Auto Plants closing in the U.S. or moving to Mexico because of to much competition from Nissan, Honda etc...?

Question

What do you think of your fellow americans losing jobs and being offered lay-offs & buy outs from GM, Chrysler, and Ford, because of the Governments Free Trade that allows Foreign Companies to sell cheap products here from cheap labor and american workers can't compete?

Sorry guys my Father was a IAM union president for 30 yrs. I saw & heard first hand how Companies try to abuse the plant workers. Work a week in their shoes, then complain.
But I do agree that the big 3 automakers messed up by focusing on the "Big Trucks" when most blue collar working people only want a better fuel efficient vehicle. I just hate to see so many people lose jobs.

Answer 1

I think quite often the root of the problem is not seen because of the emotion of the question. We can blame the problems of the auto plans closing because of bad vehicle production, better foreign cars on the market, or even the high pensions won for those workers through their unions. The fact is those workers were worth every penny they earned. The cars were good cars, and maybe they could have been a little smaller but that didn’t run these companies down.

The downward trend these companies missed was they didn’t send enough of the work overseas to be done cheaper by workers who generally were not treated well and often did not make a wage high enough to keep their families feed. These companies kept the work here in America keeping American good paying jobs to support their families and communities where they lived.

As the good Americans we are we repaid them by buying our Honda because it cost a little less. The real question is how much did it really cost? My Honda cost a family to go to bed hungry tonight???? I’m not sure it was worth it. But we don’t learn. We continue to shop at Wall Mart that forces suppliers to conceder to send their production over seas.

We can put the blame on whom ever we want but we gotta look in the mirror to find the root of so many production workers loosing their jobs. If we, the people, would look for the made in America sticker every time we made a purchase, we would keep good paying manufacturing jobs here in the good ol’ USA

Answer 2

Globalization is a catch-all term to express an economic experiment. The currently elected officials within the US government acknowledge there is a "painful transition period" foreseeable in the next 40 years for American workers as they experiment. Corporate welfare is "good". Public assistance is "bad".

Historically, the American economy created some of the world's richest individuals. One notable was Dale Carnegie, who rose from poverty, rose through the ranks at a railroad company and formed the first iron-clad monopoly. Getty kept wages low, would hire assassins to prevent unions and only allowed one paid holiday -- July 4th.

Whereas, our government will insist globalization creates and promotes peace because everyone has an economic stake in keeping the money machine growing, the fact is: historically and realistically, a monopoly will emerge that has a strong voice in government and the monopoly is a paranoid beast that will demand a caste system.

You are witnessing the birth of an authority unencumbered with the elective process and which is not tied down geographically to any one locale.

Answer 3

Well, I for one am VERY happy that my fellow Mexicans are now getting these jobs, it seems that after 12 years, the Free Trade Agreement might finally be working.....

But I must agree with "bolts_volts" on this. Its NOT just that Mexicans make the cars cheaper, (which unfortunately we do) but even more importantly, we are making them better!

The Chryslers made here are superior to the ones produced in the US! Likewise the Nissans made in Mexico are better than almost every other country. The Volkswagen factory here is second in quality only to the German factories and almost equal. The Mercedes "E-series" made in Mexico is actually superior to that produced in Germany!

If it was just "labor cost" and "profit" then with so many left-wing "liberal" whiners, you might have had some small chance of argument. But when the US cannot compete either in the field of cost OR quality with Mexico, then its pretty much "game over" and "lights out!"

Answer 4

Maybe your Union should look at just how much they are making. I personally would take a couple of dollar pay cut an hour to keep my Job. Plus hate to say it but Toyota makes a better Truck. And hires American workers too. Same for Nissan. Funny how they have their factories right here in America and they are doing great. What do you suppose the difference is? GM has been using South American workers for years to make most of their Accessories, so this is nothing new.

Answer 5

I think the United Auto Workers and American car companies are getting what they deserve (unfortunately). They dug their own graves and were living on borrowed time for quite a while. These guys increased the costs of cars so much that the U.S. auto companies cannot compete globally (or even in the U.S.). It also did not help that they built horrible cars for much of the 70's and 80's. They will never be known for their reliability. What goes around, comes around.

I suggest people move to where the jobs are and hope they can join one of the foreign automakers (Honda, Nissan, BMW, Hyundai, etc.). Those getting buy-outs should thank their lucky stars.

The UAW is a dinosaur whose time has passed. They are unnecessary and harmful to their membership. May they rest in peace.

Answer 6

I am a sub contractor truck driver for a ford plant and for the next 2 weeks it is only running a half capacity and many people are laid off, fortunately the plant will not be closed down........yet!
I think that for many years foreign vehicles may have been a better deal and better vehicle than american vehicles, but i have always bought american. Nowadays, i think that amercan manufacturers are building better cars, but they need to make more smaller cars that get better gas mileage. Our government should charge a very large import fee to foreign manufacturers and to the people that puchase foreign vehicles.
I also know first hand that much of our american workforce is overpaid due to union contracts and because of the union contracts the american worker can be lazy and non productive.
Without unions , I think people work harder to keep their jobs.
The useful time of unions has passed, it protects the lazy from losing their job and prevents the hard worker from being noticed and rewarded.

Answer 7

Couple issues 1st. Mexico is greater corrupt fantastically whilst their very own president offered the votes to win the election 2d. Why mexico? i think of it could be greater desirable in any us of a that hasnt hosted it two times alredy third. Brazil poor? I dont think of so in any different case they wouldnt have won the bid for 2014 4th. What makes you think of mexico will win wc at domicile in the event that they cant even beat jamaica at domicile for the duration of a qualifier? And final. whilst did mexico win of a bathroom (apart from youngsters communities) im fantastically effective that could desire to be in no way. No offense in easy terms cuz you thumb me down doesnt propose im incorrect its all authentic

Answer 8

i dont think that is the problem, i think the problem is that honda, toyota, nissan, etc are putting out better quality, better designed, more reliable, more valuable cars. and soon to be trucks.

americans just dont get this. with a few exceptions, most amercan car models are garbage. BUICK ? all buicks are garbage, PONTIAC, please ford trucks are good, but there automobiles stink. I am a proud american, but wont do the buy in america thing, to receive inferior products

WAKE UP AMERICAN CAR MAKERS, WAKE UP

Answer 9

Thank the unions.

U.S. automakers have been at the mercy of the unions for years, with only the non-unionized ones making a decent product (ie: Saturn). Blame the unions for this downfall: they expected way too much for putting out way too little.

Answer 10

the auto companies are moving to mexico to improve their profitability. it has nothing to do with the government. If those companies can't make cars that compete, then they should start building better cars..doesn't that make sense?