22nd Mar 2007, 21:29
Facts? Please do cite your facts. We'll be waiting a long time.
24th Mar 2007, 22:32
Please show us data that clearly shows MOST GM/Ford/Dodge are assembled in Latin America, or that even most of the parts are from there.
(You won't be able to because it's not true)
Do not just throw a statement out like that if you can't back it up. Why are you trying to mislead readers?
I was in a GM plant before. I've been too many auto suppliers. I realize that many parts can come from all over the world. But to say what this guy said is a complete lie.
And for you to just add "It's true" or "he's right" still doesn't make his claim valid.
22nd Mar 2007, 15:26
"how many plants have Ford, GM, and Dodge closed in the U.S., so they can move them to Central and South America, where they can pay a lot less for workers?"
The reason they were forced to do that is because they are being crushed by pensions, and needed to improve their profitability while being undercut by Japanese auto makers dumping underpriced vehicles on the market.
Stock price and shareholders dictate everything now; they only care about how much profit is being made. American car quality is great, and has been for decades. Their profits are not great, because they are the last bastion of the "this company will take care of me for life" mentality that the unions came to espouse and demand. These contracts were negotiated before the "leaner and meaner" days of the 1990's, and before it became clear that individuals needed to take charge of their own retirement plans.
At some point, the unions will have to realize that companies can't afford to pay pensions, and can't afford to pay $30/hour for semi-skilled labor in the age of globalization.