruise or traveling the country first class,, i sure would, but hey our economy says not in the cards right now, live within our means,, so CAW that means you too, get with the program or check out the ei line, welfare would look ok to, but you guys cant live like that,, ok dont want to do that, well then there is something to be said about other auto makers, take your skills there, bet they would take you on and make it worth your while..enough said,, just dont you dare use taxpayers money and not pay it back,, it better be paid back with interest,,,CAW and unions are nothing but political problems,,take it easy have a great day,,

Holly
said
0 0

Of course they reached an agreement, because our governments are very eager to give our money away. Say good-bye to a few more billions of our hard-earned money.

Jon in Burl.
said
0 0

I have two things, please stop putting Lewenza on TV, he is always crying the blues, poor me, poor union members, they goverment is being a big bad meany. They want us to role back our 35 dollar and hour jobs. They won't give us our pensions, they won't guarentee, yadda yadda on it goes.
GM might as well fold the tent and srart again, get rid of the union and union dues and they will put extra coin in the workers pocket and start workers at $24 dollars per hour,then take a long hard look at Toyota and Honda et all to see how it is done right.
You want us consumers to support you and buy your cars.
Drove a Malibu last week a rental, good ride, but the most boring car I have ever ssen. Look at the Camary and the Matrix and see how the have morphed into great vehicles.
This is what you are going to have to do to get us back..

Union Red Tape
said
0 0

The CAW bargaining with Chrysler and GM has taken months of arguing and debating, which seems really inefficient considering an ultimatum was given: make cuts or go bankrupt.

I'm an engineer for a tech sector company that was struggling well before the regression started. Cuts have been made every few months over the past couple years to this tune:
- Workforce reduced by 30% (3 separate 10% cuts)
- Those remaining take 10% pay cut
- No raises, bonuses, share purchase plan suspended, etc.
- No pension ever existed, but the company was starting an RRSP dollar for dollar matching program that was also suspended
- Divisions of the company have been sold to raise capital

All this said, since we are NOT unionized these announcements were sent via e-mail, discussed for a couple hours as a group then we moved on working. The employees knew the company was struggling, so people were happy to have a job than nothing at all.

My point is my company went through drastic cuts in the past couple years and without a union, the transitions were relatively smooth. The CAW union seems to slow down the bargaining process by always wanting to play hardball. Their purpose is becoming extinct like the dinosaur.

susan
said
0 0

My new car will be a Honda. I have bought my last GM car

Nigel
said
0 0

Why any government bailout at all for GM & Chrysler. Let em go. Its way too risky for hard earned tax dollars. Look at the bigger picture. People will still buy cars. Someone else will build high quality efficient vehicles to fill the void. So the employment numbers will not change significantly. Just different non CAW folks glad to have a good job. Its time for a radical change.

Nigel from Ottawa

Ken
said
0 0

This had better not affect my tax dollars any more than it already has.
They got themself into this mess, they have to get themself out of it.

Steve the Pundit
said
0 0

What's truly "frustrating" is that, even with GM on the precipice of a bankruptcy filing, Lewenza still maintains this posture of "we're fighting to keep our hard-earned gains, it's all management's fault", etc.

Maybe this plays well with his union brothers, but it continues to reinforce the sense of entitlement that this lot still seems to have (you HAVE TO pay us all this money! WE'RE the CAW!!). Any "hard-earned gains" have come through threats, intimidation and bullying, NOT through genuine efforts at improving productivity and quality (and don't give me this nonsense about "best initial quality"; all that means is at least the vehicles no longer fall apart as soon as you drive them off the lot).

GM may be a dinosaur staring at the brink of extinction but, in many ways, so is Lewenza: yesterday's man, arrogantly ignoring reality, but still keeping up his false bravado. And yet, I feel no sympathy...

John At GM
said
0 0

I didn't know that so many Canadians were this stupid!Please get the fact not the medisa garbage. Here's some FACTS: The total labour cost of a car is in the $1200 range. That is less than the Provincial sales tax or the federal GST. Advertizing cost in well over $5000/car. The wages paid are $30-32/HOUR not $78 as printed. The $78/hr number includes carrying the pension on retires from up to 35 years past. GM LOST the pension money, not the workers. Oshawa car plant is still running BECAUSE it is the most productive plant in the world, yes the world. We build a car in 15 hours total. After reading some of these comments I don't feel like buying products from anyone in Canada. And I am sorry my taxes educate your kids and pay for your hospitals. For the last 30 years, more money came out of GM Oshawa than the entire total of ALL goods and services sold in the entire province of Newfoundland. Thanks for the support!!

Ian Gibbard
said
0 0

Now that GM has been bailed out and the workers have conceded wages and benefits to keep the company going, the company may continue with it's plans to import vehicles from china!

jeff
said
0 0

I feel for the workers on the verge of losing their jobs, these people have children and families to feed, whole regions depend on them. If you need someone to beat on, do it to all the greedy bastards on wall street and baystreet that made this financial meltdown happen, they shipped all the manufacturing jobs overseas so they could make more profits by selling the cheaper products to us, how long did they think that it would go on like that before the money was all overseas with those jobs and we would all be struggling!!!, the governments all support the ceos and big corporations as they are likely stakeholders and the fact the more the corporations make, the more tax they take!!!! just like big oil, what benefit is there to the governments putting the oil companies on the stand and to task over the years of gouging? none!!! the higher the gas prices the more the government gets spread around so they can get elected again!!!! they say they can't do anything about it but have ever seen oil companies ran from outer space? cut the bastards off and give them the option, lower your prices to accptable levels or find a new country to get your crude from!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friend of Autoworkers
said
0 0

My thought is GM is not hurting as bad as everyone thinks they are. they are using this ressesion as a way to get the Union to take concessions.Realy what do they have to loose take consession or else. its a huge savings for GM borow Money from the government. Every one knows they just invested over 6 billion in the asian markett and they are posting gains over their.
i bet they dont even file Chapter 11

Rob
said
0 0

Interesting spin...
How can everything be preserved and yet cost-cutting be achieved?
Lewenza's statements are spin to get the CAW membership to swallow further cuts to what workers think they are divinely entitled to.
Similar statements will be made by GM officials on how this is a good deal for GM - even as entitlements for white collar workers are cut as well.
Its time to bring insane wages in line with reality - and for management and workers to BOTH lose their sense of entitlement, their winner-loser rhetoric, and their us-vs-them mentality.
Everything preserved??? I hope not!

Johnny -Kitchener
said
0 0

I will not support any CAW product again! My new vehicle will not be North American,-I'm not supporting someone who "after concessions" make $20-$40 Hr more than I have ever made, that I have to pay for in the bail out.

Daniel
said
0 0

I absolutely agree with Jason. I will never buy a North American made car ever. All of this jousting is unnecessary as the company is setting up for bankruptcy protection anyway.

I can't stand the CAW and UAW. A bunch of uneducated people being well overpaid for what they're doing. The reason they get upset is because most of them are unmarketable in the job place and will end up doing harder work for less money like the rest of us.

Dave
said
0 0

So is GM management making any changes (reductions) to it's wages and benefits?

Yqueque in London
said
0 0

I feel sorry for the pensioners that worked for years in order to retire to a half-decent existence BUT I also feel that if their fund was mismanaged it shouldn't be the responsibility of our government to bail it out. We all pay more than enough taxes for fewer social benefits. Many of us have the "Work till you drop dead" pension plan and having our tax dollars keeping others in the style they been accustomed to just doesn't wash with me. As for incentives why not institute one similar to other countries ... turn in a old non-fuel efficient vehicle and receive a generous grant, say $5000. that can be used in the downpayment on a brand new vehicle only. The existing $300. credit is a joke.

Susan
said
0 0

Gm workers are tax payers too, on a very large scale. So please don't buy a north american made vehcile. Don't purchase a vehicle that supports your economy, that is 24% better made than foreign vehicles, that helps your local restaurants and stores remain open, that supports your local schools, hospitals and economy. So, when your job disappears because of the poor economy, please don't complain to GM workers that you lost your job! We've helped keep yours long enough. Please become educated on the issues. Your anger should be directed at the provincial government from 1992, not at the gm workers, who spend a max of 18 hours building a top rated vehicle. That's right, 18 hours. The rest of the cost of a vehcile is parts, advertising and marketing!!
Get educated, then make a proper choice

yram in B C
said
0 0

I'll never buy another G M product! No one should support this kind of "union."
The government should ask the rest of Canada if we want our taxes to help them out, like no one else is having a hard time.

Henry in Windsor
said
0 0

We are just putting off the inevitable. We have out priced ourselves with simple labor jobs being paid far too much. We have no science or technology leaders because we can't afford to school them. The CAW is a business, saving jobs saves the union rep jobs by keeping the money coming. If you believe Ken is at this for you I have a bridge to sell you and you better hurry up and get back on that turnip truck. We ar doing the same thing our for fathers have done, band-aid it and leave for the next generation! Our grandchildren thank you for ruining everything for your own green Ken.

MASK!
said
0 0

sure glad I work at OPG!

DANIEL H
said
0 0

Hey Ken! How much of a cut did you take? Probably none. The general public has very little sympathy for you, your union members, or GM. The car companies treat their customers like Sh… until things go wrong for them and then they want a bailout. Many of the union members probably couldn’t survive in a job where they didn’t have a union. Anyone outside of GM workers who feels sorry for the ones loosing their job (and I’ve seen the comments) doesn’t seem to have any economic sense at all.

I’ve earned my way all my life without the backing of anyone. I’m tired of paying the way for others who figure the world owes them just for breathing. And don’t mean just the CAW! This country is too prepared to hand out everyone with a sob story about how hard up they are at a government office.

Prof. Pye Chartt
said
0 0

THE FRIDAY CHUCKLE

"...which will allow the Detroit automaker to remain competitive and qualify for government loans."
__________________

REMAIN COMPETITIVE AND QUALIFY FOR GOVERNMENT LOANS.
__________________

Good one. It's an oxymoronic classic. (Thanks for the laugh.)

P.S. The sad part is that this is journalistically correct. We live in nutty times.

Jason
said
0 0

I agree with Brad. Who cares. I'm sick of hearing about this.

Jon
said
0 0

None of their bargaining matters. GM will file for bankruptcy by mid June and all their contracts will be null and void. They'll hire the workers back at a fraction of what they make now and so they should.

Gord
said
0 0

On the surface it seems fair, It's hard to tell when Chief Loudmouth and know it all and CAW boss Ken Lewenza clouds a new conference with a lot of blather about CAW members rather than just give us the facts on the settlement.
I think all these revelations about all these perks that drove their employers to the financial wall has turned a lot of we ordinary folks off. It remains to be seen now if sales pick up.

David
said
0 0

That is why,what people call imports even though made by Canadian people,I will keep on buying Toyota. Lasts longer,both body and motor. There is no CAW or other unions involved with them and produce much superior autos than union made ones. By the way I believe that 70-80% of the parts for imports MUST BE CANADIAN MADE!!!

BK in Edmonton
said
0 0

I am getting tired of all these people saying that if we didn't bailout the aut companies, we'd pay for it through EI. EI is NOT UNLIMITED. These overpaid laid off workers would have to look for other jobs and perhaps move to do so. Yes it's not ideal but this happens all over the world. There is no God given right to have an overpaid job where you grew up. People from the east coast have had to make sacrifices by coming to Alberta for work. Get used to it. These bailouts amount to communist policies - more pay for less skilled work.

Steve in Fredericton
said
0 0

Money is a zero-sum game; the more you have, the less is left for me until one of us has it all and the other has none.

If the CAW managed to keep their wages in tact as well asd their pensions and core benefits, along with guarantees to keep the plants open, where exactly is the concession; what have they lost?

They need to make it very clearly understood by the general tax-paying public just what concessions were reached and exactly how is the deal structured. It's our money that is going to keep these failing businesses afloat so we deserve full disclosure.

Francois
said
0 0

Lots of people here say they will never buy another American built car or truck. Makes me smile, really. I"ll bet anything that they already own an import.

On a bailout note, how about this one: who do you think will pay for the pensions (indexed to the cost of living that is) for federal, provincial and municipal employees? Answer: your same taxes.

By the way, the unions representing those employees still have gotten increases for them, this year, next year.....

Austin Mayo
said
0 0

What part about the deadline past, none of you respected the time line, and there is nothing to negotiate did these stakeholders not understand?

I resent what the government has done by getting largely unwilling Canadian taxpayers involved in a completely unrealistic and unsustainable business venture.

Ultimately this is pandering to American initiated interests and without US political pressure we would have not otherwise gotten involved with the "bailout band wagon".

I too will NEVER by a GM product so long as I live.

Todd
said
0 0

I guess a lot of people don't get it. It is because of unions pushing you have a health and safety act, it is because of unions that people who do not work in unions get the good pay they get, it is because of unions that the professionals such as doctors, lawyers, orthodontists, vetinarians etc. get paid the money they do. It could definetly be worse you could live in the United States where peoples standard of living is no where near ours. Before you say unions are bad make sure you no all the facts on where your standard of living has come from for both unionized and non-union workers. As for the pension fund at GM and Chrysler - it is the government of Ontario and other governments that allowed the system that was used and there for allowed them to get where they are. If you look at properly run pensions they are not in trouble. As for where you purchase your vehicle and from whom - buy the best car that suits you - no matter where it is made or by whom it is made.

Mark -Vegreville, AB
said
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As long as I can buy a vehicle from a North American manufacturer I will. My next car or truck will be a Ford. They had the foresight to get their financing together before this disaster struck and it looks as though they will not have to go cap in hand to the government for money. I love my Charger, however, as a "small c" conservative I am not going to support a company that is incapable of supporting itself.

Jay - Kitchener
said
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I don't understand how a person that puts one part on a car/truck think they are worth more then the skilled trades person/mechanic that has invested tools/training and has to know how it all works and has to keep it on the road for the rest of its life! Now we as tax payers are paying so they don't have to come back to reality!

George from Kitchener
said
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"We have preserved our wages, we have preserved and secured our pension benefits, we have protected most of our core benefits," Lewenza said.

What did you give up then????

BB in B.C.
said
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When and if GM and Chrysler shut down I presume all you anti Big 3 whiners will assume the position.....because the Toyota Man and his band of thieves will be inserting some newer higher prices.

gilbert
said
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Glad to hear
For all you whiners out there, GM employs alot of people and people spend money and raise kids. Let all the whiners take a cut in their pay see if they feel the same way, we the tax payers will always pay for all the mistakes the elite make and that my friends is LIFE.

Cathy
said
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Hey Johnny in Kitchener. Did you know that the Toyota workers make the same wages as the GM workers???

james
said
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wow, i can not believe the comments. These are CANADIAN families being effected by this! To all you people that keep buying products from countries that pay their workers next to nothing, do you really think if this trend continues your job might be next? You have all fallen for the business spin on this, the workers did not cause this. WAKE UP! You are being played by people that could care less if you had a job. It is very true that humans are just like crabs, put a few in a bucket and even though they could easily escape, as one tries to crawl out the others drag it back in. The end result...YOUR ALL DINNER.

Mike
said
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There are companies that are investing in auto manufacturing in North America and a lot of that privet investment in going to the southern states that have right to work legislation. They are hiring a bright, dynamic, motivated, well compensated, non unionized work force that is going to bury Chrysler and GM, who’s work force is more interested in wining about how haul the financial crises is thank making good cars and trucks.

Melanie
said
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Times change, industries change along with the times, some business survive and others go under - that's life. The union will not let this organization die, even though it has been on life support (our tax dollars) for many months. What is the purpose in letting this nonsense go on? The industry itself will not die, but other automakers will step in to fill the void. I for one hope that GM and Chrysler go down into the bankruptcy pit and take CAW and UAW with them, it won't be the end of the world. I am so sick of this mess. And yes, I am also sick of looking at Lewenza and hearing him spouting off and whining about the raw deal CAW is getting, spare me. Please stop feeding his massive ego.

David, Mississauga
said
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I so sick of people bashing unions. Unions are the reason you have a decent wage to afford a house. Unions are the reason you have a 40 hour woork week. Unions are the reason you have paid vacation. Unions are the reason you have sick leave. Unions are the reason you have benefits. Unions are the reason child labor is illegal. I could go on, but I'll just say that it's time to stop bashing unions, and start thanking God for them!

Kimberley
said
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Enough Whining

Count your blessings taxpayers, it would be a lot more costly to bail out pension plans or pay thousands on E.I. and thousands upon thousands of retirees on social assistance. It never ceases to amaze me that no matter what the CAW does it is never enough. You don't know all the inside issues or facts. For those who won't buy another Union built vehicle. Don't forget when you buy foreign you support their pensions which are just the same, only not as many retirees....yet that is, but there will be down the road. And same wages and they are getting help from their governments as well. If the CAW take any more concessions then Toyota and Honda will have to start taking some cuts to compete with the NA auto-makers. Think about it!!! It's your tax money as you say!!! Even Henry Ford paid his Auto-workers an unheard of $5 a day in those days so his workers could buy the products and build the middle class. The Auto-Sector has helped build the middle class in Ontario and Canada.

Wendy
said
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GM workers don't actually see that amount on their paychecks. This is a figure put together to reflect all benefits, drug costs, vacation, deficient pension fund (not because of the workers), etc. How many pensioners do you think would lose everything if they lost their pensions, drug plans, etc. Think about it. How much would this cost the taxpayers and how sad to see so many seniors after a life time of work in this situation? Where was the Ontario and Federal governments in all of this?? I would love to see an hourly figure to reflect not just wages but all benefits of the government wages released by the government for their workers! How much do you think the taxpayers will have to eat if all workers go on unemployment, social assistance, etc. Think about it.

bill
said
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This agreement is good for all.Current GM employees not on EI,and continuing to build quality products in Oshawa.If you do not believe GM has quality in Oshawa,check out all the awards the plants have received over the years.I agree that some offshore auto companies build in Canada,and I don't begrudge these workers their jobs.Just remember where the profits go to.OFFSHORE.Their investments are great,but the companies,not the employees,spend very liitle on charitable causes or R&D in this country or the U.S.A.One example is the contributions to the 911 disaster.So if you people that keep slamming the big 3 would wake up and smell your morning coffee,you would realize that alot of your jobs rely on a strong auto industry and economy.Don't begrudge anyone a good living.
Yes I work in Oshawa at GM,and am sure alot of you would love to work there too.
Sincerely a proud autoworker.
Local 222.

Beth
said
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I am glad they settled. As a spouse of a retired GM worker I am glad they settled. It is a little more reassuring to know that the pensioners will be able to maintain their pensions. I understand the frustration of a lot of people with the Unions but look at the good work that the employees did as far as community went. They helped with the Cancer Centre at the Oshawa Hospital with having money taken out of their pays every week to help make this dream happen. Every Christmas donations were taken at all the gates for Sick Kids and the special homes in Durham region. You may knock the Union but the employees have nothing but good in their hearts.

KJ in Kingston Ontario
said
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I am so glad they managed to achieve so much and give up so little...

Now -- as long as NOT A PENNY of my tax money is going into any of this, I'm happy.

Bob from Bolton
said
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Still shaking my head....

What is being done with making the Vehicles more affordable to us tax paying Canadians.

Until "US" the common Middle Class people can afford to purchase a "NEW" vehicle, nothing will change, the bailouts will forever continue.
The government and the Big 3 need to come up with a better plan that will entice us to buy.
If they don't come up with something soon, Iam afraid its BYE, BYE not BUY, BUY...

Cambob
said
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I pay taxes to make MY standard of living better. I accept that a new hospital costs millions and millions of dollars and only as a collective society can we afford these necessities.

So, if I pay taxes to a car company, does that mean I get a car? Or does it mean I am just preseving some union job with "almost" all its perks still in place?

Monica, Whitby
said
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Once again...people are blaming the workers for this mess...the workers DID NOT create this MESS and should not continue to bear the brunt of this MIS-MANAGEMENT. Without GM in business many, many of us will be without jobs. If this company goes down "we" will find "all" of our lives changed ~ you may not think so...but if these employees and their families do not have the salary and benefits they will not be spending their (hard earned) money on dentists, chiropractors, pizza, going to movies and out to dinner...spending their money at other peoples businesses. That will mean your job can and likely will be affected. Think about this when you are whining and complaining about their salaries. How about some of the people who think "they" the auto workers make too much money, how about going into the factory and doing their jobs for a day, I will bet most of us couldn't do an hour and wouldn't want to.
Think about it...this could happen to you one day too...

Just a Canadian
said
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If they preserved all these important things - what did they give up?? I only buy foreign cars, they are better made and perform better...GM = Generally Mediocre.

I only wish that GM went bankrupt and buried these union fools once and for all.

Jeannine
said
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I just sit and shake my head at some of these comments! I think it is very important for people to realize how vital this industry is to our economy and for it to crumble would be devastating. I have been a GM Oshawa car plant employee for over 7 years and my father is also employed there and has been for over 25. I am presently laid off and unsure of my future with this company. Kudos to the union for finally hammering out a deal under such dire circumstances. I understand that people are frustrated with the situation but I pay taxes as well, and I know that my tax dollars get spent on all kinds of things that I don't agree with. The last thing that I would object to would be saving tens of thousands of jobs. People might not like the company or the union but remember that there are thousands of hard working people who are fighting to hold onto their jobs and their futures. People need to sit back and ask themselves " What if that was me?"

Jim in Edmonton
said
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Union demands are out of touch with reality! I noticed that union nurses got a 21% raise in Nfld. The last vertages of the working world that have not been completely brought to their knees are transporation, health care, education and public services. Mining, manufacturing, oil and gas, logging, auto sector are all destroyed by companies that have been brought down by unions. The old adage that "you don't get me, i'm part of the union" is proof that you reap what you sow. Can anyone in the "private sector" hope to get a 21% increase in pay? Shame! Unions should not be allowed to hold sway over the public purse, we "working people" simply cannot afford their demands, forever shame!

JB in Ontario
said
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Nice to see GM workers that have had a career working at General Motors will get a pension. It must be frustrating to be in negotiations in Detroit and not knowing if one can retire after 30 years without a pension secured.

stan m
said
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What Len gave up.....

The troubled automaker still plans to close 16 factories in order to trim its bottom line to stay afloat -- a move that will put some 21,000 hourly workers in the U.S. and Canada out of a job.

Lee
said
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Take a look at your hydro bills people, every consumer of hydro in Ontario is paying each month to bail out their pension fund. Is this more acceptable than a "loan" to the auto industry to keep thousands afloat?

Jeff
said
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John at GM: This does not change the FACT that our governments are giving away tax money that the rest of us have "contributed" (hoping and praying it will go to good use),only to find it going to keep private AMERICAN companies alive (sort of) so that a few people in ONTARIO will have jobs. I do not feel like paying the wages of the auto workers, which is what I am actually doing, against my will. I would love to have a national fair-and-square vote on these government shenanigans, pronto, grrrrr.

MAL
said
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Now, the workers must ratify and they will and the moment GM lays off ONE union worker after the ratification then GM must be shut down and handed over to the workers for $1.00

Earl Robert
said
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Good question George. What did they give up? I will NEVER purchase a GM product again.

Jason in Gatineau
said
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Mi biggest regret this year is that I purchased a Jeep Patriot in the summer 2008!!! Should of never done it and to this day I have a huge regret. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM ONE OF THE BIG 3 - NEVER!

Heck, I would rather walk for all I care!!!

Gilbert in Ottawa
said
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Brad said it best: "WHO CARES"

Jump on the Bandwagon of Haters
said
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Jon in Burl....

Your comments are funny. The Vibe is produced on the exact same line as the Matrix. I bet you didn't even consider it though eh?

The Camry is shaped like a peanut. Possibly the most boring car on the road. Can I bet that you are a teacher or work in some type of nerdy job?

You people are so, so foolish. Do you have any idea how much MORE it would cost to give all of these employees EI if we shut down these companies? So short sighted...

WestofTheRockies
said
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Well Done Kenny - Great Job

Everyone, quiet please, quiet....... Yes, Yes, We know the boat is sinking, but just a moment of quiet please, we have an important announcement...Thank you.

Could we pleeeeeze have a round of applause for our great leader who in this hour of such adversity has stayed true to the worker.

Never has any one man as he himself has pointed out time and again, directed such effort & sacrifice into arranging the deck chairs, cleaning the decks, setting the tables and generally carrying on as usual.

For this we owe him our debt and great gratitude. Thank you Kenny.... Thank you.

Now everyone, everything is okay so quietly now, please make your way to the muster stations. Thank you.

Dave Harding
said
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All of the anti-union sentiments expressed here show how ill informed people are of the benefits that union bargaining has brought to them. Back to the six day work week pretty much now huh ?. Bunch of dummies !

Bill Moyer Trenton
said
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I would rather put our Gov't / taxpayer money into Zenn or Nortel. Why use Canadian money to prop up a foreign company? Just because Canadians work for the foreign automakers does not make them Canadian companies. Zenn and Nortel could have a future, if we were willing to invest in them. What about building some oil refineries so that we could process our own oil sands rather than buying back our own oil from American refineries? We need to start acting like a country rather than an American colony.

Terry in Ottawa
said
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"We have preserved our wages, we have preserved and secured our pension benefits, we have protected most of our core benefits," Lewenza said. There appears to be a lot of smoke but no fire and without reducing the items identified above there is no real savings. Only government funding going down the drain. I suspect they focused on productivity issues which are of questionable value. I am another that will not purchase another CAW build vehicle. Ripped us off previously and continue to do so but with the help of our governments. Very expensive jobs have been saved here!

Ticked off
said
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What a waste of time! Nobody is buying vehicles!!! And if they are, they're not buying GM! The four dealerships in Oshawa have more vehicles than ever! I want to see their plans for the future. I hear more talk about incentives and nothing about future vehicles. "Volt" What a pipedream! I live in Canada, not California.

Ken Davies
said
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The tax that the so called overpaid auto workers have paid over the last decades have financed this province for years, paid for the highways , schools ,hospitals ect. It has allowed the Goverment workers fair salaries and pensions, The so called bailout is a loan that will be repaid so we can continue to support the high standard of living in this province. The provincial and Federal Governments know this and is why they are willing to help. Do your part and buy North American veichles and the loans will be paid back sooner!

Marty Token from TWEED
said
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I keep hearing G.M builds products know one wants?Do any of you dumb asses look as you drive down the 401 or even in any big shopping mall parking lot?I count more G.M cars and trucks than any other?And next time your on a big trip take a look at the brand of car or truck thats broken down at the side of the hwy?I've seen very few G.M and I've seen many of these so called reliable imports broen down?Anyone who wishes to see the big 3 go under is just wishing to lose there own job,because that is what will happen,the spin off jobs will come right down to these people who are criing the blues and they don't even see it coming.So you dumb asses out there keep buying your imports and supporting other countries econimies and when you lose your job I can right to you and say it looks good on you!Even when a car like toyota or honda is assemble here doesn't mean the profit is keeped here?It most surely goes right back to china or werever but not here,so go head and keep buying them and we can all have a laugh when we run into each other on the unemployment line.

Glenn Towns
said
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I am a GM employee in Oshawa. Do people not realize that this money is actually a loan that must be repaid by GM? Everyone is so upset that the government is actually using money to try to save some jobs in our country. Yet no-one seems to care about another new tax being forced upon us or how many billions of our tax dollars go to aid foreign countries with no chance of seeing those monies ever again. If you think that the men and women on the line have cushy jobs I dare you to go and work on the line for a week and tell me what you think then. Also the people who made the decisions of how many models to run and what vehicles to build were made by the university graduates. GM has never actually listened to the people on the line. If they did we would not be in this situation now.

Mark
said
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Would GM and Chrysler just go away already? I am never going to support these under educated over paid spoiled brats or their company. That and I don't pay good money for crap products. If no one wants their junk, they need to go away and let a company take over who can make products people want for a price they can afford.

How do I get the
said
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I just want to know how you go about buying a GM vehicle that is "24% better" then an import. There must be some secret to it because the 5 GM vehicles I've had over the years were mechanical jackasses, the last one being a 2001 Grand Prix that I actually used to pray at bedtime that it would get stolen and torched! Is there a special code word you have to say at the dealership to get the good one? I'd really love to know, just for curiosity sake of course as I have no intention of ever opening my checkbook inside another GM dealership ever again!

Susan
said
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Final comment!! Anyone who is angry has the right to be, but let's remember who to be angry with..... the provnicial gov't allowed the pension fund to be used in 1992 to prop up Gm failing economy. It was never paid back, There still is very little in place ether with the Federal Government or Provincial Government to ensure this does not happen again.
The U.S. economy failed first with big bail outs to the banks. Canada did not follow. Gm Canada is also doing better than U.S. but still needs assistance. Gm workers pay taxes, so we are borrowing against ourselves once again!
Toyota is a non union opertation. Gm has much larger pension responsibilities than toyoto
So, those of you who feel you wish to buy a foreign care, go ahead. Thanks for your support. Just make sure that the foreign car makers are eating at your restraurants, buying your goods and returning the favour.

ootek
said
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All persons making comments to the likes that imports will prevail, I'm sure whatever you do can be snuffed out too by something overpriced from germany, or propped up by the Korean gov't etc!

Unbelievable
said
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The middle class is out of control. All employees should work 7 days a week. Vacation and holiday time should also be eliminated; how are domestic companies going to compete if employees also get pensions and benefits (This is ridiculous)We should all work until we die. To this end the shareholders can regain the wealth they had over 100 years ago and everything will be much better.

Mark
said
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Paul - everyone who works pays income tax! So what if they averaged 19K a year in tax, all that tells me is that they were over payed for the skills they have. As well, the taxes don't even come close to the amount of money they want from the government. What good is propping up companies that are doomed to failure other than to guarentee that none of us will ever see those governement loans re-paid?

Sudbury - Bail out the Miners NEXT?
said
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Since our Government is going to bail these guys out I think their financial records should be made public for the next few years so the Canadian citizens can see wherever or not our money was put to good use. All Goverment Employees salaries and benefits are made public so I think it's only fair that we know their bottom line too. That way if this deal does not help them secure enough money to keep going in a few years, we CLOSE you down completely. I want to know who makes what, what benefits you have, and what your T4 summary looks like at the end of the year. How's that for being accountable?

Steve
said
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Let's not forget people, this is a "loan" not a handout. In order for the "loan" to be repaid (with interest I understand) we have to support the auto industry. I don't hear ppl complaining about bailing out Hydro's pension; look at your tax bill, it's right on there.

DBE
said
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In the not too distant future, GM and their unions will be back to the table once again. The CAW will give up another morsel. Finger nail painting and tattoes will be sacrificed at a cost to the taxpayer bailout.

Lee
said
0 0

Nurses get a 21% salary increase as elective surgeries are being cancelled all over the country; the 21% increase comes out of our pockets. I don't hear anyone complaining of a ridiculously high increase in these econonmic times, and one that will only affect our health care in the future.

JD
said
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Hey Lewenza, maybe you were able to bamboozle the politicians but you are not fooling me - I will never buy another GM product again, ever! My perception of the CAW is that you are all greedy and arrogant and now my tax dollars - with my say so - is being used to prop your union up! I may not be able to stop this deal the politicians have made with you, but count on my next new vehicle purchase being anything but GM, or any other brand that has the CAW. Perhaps you won the battle - but you will lose the war. Too bad for all those other non-CAW members that will lose their jobs because of your actions.

Bob Roberts - very unhappy GM owner
said
0 0

"...GM vehicles are 24% better made than Japanese..." You need to get off the stupid pills! Ask anyone that has owned a D3 vehicle - they are over-priced garbage. I recently wanted to replace my arm rest on my Astro van, simple right? Wrong, the entire door panel needs to be replace just to get a new arm rest - $780 plus installation at your friendly local GM dealer. Toyota, Honda, Subaru, even Nissan, sign me up, I have bought my last GM

Whitby Girl
said
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My big question is, if the wages take only 7% of the cost of building a car, what makes up the other 93% ???? Where else is GM (Chrysler) cutting back??? I have a feeling they are doomed. No need to worry, if people buy less GM cars they will be buying more Hondas and Toyotas etc and they will start hiring people. And possibly moving into the plants. GM better start making quality cars to survive and the Union needs to get realistic with its demands or GM will be in the same situation again in a few years!

Ted
said
0 0

All the people out there rubbing their hands in glee at the thought of the big three going under had better be careful of what they wish for. A local guy had a nice lawn care business in our village. Already, with the layoffs, he has several competitors. Tell him that shutting down a company fifty miles away doesn't affect him. If a company absolutely can not survive, then sure, they will have to go. On the other hand, it might be a good idea to help companies through this bank created mess if there is light at the end of the tunnel. There are fools out there that won't be happy until ALL our decent paying jobs are gone. Jealousy is a terrible thing.

Slavko (Kitchener, Ontario)
said
0 0

One of the problems with a press conference is that words are cropped and less selective; for instance, union leader said "GM would have been bankrupt" then in his next sentence he said GM ran out of money in December, to which they received half a billions dollars in aid from Canada & Ontario (remember Clement's press conference anger stating he gave money so the factories wouldn't leave Canada); second instance, the union leader re-stated a list of no demands during these talks, and in one of the listings he said there was no pension demand, which in a perfect non-spotlight world he should have said, "there was no *additional* pension demand." Preserving pensions, yes.

IF GM originally used the pension fund to supplement legacy costs then this is still considered a Ponzi pension scheme and should have been a wake up call long ago that GM can not operate with the demands they had on them from previous union demands in a free market capitalist economy. GM tit-for-tat perhaps, or learn-as-you-go.

So, there we have it. GM went bankrupt in December 2008, but had many months to re-plan, restructure and recommit to the workers and prove they will be a viable company in order not to file for U.S. chapter 11 bankruptcy.

If this announcement today from CAW and yesterday's announcement from the UAW doesn't work then the bankruptcy judge will be allocating GM's assets to the UAW, CAW and all its creditors, which will take into account the new $7 billion investment from our government, which means the factories and assembly plants will not be leaving the province of Ontario. So who should the Canadian autoworker trust, its union, its company or its governments?

RJ
said
0 0

Face it, it is an inferior product. All the money in the world won't change people's mind, the same is true for Chrysler. As for buying an import, most "import" manufactures have plants in North America, and are puplicly traded companies. Na-na-Na-na----good bye.

Hard working family dad - unsatisfied GM owner
said
0 0

I pay taxes for better / more schools, hospitals, roads, and general infrastructure - not to have some moron auto worker keep their spa days!!!! I am outraged at this government and at the CAW. No more GM, FORD or Chryco vehicles for this family. Can you say bye-bye Ken

Jim
said
0 0

auto workers pay taxes too, all auto producing countries are helping there Industry .A lot of people have this idea auto workers & pensioner"s pay no taxes!
You people are so wrong.

Nate from Toyota
said
0 0

People really need to learn how to read. And, you are calling autoworkers uneducated. The CAW says they were able to keep wages the same, core benefits and benefits. Did you people not read that the pension rates are frozen until 2015? That means, NO money will be put into the pension fund for 6 years. Right there is a huge savings for GM. By the way, GM management are the ones that lost the worker's pension funds by spending it. Also the contract in March had wage freezes in it. But hey, keep blaming the workers, because they make the business decisions at GM.

IT Manager from Edmonton
said
0 0

I'm a Ford guy, have always loved the brand and am proud to drive Ford vehicles. So a couple of things here that catch my eye.

Ford is not asking for government money, they have a plan to dela with this and have had for years so it is unfair to group them in with GM and Chrysler.

Secondly when did we become a commie society where government has the control of major corporations such as these? If GM is not viable file for bankruptcy, that is a very real process for sorting out your business.

The problem here is the publics perception and perception is reality and that drives politicians. Just look at this logically, why is this sector getting bailouts when others are not? Does anyone think for one single minute that if this was not a Ontario or Quebec based business it would get any traction in Ottawa?

During the last election Liberals used groupw like the CAW to boster support and slam the Conservatives. Now the CAW is the percieved villian, what changed here people? The busines has not changes since the last election, just the media reports that's all.

And no I am not missing the big picture how individuals will be hurt by bankruptcy, but that is why we have a social safety net isn't it?

Kevin in Toronto
said
0 0

What gets me is you have the Ontario government giving tax payer money to GM and Chrysler while at the same time; you have the municipal government in Toronto doing everything it can to stop people from driving.

Baker, Ottawa
said
0 0

To concernedcitizen

Re Brad...actually some people just like to see their name up in print. Whether or not he had anything to say.

Frank Buchan (Vauxhall, Alberta by way of Ontario)
said
0 0

Our taxes paid for enough cars to give one to everyone driving a real clunker. My own is fairly new so I don't qualify, but how about it GM? Give your inventory to the people who just saved your sorry behinds. You might as well, since I doubt any of us who could afford a new car will consider paying for it twice.

WestofTheRockies
said
0 0

@Jim in Edmonton

I wouldn't be too quick to condem nurses pal. You may need one some day. It is nurses more than anyone else, mare than your doctor or surgeon who have the most effect on your outcome should you find yourself in hospital. They are the ones that monitor your condition from moment to moment and manage your care.

Nurses in Canada have been grossly underpaid for decades relative to their education requirements (5 yrs univ.)and responsabilities. Often the janitor, painter, aides etc. were/are paid more than nurses.

This 21% raise was likely to catch-up. I think a nurse is worth every cent of the piddly 25-30 bucks/hr they get paid. Much more worth it than an auto worker, miner, oil rigger etc.

To top it off unlike general labour there is a world-wide shortage of nurses supply & demand = better wages just like the auto industry used to have.

Big A
said
0 0

Diana - wake up and smell the roses !!!!! We don't mind if they get unemployment because they close. We mind paying even though they don't close.

Good Grief Diana , get a calculator!!!!

calgary
said
0 0

I really don't understand, just cut their wages in half to $35 an hour, no need for bail out. If CAW thinks they deserved $70 an hour, just let them all go and hire someone else who really appreciate $35 an hour pay!!

Deborah
said
0 0

I am happy that they settled and that my mother will still receive her GM survivor pension of $600 a month that she gets. Survivors don't get $2600 a month in pension benefits. She was really worried that she would only get $590 CPP a month. People can not live on less than $600!

Let's move on now and hopefully no other organization will have to go through what these workers have had to go through.

Fred
said
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Way to go John at GM. The general public needs an education on why unions were invented. It was so labourers could get a piece of the pie. Otherwise all of us workers would be working for minimum wage. The big wigs would take all the profit for themselves. Smarten up people, the CAW helps bring all labourers wages up. Why do think Toyotas' hourly wages in Canada are on par with GM Ford and Chrysler. Don't attack your fellow workers, it is all of our fight to make a decent standard of living.

DramaQueen
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These government "loans" will never ever be paid off. How can an organization that is already billion$$$ in debt with sagging sales and a demanding union (nothing has changed with CAW, just wait a few months) be expected to pay these "loans" back. They will morph into an all-out bail-out. If there is a step lower than "nil", that would be the chance of GM and Chrysler ever repaying these "loans".

According to both governments and the public,
said
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union members of GM who build the cars and trucks has to go! But this links up to the other business like steel worker, transmission company etc. which means THOUSANDS OF JOBS!

Yes, I agree. making $30/hour PLUS extra benefit = $75/hour is too high. Now, they are cutting down so that they can qualify for the LOAN!

Questions:-
a) What about those union members ALREADY HAD BEEN LAID OFF BACK ON LAST CHRISTMAS - THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET BACK THEIR JOB!

b) What about those sales person, dealership owners, payroll department, service department, boby shop - those employee ARE GETTING LAID OFF TOO BECAUSE GM ARE NOT RENEW THEIR CONTRACT!

THIS GROUP OF EMPLOYEE are NOT union members. They are working in the dealership trying to help customers. Their salary is ranging from $30,000 to $50,000 just like the average workers across the country! NO! THEY DON'T GET PAY FOR $25,$35, OR $75/HOUR because they are not part of the union members! THEY ARE OVER 250 DEALERSHIPS BEING CUT OFF STARTING YESTERDAY! THIS EQUALS TO EXTRA 10,000 TO 15,000 LOST JOBS!

What benefit will it make for those TWO ABOVE GROUP!

I can picture the long, lineup at the Unemployment Insurance Office! Don't forget U.I. money also comes from taxpayers too. One way or the other we all need a job to survive, to pay the tax to the governement!

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND!!!!

Niagara Acct.
said
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How can any company claim "Bankruptcy" when the CEO resigns and is awarded $23million in severance? Whether it is a contractual obligation or not, bankruptcy means there is no money to pay ANY debt.

I agree whole-heartedly that these companies should be left to their own demise, however, I blame management and shareholder greed over the unionized worker who doesn't hold a candle to their white shirt, pencil pushing counterparts.

At least when they leave the company, they are not buried by their loved ones within 5 years (average) of their retirement due to working conditions and health issues (ie 3 shifts, carcinogenics, machine accidents etc.).

Those of you who have your cushy, "post secondary education jobs" have no idea what these men and women do for their paychecks and your audacity to spew ridiculous denunciations without fully understanding all the issues only demonstrates your lack of integrity and comprehension.

I have a business degree in accounting and was recently added to the unemployment line due to the economic down turn (company closed due to poor management). I sympathize with these people as I too was asked (along with 18 other fellow employees) to take a 15% cut in pay for the last 6 months and the company still did not manage to survive.

I pray those of you with your malevolent attitudes are spared the same fate as the auto worker and myself.

Andrew in Victoria, bc
said
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So when and if these companys ever make a profit, will I/we the tax payers get a rebate cheque from them? If we are paying to keep them alive, the second they turn a profit, I want my share!!

Simon in Toronto
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Too bad we do not have a real conservative government who would actually stick to principles of a free market economy. Instead, the folks in Ottawa are prepared to give billions of our money to uneducated and spoiled union workers as opposed to letting these companies fold. Flaherty already said a couple of weeks ago that we will probably never see those 1.6 billion which was already given to Chrysler so why they even consider a loan/giveaway to GM? What a waste of money and resources!!! I'll never buy a union-made car!!!

Holey Mackeral
said
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Calm down, people. This is the OC Transpo strike debate all over again.

Deborah
said
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Hey Hard working family dad - unsatisfied GM owner

Are you going to start taking the TTC since owning a vehicle seems unlikely for you anymore?

Oh wait .. I guess you won't be taking the TTC either after all they are union employees too and you seem to have an issue there!!!

Better start walking!!!

Tim from Calgary
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All you whiners who claim you will never buy another GM vehicle or even a "Big Three" vehicle are only making yourselves look like losers. The myth of Japanese-made cars being built better is just that, a myth. I'm in the process of buying a new Ford SUV and never gave the Japanese made vehicles a first look.

Daniel
said
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Second thing that burns my butt is the Pension issue. Now, I do feel for the people that are currently retired or very close to it as they do not have the time to accrue enough future income for retirement without the pension from GM. But those of the younger generations that work there should be denied if it makes the company stronger and viable (if that's even possible anymore).

I've read type on what is going to pay for my pension when I retire and it MOST CERTAINLY WILL NOT BE MY TAXES. They are allocated to paying for, guess who, a babyboomer's retirement. Not mine. There will not be a funded pension when I retire even though I am paying into it every month so in no way do I want to hear about the woes of not having a pension when they retire; on top of the health benefits, not to mention the over-inflated wages they made their entire life.

Don't care about this union whatsoever. Time to go get a job pumping gas into the guzzlers they themselves have built.

I wish GM would just go into bankruptcy already and spare us all this facade.

Spock
said
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to Ford-bashing folks

are you aware of the fact that Ford did NOT apply for the US government bailout money?

Not that their cars become much better all of sudden, but lets keep it to the facts.

JR - Ontario
said
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I'm I missing something, I don't see any real concessions. Most people I know (including myself) work for companies that are squeezing by yet we have taken pay freezes and even pay cuts and are paying more for benefits now. The CAW employees are working for a bankrupt company yet wages, pensions, benefits are protected and remain unchanged. I don't get the math here, unfortunately these guys won't get it until GM goes bankrupt and they're all out of a job....reality is going to be a sobering experience.

E.Hildebrandt
said
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All of you saying you will never buy an North American car again are just part of the problem!!
We need to support our Canadaian Jobs Not Throw them away.
The employees are not asking for more. They have reworkded their contract three times. Come on! Give the worker a break.
What most people forget is these are loans not Bailouts. The Banks Got the Bailouts. GM will pay the loan back. They will!!!!

WestofTheRockies
said
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@Jump on the Bandwagon of Haters

You're right the Matrix & the Vibe are produced on the same line. This plant in California is a Toyota/GM joint venture, but lets face it, this vehicle is a Toyota design, manufactured in a Toyota designed & operated plant. No UAW.

You SHOULD do the math, 15,000 Canadian GM workers on E.I. would cost about 2.5 Billion. Not even 1/2 of what GM needs TODAY.

The loss of more manufacturing capacity in Canada though is what we should all be concerned about!

I would say some people on here like Jon are just plain stupid not haters, I agree about the Camry, it's Blah, & I’ve driven a rental Chev Malibu (they're few & far between at rental Co.'s these days) great car & I liked the styling, which for GM is saying something. Might be too little too late though.

This aside, the CAW needs to quit the rhetoric, jump in with both feet & get busy doing whatever it takes to see these guys through this mess.

Nothing ventured (Kenny's stance) Nothing gained.

Marg
said
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If the union preserved the wages and pensions, what did they give back? Strangely enough, there is nothing in this article that details what was "given" back?
What concessions did they make this time?

terry in courtenay
said
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If the auto industry had to go through what the forestry industry has gone through here on the west coast for the last 15 years, wonder what they would look like! it is hard for me to havwe any sympathy for workers on the east coast after all the years we have been compleatly ignored here. all the job losses and mill closures over the years here has decimated one of our biggest primary sector job markets. we have certainly not had the same levels of concern regarding this issue - i suppose the politics of sending our soft wood lumber to the us got in the way of caring about what this has done to us - so, i could care less about saving these jobs, and i resent having my tax dollars spent to shore up these irresponsible corporate pigs. i own and run my own business - if i mess up, i pay - not the taxpayer! maybe people on the east coast should experience a little of what we have over here in B.C. - you know, the 'other' canadians!

Eva Snow
said
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The only thing Lewenza is bargaining for is his own job. The CAW for years has held GM and the other auto makers hostage. These are all $45,000 a year jobs on the assembly line (no education required), that's it, simpleton jobs and should have regular benefits like every one else.

You want a pension? Save your money like everyone else instead of demanding the auto companies take care of you after you retire. You are assembly line workers people - not rocket scientists.

This should have gone into bankruptcy and the judge could have chucked the whole CAW agreement into the garbage where it belongs. All the autoworkers would come crawling back for their jobs...

There is no need AT ALL for unions anymore and if we could vote on taxpayers dollars helping GM I would for sure vote no.
They will all be on UI for about 8 months (much less cost) than pouring money in for years which is not going to help any way....

Alberta Boy
said
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Wages should be determined by three things: worker supply, employer demand, and minimum wage regulations to prevent working people from starving. Jobs where there is a large supply of available workers will pay less than ones requiring special talents and skills. Workers who better themselves and obtain specialized skills that are in demand will be rewarded with higher pay. Unions completely undermine market economics, forcing companies to pay far more than they should for jobs that are easy to staff. The unions can get away with this in the short term, but eventually these companies have to get out of the problem by either moving operations overseas (and escaping the union), or by going under. This is simple economics, and throwing money at car makers who still can't get rid of their unions won't solve anything. By paying higher wages than their competitors, unionized car manufacturers have to cut back elsewhere - and the easiest place to cut back is in quality assurance. So they produce an inferior product, and eventually the consumers catch on and stop buying it. So now we have a car company nobody wants to buy cars from, that has to pay more for its staff than its competitors. So why do we want to invest in GM with our tax dollars?

Al NB
said
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Hahaha!!! I have to laugh at some of the comments. It's mismanagement, top heavy company and Executive greed that killed GM. The Union only has a very small part to play in this downfall. The brunt of the blame should be placed on the Company Executive. But since we live in a Capitalist country it seems that it's ok for the Executive to be greedy but the minute that the employees asks for their fair share of the pie People are all over them calling them all sort of names. Why is it ok for the CEO to make 25 Million $ in salary for a year but it's not ok for a Union member to make 75 000$ to 125 000$?

justmy2cents
said
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Frankly, I don't care about the union issues and rates of pay, etc, etc.... The real story here is that GM/Chrysler continue to produce products that fewer and fewer want to buy (can you blame them?). I've been buying "imports" for the last dozen years, but here is some news for you: most have been made in Canada, by Canadians. And all have been excellent products and
environmentally responsible (as responsible as the powers that be will allow- we should have ZENN!). GM/Chrysler have been neither.

I'm still buying!
said
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As long as GM is still selling, I'm still buying. I and my family all own GM products and we totally satisfied with the quality and reliability of their peoducts. My '99 Sierra still has the original front brakes! We just brought our Van to the local dealership to have a minor issue taken care of and I can't say enough about the great treatment I received. Hopefully GM pulls through this because I can't wait to buy a new truck!

Ryan
said
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Paul, GM workers make up much less the 1% of the Tax payer population. The GM worker's tax contribution to the bail out is effectively NOTHING!

The bail out wipes out more then 10 years of Federal & Provincial tax contributions. So Canadian tax payers are contributing/subsidizing well over $100,000 per CAW workers Job! After layoff and production cut back I suspect that number will swell…

Tax payers are right to be frustrated. CAW talks about making huge sacrifices, but then brags about not effecting workers take home pay or pensions. More then half the Canadian population doesn’t even have a pension, and to expect them to heavily subsidize well paid jobs without a word of criticism is pretty rich, but nothing new coming from CAW.

Finally the big 3, in particular GM has been losing BILLIONS quarterly for the better part of a decade. The credit crunch may have been the last nail in the coffin, but the hole has been dug for years. To suggest the big 3's problems are due to the credit crunch is disingenuous.

Mark
said
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Hey Lee - I would gladly pay nurses a 21% increase in salary instead of you. Nurses are university educated professionals who actually save peoples lives, unlike some high school drop out bolt turner. Oh and by the way..health care is a public run services, your private AMERICAN company is NOT a public service. A piece of crap GM vehicle won't save my life. Delusional.

A Canadian sucker born every minute
said
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Hello all you Canadian taxpayers or is suckers a better word. You can be sure that there is some fine print that does not protect our tax dollars but the government or opposition are so afraid of losing the Ontario vote that we will not hear about it until the house of cards collapses and then they will blame each other.

CAW PROUD
said
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Good job Brother Lewenza and the rest of the bargaining team. some of us on here appreciate what you have done to keep our members working and their communities alive.

Some people on here like to hide behind their monitors with their small minded views on the world. they would also find fault in good hearted stories. if you don't wanna buy a canadian made vehicle... so be it. just don't bash those who do... or the ones who make them.

Mike
said
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I for one just bought a nice new North American produced reliable vehicle. Will be picking up my Toyota soon, and will drive it for the next 15 years.

WESTERNER
said
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All I will say is if the "Bail Out" don't work for helping those Union Employees who won't bargin in good faith in the first place with "MY TAX DOLLARS" - then it's wide open for a "Class Action Law Suit of -Misrepresentation" due to the fact several people accross Canada did not want this to happen and wanted it to fold and start of with NO UNION. Save jobs - look at the rest of Canada loosing theirs to support those in the UNION. While low income Families accross Canada need shelter, food and clothing in order to survive - Government is supporting high paying UNION JOBS - GO FIGURE - guess these Government people are looing at their own job security - THE PEOPLES VOTE!!!!

don
said
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The hell with GM. Stick to Honda. Lost faith in GM.

terry in courtenay
said
0 0

Thanks for the plug Mark - Nurses are highly trained (I am one) and we don't try to negotiate 'spa days' either!! I noted with interest that a laid off auto workers first comment when interviewed by a news person was that he was 'glad he didn't have to go back' but would miss the money - so, hate the job, miss the benefits - how canadian!

Jon Halifax
said
0 0

I feel bad for the workers, as upper management (who looked out for #1) messed everything up at GM, and they can build world class automobiles, as evident when engineers had a no limit budget;moreover, they built corvettes that made exotic car builders nervous. Sadly, GM has built an inferior product for far too long, and it's not that they couldn't build a better one, but due to financial restrictions they didn't. Sometimes it pays to spend a bit more (hence you et what you pay for). When I travel I like to not worry about breaking down, so Honda and Toyota have come out in front. I'd like to buy domestic also, but GM has a long road to regain consumer confidence. GM's old CEO took down Kodak, and he killed GM as well. Time to go wash the Chev truck in my driveway...made in Oshawa.

LLOYD NEWTON
said
0 0

I own 2 gm 2004 chev. impalas
and will never buy gm products again. To see all the troubles with their main
family car that they refuse to do recalls on. These vehicals are made to brake down so they can make money selling parts.Simple things like having spark plug wires lying right on the intake manifold. This causes them to wear/short out faster.
mycarstats.com/safetystation.asp

If you check this web sight you will see some of the owners problems. At very low mileage and gm's refusal to recall problems found.
THEY WILL NEVER GET ME TO BUY THEER SCRAP AGAIN. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD INVEST OUR MONEY IN THE VEHICAL COMPANY'S LIKE THE LITTLE CAR THAT IS SELLING FOR $2,500.00 OVER SEA'S. WITH THE MONEY GOVERNMENTS IS HANDING OUT THEY COULD MAKE CARS FOR US AT A LOT BETTER PRICE

I care
said
0 0

It's very interesting to see how the government has gotten the public to bite on the Red Herring...once again.

They have the public focussing on GM worker wages... pretty cute when you consider that GM direct labour is reported to be about 6% of the total cost of a vehicle.

So if the union guys work for free what are the suits at GM going to do about the other 94% of cost.

It's apparently OK that the former President of GM that Obama fired walked away with what?? $23 million USD.

Don't get me wrong...I'm not a union guy, never was never will be..but come on folks wake up.

There was a recent report that if an election is held before 2010, 83 MP's will not get their "hard earned pensions." They have to be in parliament for at whole 6 years, after which time they get a minimum of $30,000 per year for life.....and everyone is OK with that. But they are not OK with GM workers who have worked for 25 to 40 years getting the pension plan they were promised.
People are OK with employees getting screwed out their severance packages and pension plans by corporate management in collusion with our politicians....anyone ever heard of Nortel.

Be careful what you wish for your pension plan could be next.

By the way just so that I don't appear biased...I own a Pontiac...now worth less than I owe on it.

The GM workers didn't do that to me... GM management and the government did that to me.

By the way it's the best car I've ever owned.

I LOVE UNIONS
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