Is The 2015 Chevy Colorado In Danger Of Becoming A Failed Experiment?

I think the unions hurt GM more than people care to admit. Workers making an unbelievable amount of money to put round peg in round hole. Then GM said we can't affford to pay you guys all this money to do this monkey labor, so the union being the good sport they are said fine. Let us keep making the money we are making and all new hires will start at 9 bucks an hour. So young pup is working next to old dog doing the same thing and making 1/4th of what old dog makes.

 

The biggest issue with the Detroit unions was when GM would downsize plants they weren't allowed to lay off workers. All of those workers would sit in a room somewhere making 90% of their salary. Not sure if it's still that way since the bankruptcy though.

Edit: that being said, my 97 S-10 had 290,000 miles on it before I sold it. No issues beyond what one would expect with those miles.

 

I dont think people making a lot of money was a problem, more like making a lot of money and still turning low quality vehicles.
There are two types of problems with cars:
1. Badly designed parts.
2. Poor craftsmanship.

GM had both, which scared clients to somebody else.
Union workers can make as much as they want as long as they turn quality vehicles. When your car sounds like box of marbles because people did not care to tighten bolts, it makes people mad.

 

When in doubt, bash the unions. The u ions don't exist except when necessary and many large corporations actually appreciate unions as it simplifies the comunication. That is, those unions that like to support a living wage. It has nothing to do with unions, unless you prefer everyone max out at $10 an hour. It has to do with moving jobs overseas so you and I can shop at Walmat and buy cheap cars. Unions are the problem ? Sure, just like anyone who doesn't want to work for third world wages or in conditions that shorten their lives. In that respect, I guess you are right......

 

The real problem with blaming the unions while bailing out GM, if anyone cares to admitt it, was the freek'n recession. The amount of money that the banks were given with no conditions pales in significance to what was given GM to actually keep real people working.

 

Unions cost money, which raises prices, which decreases competitiveness in the economy for domestic manufacturing, which caused companies to move to overseas production. The height of unions was in the late 70's during that recession. To keep profits high and shareholders happy with profits GM, and other companies, had to move overseas. They couldn't adjust there wages or man power like they had done previously due to the unions.

BTW I'm not anti-union, but the above is widely accepted by economists because it's true. Companies want to make money because shareholders, like you and me with mutual funds, want to make high interest. We only make that money when the company keeps turning out great profits. To make profit you either lower costs or increase prices. Increased prices weren't, and rarely are except in the case of commodities, an option. So when you can't lower the wage of your workforce or decrease man hours because of a powerful union, you just fire everyone you can and move production to where it's cheaper.

Once production has moved it's really hard to get it back, ever.

 

The above is " wildly" accepted by economist you choose to listen to. Labor cost money....it's that simple. If you want your carmakers to earn third world ages, which you seem to by supporting not paying them and or sending production over seas. All of the trade bills negotiated have sent jobs over seas, and they continue. It has nothing to do with unions unless you support the idea they accept the same wages that are currently paid in Mexico and elsewhere. The recession was caused by factors that have nothing to do with unions but more to do with the loss of jobs moving overseas.

Union bashing continues under the guise of, "BTW, I am not anti Union but...." Followed by Faux dribble. Nothing personal, but financial problems have less to do with unions then the lack of investment in our infrastructure and chasing the military industrial complex prioities and loosing sight of what made the country great......hard work and a living wage and living working conditions.

Btw, the average auto worker wage in Germany, a country we should be comparing our wages to, is much higher ( nearly twice in some factories) then that of the U.S....and you want to compare autoworker wages to Mexico rather then debate trade policies which a re the real culprit. Canada has universal healthcare which our country doesn't as it's employer based. That is another big reason they make many cars there. It has more to do with other reasons then unions. Get of the unions back and more on the backs of crappy trade policies and healthcare benefits. Mexico has what for health care ?

 

You're not listening or looking at the facts. Our current system of money must make more money is causing the issue. Do you own mutual funds? Do you like high interest and returns? Then you've help make unions the enemy of corporate America.

Oh and keep your insults out of your argument. Petty insults speak to a lack of intelligence.