Interesting. You could be right. They need to get out of the contracts and UAW won't go to the table. Interesting.

 

Puts on asbestos flame suit:
Maybe we should be asking why is the cost of health care in the US so damn high (I'm not just talking for GM, but in general) When several state governments negotiate with Canadian pharmacys to import medications for their government employees health care plans (the same medications that are available in the US) because they can get them cheaper thru a Canadian pharmacy, maybe it's time to focus on the companies that make the drugs, and why they charge such an exhorbitant price in the US. It's not just drugs, it's health care in general that has crazy prices ($4k for a 3 day stay in a hospital, in a regular semi private room ) The UAW or GM aren't the ones responsible for those prices, perhaps it's time to turn the attention on those that are, and find out why, and what can be done about it.
So for those who bash the UAW for causing GMs high healthcare costs should start bashing the real culprits

 

...Because Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and all the other import car companies that have opened factories in the United States do not have the health care cost issue that GM, Ford & Chrylser do.

Also, if the Health Care costs is Pandemic, why isn't it affecting other down industries like Telco for instance?

Health Care is expensive, but the United States is also the best place in the world to get Health Care Treatment.

 

They do, but because they are making a profit, they don't feel the need to cry to world about it

It's affecting the industry I'm in, Aircraft, and I'm sure there are others, but more attention has been placed on GMs plight as of late

I'll agree with you there

Now I'm not saying either side is without fault, but they mutually agreed to each and every item in the current contract, and if health care costs were such a huge issue, GM could've said no,
iIf GM were doing well finacially you wouldn't have heard a peep about healthcare costs per vehicle, but they aren't, so they have to find a reason for their **** poor finacial performance, and I admit the UAW is a part of the problem, but they are certainly not the entire problem, and when 63% of the people polled in the original posters link say better cars will help GM, it's not just health care costs that are killing GM. To paraphrase Bill Clinton "It's the product, stupid" (not calling you or anyone else stupid BTW)

 

Yep, the products are weak.

 

I see many companies struggling with health care costs and many employees having to deal with larger health care costs as well.

It is only gonna get worse since we have the retirement community growing so quickly.

GM is gonna get hit harder here too because they will have many on going costs to retired baby boomers. I do not see the health care costs improving here. And, I do not know if all the offshoring of GM is really gonna benefit their standing in the USA. Unless they completely uproot and can leave many stranded that are retired with pensions and other things??? It is all confusing most of the time to me.

But this is not just with GM it affects all in the USA.

 

No
Health care costs as a whole are "expensive" Not "unaffordable". For GM they are "unaffordable" because the UAW negotiated an overly aggressive health benefit package for retired workers. GM has the largest retiree force of any company, and the fact they're being paid at inflated UAW retired HC benefit pricing is why GM alone is having detrimintal % pay out for HC cost compared to other car companies.

Fact: GM is the only car company that spends more money on Health Care per car than steel per car. That's a problem that the other car manufacturers don't have to sell around.

 

Absofuckinglutely correct. The UAW got GM by the *****!

 

I think GM should instead of killing brands just reduce the products, have GMC build the trucks, have chevy build the cars, have caddy build luxury cars, only one product per platform, not 7 thats probably the real reason the fbody died, we were producing almost as many fobodys combined as mustangs but when you look at them individualy they looked like they were selling like ****.

 

No, the Firebird and Camaro combined did not come close to Mustang production. GM cars used to be based on your socioeconomic scale. Poor/Chevy,1st step up/Pontiac, 2nd/Oldsmobile, 3rd/Buick, 4th/Caddy. GM's real problems stem from the fact that accountants run the company. Accountants do not have any business building cars. Also the UAW and Healthcare choking GM causes GM's problems. 3rd the product lines are weak. Styling is weak.

The F-body died because it was to impractical for those that could afford it and to expensive for the younger buyers. You don't have to squat on the ground to get in a Mustang. Also the Mustang makes better use of space (Try putting a 351W block and four 5 gallon buckets in the trunk of a Camaro). It was basicly a 4 seat Vette (not useful). Don't get me wrong, I love my Camaro, but I will also have a truck for daily duties, most people won't. I also understand that I am not the norm. GM has been making poorly thought out products with awful styling. That is their problem.

 

One thing that hurt the camaro and firebird is the quality of the car. I not a ford guy but I think that the mustang has a much better interior than the both GM's f-bodys. Now I love my T/A and the interior is better than the camaro, but GM could of put much better quality leather seats. For the price of the car the leather sucks. I did not buy mine new. But I have a friend that bought his SLP 2001 SS new. And he paid about $30 grand for it. I have to say his car was very nice but interior quality was not worth $30 grand. Also when i heard that they were puting a Ls based motor in the monte carlo and impala I was like that more like it but its still a front wheel drive that was pretty dumb. Having a V8 that makes about 300 hp and front wheel drive thats crazy.

I hope GM gets on the ball and make some muscle cars again and getting some new ideas with there other cars or I might turn into a ford guy. Hopefully not