GM to pay up to $200M to help end American Axle strike

lori wrote:

<quoted text> I would work for $12.$12 pays a lot more bills than $8. That would be a nice 2nd job for my husband to pick up.

AAM hf wrote:

We are making money in my department at the forge and were still landing new contracts up to the time the srike started, all under the previous cost structure. It can still be done if you try. The problem is AAM doesn't want to try any more in this area-actually in this country. There is no way you can compete with third world countrys when it comes to labor costs, health care costs, enviromental laws (none in third world countrys),goverment taxes, etc... Its too bad because the workers were willing and expected to take pay cuts, just not a 66% cut. Nobody would agree to that.

Union All The Way wrote:

<quoted text>
Try to remember GM suppliers that are"bailed out" were once GM and contractually obligated for proir "GM" employees. Have you heard the word "flow back' before? This is my fourth "GM"plant..from Fisher Guide, Inland Fisher Guide, Delphi, GM..still chasing my retirement. 32 yrs. and do not feel secure. Take the 45k and retire...I think not. Better to haave a job.

aamhf wrote:

<quoted text>Actually tonawanda forge makes toyota parts for thier cars and trucks.. once again the uniformed public bashes the aam workers

SoLiDaRiTy wrote:

Who Dis? Hotformer boy??? Any nicknames for yourself? I know you!!! <quoted text>

Ex AAM Employee wrote:

<quoted text>
How bout you,You got a nickname ? elgon

AAM hf wrote:

1st shift

Unions - evolve or leave wrote:

<quoted text>
That's the attitude! Strike until the company loses so much money that it closes. You'll teach those money-hungry execs - and then you'll complain that people aren't buying American - tell me again, how many American Axles are they making right now??? You don't realize how many small businesses like mine are hurt by your greed. If you stopped and looked around, you would see that, but you're all too busy waving your picket signs to notice. Who's going to pick up the pieces for the real backbone of America when you guys break it?

Unions - evolve or leave wrote:

<quoted text>
That's the attitude! Strike until the company loses so much money that it closes. You'll teach those money-hungry execs - and then you'll complain that people aren't buying American - tell me again, how many American Axles are they making right now??? You don't realize how many small businesses like mine are hurt by your greed. If you stopped and looked around, you would see that, but you're all too busy waving your picket signs to notice. Who's going to pick up the pieces for the real backbone of America when you guys break it?

AAM hf wrote:

I get to see him go thru the side gate in the morning...lucky me

lori wrote:

<quoted text> I would work for $12.$12 pays a lot more bills than $8. That would be a nice 2nd job for my husband to pick up.

Steelie wrote:

Good Day,
O.K.- now this explains a lot! It sounds like that although many of these individuals will be taking a pay cut, GM is "buying" that paycut. So in otherwords... they may in their checks be getting a paycut, but due to GM buying the paycut from the workers they really are not losing much in the short to mid or even long term depending on how old they are and or close to retirement. Now this is making a whole lot more sense to me as to why the cut was taken.
AAM hf - Welcome to a global economy. At one point in time it was the U.S. that was "stealing" jobs from Europe as we were the ones who could do it better, faster, and cheaper. Now - it is countries like China, India and others who are taking this position. However, even these countries are seeing job losses to other nations! No really - it's true! China has on a more recent basis begun to lose jobs to countries like Viet Nam, the Phillipines and Thailand where they can make the products for even less than they can in China! And what happens as these burgeoning economies can no longer make products for as little as they can now? Where will the "manufacturing train" make its next stop? Africa. No - really, mark my words... Africa will become the next "cheap labor market" after wages in countries in the Far East rise to a level where it would be more profitable to manufacture elsewhere... and Africa is the logical next location. In fact - if one pays close enough attention to international and or foriegn business they can see the writing on the wall. And unfortunately it is not American companies that are really involved yet. The Chinese manufacturerers in particular have been making "exploratory" trips to African nations, for several years now, to look for possible manufacturing locations. It may very well start in a nation like South Africa and then move North along the coastal cities of Africa. Trust me... I lived and worked in S.E. Asia for nearly 7 years.(Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo) I was very fortunate to have done business in other countries such as China, the Phillipines, Indonesia, Malaysia Thailand and one or two little things in New Zealand. I have personally witnessed the migration of factories from China to other nations who can do it for less. So please trust that I know what I am talking about... hehe.
Steelie

aam retiree wrote:

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Lori --it is a shame that all americans cannot get a living wage instead of having to work 2 jobs just to make ends meet. That is what the unions work for. Corporate profits come first and fair compensation to the people who do the tough labor to make the products they sell at a good profit, not so important.