Does anyone have a clue how wages at Big 3 auto plants compare to foreign co’s plants in the United States? Everyone, myself included, is screaming that the union workers are overpaid and that the legacy costs, etc. are too high to compete. I’m curious how Honda/Toyota employees compares no costs with the cars that are built in the US. The thing that kills me about the unions is that they are ready to go down with the ship. I would assume that concessions should have been made 5/10/20 years ago to make US cars competitive. I find it just amazing that a union guy receives 95% of his salary for up to 3 years when laid off because of the union contract. The stories go on and on from the management fellas that I now at GM. While the unions had a purpose, that need has passed.
Yeah, would’ve needed to not promise a pension period… that is most of the cost, HUGE pensions and health benefits. — General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler AG’s Chrysler Group officials say that closing a roughly $25-an-hour labor cost gap between Detroit and Japanese rivals will be a key issue in talks with the United Auto Workers this summer. The three American automakers generally pay about 30 percent more per hour in wage, pension and health care costs than Japanese automakers. Ford, according to its annual report, paid $70.51 per hour in wages and benefits to workers last year. GM’s annual report says its labor costs average $73.26 per hour, while Chrysler’s costs average $75.86 — all well above the average $48 hourly cost incurred by Toyota, Honda and Nissan.
Moral of the story, should have been an American Car worker who does some serious self study to line up job when the SS Union Meal ticket (aka GM, Ford etc…) sinks. Then again I don’t think I could handle the line work, probably more mind numbing than any auditing job you could poke a stick at.
I think you give auditing too much credit.