Honda to manufacture Ridgeline pickup at Alabama plant [2.29.8]

[UOVB]

Originally Posted by MoosePond

here's my source:

http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2007/07/...of-market.html

The entire issue of the decline of the competitiveness of the Big 3 (in no small part due to high labor and materials costs) is very complicated and the manufacturers, unions, investors and politicians all share some of the blame. Clearly it's not the quality of the American auto workers as they're our same friends, neighbors, relatives, etc. that build vehicles for BMW, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, etc. at their plants here in North America.

I would think those costs bake in health care and pension benefits.
Ouch....

[MoosePond]

Originally Posted by UOVB

I would think those costs bake in health care and pension benefits.
Ouch....

that and a lot of the other "benefits" negotiated by the UAW - it's not really that they make more money per hour than their counterparts at the "foreign" manufacturers' plants here in the US, but these other costs sure do run up the total cost per hour for the Big 3

[MoosePond]

GM might be improving but there's still lots of room for improvement and red ink to be obliterated according to today's article in the Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1204...063-email.html

Wonder if it will ever occur to the folks upstairs that they've got their eggs in too many baskets?

[25 Year Honda Owner]

Originally Posted by MoosePond

GM might be improving but there's still lots of room for improvement and red ink to be obliterated according to today's article in the Wall Street Journal:
Wonder if it will ever occur to the folks upstairs that they've got their eggs in too many baskets?

Since my 401K rollover is fast becoming a 201K rollover, I have wished many times I had worked 25 years on a GM assembly line rather than 50 years with government contractors!!

[Ridgestalker]

And of great importance to the Japanese execs -- Alabama is chock full of great golf courses.
You have that right. Their is a Japanese owned auto parts plant near where I live. They have many young engineers wanting to come over from Japan to work there because the golf here is very affordable compared to at home. The company has a limit on how long they can stay in the US.

[waders]

X-Brawn, Avenger and others: please note that statistically the Tucson area costs 37% less to live in than Los Angeles County so it's all relative.

Born in NY. Raised in Calif. Enjoying the clean air, beauty and relaxing times in Arizona.

[Nawlens Gator]

One thing not mentioned is the manhours of labor per vehicle.

I bet the non union plants can build a vehicle with a lot less manhours because union labor is much less efficient from my experience. In my company we have both union and non union plants and the non union ones are WAAAY more efficient. Trying to make efficiency improvements in a union plant is worse than pulling teeth. The union workers are whinny, want to be pampered, and are opposed to changes. It's a totaly different culture but that's just my experience.

[northernlights]

Originally Posted by Nawlens Gator

One thing not mentioned is the manhours of labor per vehicle.

I bet the non union plants can build a vehicle with a lot less manhours because union labor is much less efficient from my experience. In my company we have both union and non union plants and the non union ones are WAAAY more efficient. Trying to make efficiency improvements in a union plant is worse than pulling teeth. The union workers are whinny, want to be pampered, and are opposed to changes. It's a totaly different culture but that's just my experience.

I'm not a wine bag, dont need to be pampered and like changes for the better if it speeds things up, is cost effective and is better for the employee which makes things better for the employer. I would bet the union plants make a better vehicle.

[xd9x19]

GM needs to close down a few more brands. Too many models with no distinctions.

[avenger]

Originally Posted by Nawlens Gator

I bet the non union plants can build a vehicle with a lot less manhours because union labor is much less efficient from my experience. In my company we have both union and non union plants and the non union ones are WAAAY more efficient. Trying to make efficiency improvements in a union plant is worse than pulling teeth. The union workers are whinny, want to be pampered, and are opposed to changes. It's a totaly different culture but that's just my experience.

I wonder if we could drop this horsecrap union bashing in this forum. I don't come here for this kind of BS. I'm sure there are forums for the express purpose of debating the good or evil of unions, but I didn't think this was one of them. Or am I mistaken ?


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