At this point there'* not much more that they can do since the market is so over saturated with new cars. They're dong it for all the reason repinS mentioned.

The job cuts alone won't make them recover. They need to better understand what the market wants and respond. All the while, their manufacturing process needs to become more lean.

I know its perfectly legal, that isn't the point. The point is that GM was stupid in making the decision years ago. Of course who would have thought that health insurance would be so ridiculously expensive in this day and age.

The whole thing is sad. As a country we need to be competitive and we are running around selling things at cost. Toyota and Honda has never had to blow out their vehicles.....

How long are the Union Contracts good for?

The Japanese have figured out how to produce a manfuacture a vehicle without having all the excess. It'* not really that tough. Working in the auto industry, I see the waste day in and day out. It'* now wonder GM and the other domestic auto makers are making such outlandish moves. The big three got themselves into this mess.

You can thank the Big 3 pushing the employees to want the unions. Now, you can thank the unions for pushing themselves right out of a job.

Foreign automakers don't have this issue because they treat their employees well and the "U" word is considered bad language.

GM will survive, dont worry.

The next time those labor contracts are negociated is going to be hell. The union didnt want to cut health benefits, so 25,000 people got the axe instead. I bet those people would vote a different way now.

I heard GM is only cutting jobs in North American....... and they are opening plants in China to try and sell over there. Once that'* started then they'll "export" cars back over here.

Labor is of course cheaper in Asia...... I think that'* GMs plan.

Yep. Next logical thing that they can do. UAW has negotiated themselves right out of a job.

This really sucks for Michigan. Our unemployment rate is already the highest in the country.

I agree with you 100%. It is sad that America will send our factories to other countries because of cheap labor. It all boils down to the allmighty dollar.

Indeed. There are even outside, indepependent auto parts suppliers who have avoided the hole that GM dug for themselves.

My mom did some temporary work for Magna, a big Canadian supplier (they may supply for GM, I dunno), there'* no union. The company treats the employees well and keeps them happy, so there'* no beef. Of course, we can't count on every company to be like this, but it'd be nice.

the GM union has probably been around longer than most of the competing car compainies unfortunatly.