Topic: GM closing Oshawa truck plant

[tpl]

I have heard that term and I think it is a great description of their status.

[ghost]

You mean gov't workers?

My language has word for that ... golden rice bowl ... excepet here it comes in a full package and more.

I've heard of that term too. But never knew why would anyone wants to eat off a golden bowl. That chopstick looked too slippery to grab anything too.

[safristi]

 ..the RICE BOWL is EMPTY...............has the Gov IMPLODED!!!!

[barrie1]

^^^^Whatever.  Sometimes I think you are clueless.  Maybe when you worked on the line it was far less automated than it is now and therefore more physical.  Speaking of Clueless which you have just proven yourself to be again by running off at the piehole on working conditions you have never worked at. Just because you visited a few factories proves nothing at all as you certainly didn't work in them at all. Qouting 2nd and 3rd part info proves absolutely 000 to me or anybody else for that matter. I doubt you were ever thru the plant I worked in so you don't have a clue as to what or even how we worked or at what conditions at all. I have never seen a CAW worker make $47.00 a hour ever no matter what trade he was in so maybe there's a problem elsewhere on the pay scale. No matter what you all make you all think you deserve it but not a auto worker who usually ends up crippled before the 30 years is up is deserving of it and should be treated like dirt as you all know what they do on their jobs because of your total LACK of real experience doing it. Wait until the bottom falls out of your trades or jobs and see who's gonna be riding you folks for earning way to much.  Other Canadians don't deserve a decent wage but you do. 

[prufrock]

Whenever a major private sector suffers closures, it has a huge effect on many parts of society.

The employee earning $32/hour had worked there for 20 years. I don't begrudge anyone a decent wage if (s)he is able to keep the job for that long by being efficient and productive.

Unfortunately, the economy is suffering greatly. In northern BC, Pope & Talbot just laid off almost 800 workers. Canfor has laid off over a thousand in the last few months. A fire in a plant in Prince George just cost over 200 people their jobs. In some cases, towns with 2-3 thousand people are losing 300 jobs. It doesn't take a genius to figure out the effect that has.

I hope that the federal government opens the knot they have on the EI program to help people through these hard times. The billions in surplus in that program certainly don't help anyone.

I also hope that new manufacturing moves in to replace GM. Buzz wants to ride that tired horse to the grave. What happens if GM goes further into the red? Are pensions threatened? I know people think these major companies are invincible, but nothing is.

GM will be losing money during this transition time regardless. It's not easy, I am sure, to revamp a 30-year-old business plan over night.

As for east-coasters, I see how they might view this with cynicism. It's amazing how many Nova Scotians and Newfoundlanders came out this far to work in the mines and oil fields. Many stayed and took manual (and what many would call menial) labour jobs just to have job security.

[Cord]

No matter what you all make you all think you deserve it but not a auto worker...

To quote William Munny:

"Deserve's got nuthin' to do with it."

[initial_D]

You mean gov't workers?

My language has word for that ... golden rice bowl ... excepet here it comes in a full package and more.

I've heard of that term too. But never knew why would anyone wants to eat off a golden bowl. That chopstick looked too slippery to grab anything too.

Golden rice bowls are fed from, not eat off.  ... and bottomless.

Them chopsticks can be used to eat a plate of spaghetti and pick up eggs with, also grabbing flys.

[initial_D]

..the RICE BOWL is EMPTY...............has the Gov IMPLODED!!!!

Iron rice bowls are suppose to be unbreakable ... jobs forever ... Guess the Communist Party is over then.

[toolatecrew]

There are probly 1000s of starving Mexicans that wonder why they aren't entilted to feed their families becuase a bunch of highly paid union workers won't allow them to have jobs 

What makes CAW members more "deserving" of a decent wage than some guy in mexico to which $10 an hour IS a decent wage?

[Wetson]

...Unions played a major role back in the day reserving the rights of the worker. Today, I feel they're more harm than good.

I agree.  For the most part modern labour laws seem to be sufficient.  30 years ago it may have been different but with Human Rights making so much progress in Canada it's had a trickle down effect on other aspects including the work force.  Nothing is perfect but better than in the past.  I don't think it's fair to generalize and associate laziness with union members but I think with modern manufacturing process and automation a line workers job is alot easier now than it was 20 years ago.  Some unions suck the life out of companies which we're seeing with CAW and GM. 

I'm holding firm.  Yep, sh&t happens and it sucks.  Barrie1.... No one is disputing with you that a lineworker's job was tough... maybe 15 - 20 years ago.  When is the last time you worked on the line?  There are many jobs that are challenging and tough.

[Trainman]

Whenever a major private sector suffers closures, it has a huge effect on many parts of society.
....

Unfortunately, the economy is suffering greatly. In northern BC, Pope & Talbot just laid off almost 800 workers. Canfor has laid off over a thousand in the last few months. A fire in a plant in Prince George just cost over 200 people their jobs. In some cases, towns with 2-3 thousand people are losing 300 jobs. It doesn't take a genius to figure out the effect that has.

....

The forest industry in BC has lost 12,000 jobs in the last 18 months, with a lot more to come this year.  Just part of the reality of economic downturns.  These GM workers are just more of the casualties and it won't stop with them either.

[Rupert]

The use of high gas consumption, hard riding trucks for personal transportation is questionable surely. Out of the total made I wonder how many are used for working activities, which is what a truck is supposed to be used for is it not. I suppose they are usefull to pull larger trailers but even so...
The loss of a manufacturing facility is not something to take lightly. If the product had been smaller gas efficient vehicles I think it would be more alarming in these days of tight oil supply. As it is the indications are that it is not viable to replace the product with a 'smaller vehicle' line in this area of high labour cost. This perhaps has been in the cards for many years now. The tree that your vehicle is about to smash into is less avoidable if all you do is look at it and not aim for a way around. Maybe we are all passengers in this wreck.

[99 Silver]

I just found this on an American website:

Buzz Hargrove. The CAW union chief screams bloody murder and taunts of "betrayal" over GM's upcoming closing of its Oshawa truck plant while threatening a strike or legal action. Maybe if you weren't such a relentless pain in the ass for so long GM may have closed a different plant, eh, Buzz? You had this one coming, and now your rank & file membership will know exactly who to blame this time. You reap what you sow, as they say. As a matter of fact, Buzz, you're entitled to it.

Unfortunately for the workers, it rings true

[Ex-airbalancer]

There are probly 1000s of starving Mexicans that wonder why they aren't entilted to feed their families becuase a bunch of highly paid union workers won't allow them to have jobs 

What makes CAW members more "deserving" of a decent wage than some guy in mexico to which $10 an hour IS a decent wage?

for each job lost at the Oshawa plant there is about 4 other works tried to that
from construction works to engineers, to the venting machine operator
All these people pay taxes to the Canadian government so we all lose

[toolatecrew]

There are probly 1000s of starving Mexicans that wonder why they aren't entilted to feed their families becuase a bunch of highly paid union workers won't allow them to have jobs 

What makes CAW members more "deserving" of a decent wage than some guy in mexico to which $10 an hour IS a decent wage?

for each job lost at the Oshawa plant there is about 4 other works tried to that
from construction works to engineers, to the venting machine operator
All these people pay taxes to the Canadian government so we all lose

So there should be a corresponding 4 more jobs for each person hired in Mexico? Actually probaly more since they need to do construction and build some infrastucture that is already in place in Canada.

Of course I want to see Canadians employed but the fact is that crying that GM is putting all these Canadian Union workers who "deserve" the wage they get in such a bad position seems full of holes.

1. They "deserve" a "decent" wage. Well if $10 an hour is a decent wage in Mexico don't those human beings deserve that decent wage just as much? Its an either or thing. Either those 1000 people get the job in Mexico or in Canada not both.
2. While the Automotive manufacturing sector is bleeding jobs there are still lots of jobs in other sectors out West in Canada where people can earn a living. I don't see any proof Mexico has a booming area like that to provide jobs for workers who lose out on manufacturing jobs.

I don't want all Canadian manufacturing to lose jobs to Mexico or overseas cheap labour. But I don't see why on a world scale that CAW workers deserve above market wages when other places are able to supply the same product for less while easing their own employment issues.

[Rupert]

They are simply, priced out of the market. If the leadership expected tax dollars to bail them out of that position, then maybe it will not occur this time. It's not fair to the rest of the tax payers anyway.

[EV Dan]

inconvenient truth.. and in the mean time in the US Toyota are switching truck lines to Camries.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Toyota MAY switch Camry production to Indiana and consolidate truck production in Texas, or they may shutter the Indiana plant altogether, depends on just how severely the US auto market is affected by the current recession.

Just wondering about the wage thing. Lets say an IT manager in Switzerland make $161K/yr, while one in Vietnam makes $20k, does this mean that the Swiss manager earns too much? Should all IT services be moved from Europe to Vietnam or India?

There is no sector that could not be done as effectively in the third world. A race to the bottom on wages is in no worker's best interest, though the suits would make a killing.

[Rupert]

Has it not pretty much already happened.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The decision may have been made, but not announced.