lee florack

It only worked if you ignore the long-term effects -- which we're
now seeing. All the while it was 'working', the competition
(without the same burdens) got stronger and stronger.


I agree with 'excessive wages [being] a burden on industry', I'm
having a problem with, 'if someone is giving, I'm going to take
whatever I can get'. In this case the excessive wages and benefits
were not just offered by management. They were demanded by the
unions. Long-term thinking cannot overlook that it's a hollow and
short-lived victory for those that are taking or demanding out of
proportion to what they are actually earning. Since the result is
that Ford and GM are now close to bankruptcy, the unions are close
to being ignored as a reasonable force towards change, but also may
end up falling completely apart -- along with all of those over-paid
jobs they had, 'while it was working'.

All of this doesn't absolve management for caving in too easily or
for thier mis-management but unless they were really, really good
managers, few could overcome the burdens forced on them by the
greedy unions and their workers.

I wouldn't call what she did smart. It was totally unreasonable.
Again, I agree that the company was stupid in allowing it to occur.

gordon mcgrew

Merging Ford with GM in order to save them would be like tying the
Titanic to the Hindenberg in order to keep it from sinking.

gordon mcgrew

And think of the synergy of the combined over-capacity.

john horner

True enough, but don't forget that the GM and Ford executives are also
wildely overpaid by world competitive standards and have pension
programs for themselves which no mortal can hope to get.

John

mike hunter

Isn't envy one of the deadly sins?

mike

lee florack

Good point!

jeff

What are you talking about?

I would really help if you inline post rather than top-post.

Jeff

edwin pawlowski

Management has a moral obligation too both make a profit for the
shareholders and to pay a fair wage to the workers. At some point, they
just have to say "Sorry, no". It was greed, IMO, that prevented them from
doing so bacause if production was shut down, they lost sales to the other
companies. Over the years, this worked, but now it is time to settle the
score and the Big 3 don't have the money to keep on the same way.
Competition can be a worderful thing. Even the unions are starting to take
a more sensible stand to save jobs.


Greed on both parts. People are still buying what we make so just keep on
making the same stuff. Oh, don't worry about that VW or Datsun, they don't
make slick cars like we have.

If my boss wants to give me a raise, I'm not going to turn it down. But at
her age, I'd rather be spending time enjoying life, not cleaning. Yes, it
may have been unreasonable, but it was all perfectly legal. I'd also take a
job as a major league pitcher for $10 million a year if someone is dumb
enough to offer it. Heck, I'd probably stay on the team long enough to
collect 1/10th of the pay and then I can retire even with a 0-1 record.

jon r. patrick

Mike,
Keep up the top posting... it's much easier, user-friendly, and clearer
that way.
JP

scott in florida

I think you should study the backgrounds of CEOs and get back to us.

You might be surprised at their backgrounds....


--

Scott in Florida

'The Land of the Free because of the Brave'