Re: Perception

[adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Sandwich Maker)]

" From: farna@xxxxxxx
" 
" Frank Swygert's comments mixed within below:
" 
" On April 28, 2005 Mahoney, John wrote:
" 
" > 
" > The UAW is unhappy to work for GM, Ford and Chrysler; Toyota and Honda labor
" > is happy to work in the US.  GM and Ford have lost market share for decades
" > (Chrysler, thanks to the popularity of gangsta style cars and mean machine
" > trucks has just gained some domestic share --- all of one percent); Toyota
" > has increased share GLOBALLY at an annual rate of almost ten percent.
" > (Nissan has grown by almost that much over recent years and Honda has
" > averaged about five percent,)
" 
" and I see this as the downfall/corruptness of US labor unions. I've
" never been a big fan of unions, though I do know my history and the
" important role they played -- once. There is still a role for them, but
" they don't pay attention to the world around them that often! To big,
" to self-important. Like our government, they need ot work WITH big
" management more often than try to impose their will and let management
" know whos "really boss". I know all unions aren't that way, but to many
" of the entrenched ones are. AMC always had problems -- they got stuck
" paying more than other Detroit area (if you can call Kenosha that) auto
" makers before going out of business. Unions weren't willing to help
" much, even if it cost them their jobs! Then in the mid 90s GM was
" deciding which plant to close -- one in the Detroit area or one in
" Texas. Detroit union challenged/threatened, Texas union offered to take
" temporary pay cuts to keep their plant open. Do you have to guess what
" happened? 

there's long-seated management/union antagonism too.  i used to think
it was long dead, a thing of the '30s...

when i worked for $large_phone_company, i used to be morbidly amused
that every time the union contracts came up for negotiation, rumors
would suddenly surface - they're gonna close the plant and move the
work to other locations [around the country], they're gonna close the
plant and move the work to mexico, they're gonna close the plant and
move the work to malaysia...

this was at their largest factory, and when i was there it ran two
full shifts and part of a third - well over 10000 employees.  it was
a $1B/yr operation.

they did close a plant in louisiana and move its work to malaysia,
because 'it was either that or get out of that business [segment], and
the plant would close anyway'.  but the malaysian products were junk,
compared to the us-made equipment they replaced.  i guess our union
folks never thought it could happen to them.

otoh, most of the time i was there, my group was at a satellite
building a few miles away, originally because there was no available
space in the plant but we stayed away because it was cheaper to rent
than pay union rates for shop space.

and they ultimately closed the plant anyway - a major product line
which i helped get off the ground was shipped to ireland - and let the
building go for just $15M.  they're now out of manufacturing in the us
at least, completely.  the economy around here still hasn't recovered.

" > I don't see takeovers ahead, neither Chrysler-AMC buyouts, nor "equal"
" > opportunity events like Mercedes-Mopar.  Rather, I see mergers of need and
" > of convenience, with futures like both Nissan-Renault and AMC-Jeep.  One
" > company needs technological advancement and manufacturing quality; one needs
" > sales outlets and production capacity.  Each needs the other to survive and
" > to succeed.  Bigger is still better; DaimlerChrysler is still considered a
" > "small" auto company; those which can't build every size and price vehicle
" > only put off until tomorrow their marriage date.
" 
" I wonder how well Toyota's auto division would compare to US if it was
" separated from the rest of the conglomerate? GM is reasonably diversified,
" but not nearly as much as big Asian corporations. That's definitely one
" of the things that make the Asians stornger and better able to survive.
" I can see Chinese companies looking for US partners in the next 20
" years. 

gm -used- to be more diversified.  they've sold off lots of suppliers
that used to be divisions and the execs have probably convinced
themselves it was 'smart', and pulled large bonuses in
self-congratulation.

in much less than 20 years, i think the chinese will find their
partners in india.  unless we're talking about chinese-made and
chinese-developed fords and chevies.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen

adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                       and think what none thought