Although most employees do not come to work, under their union contract G.M. is still required to pay them.
This is a quote from a NY Times article on the GM layoff announcement today. This is completely absurd. The fact that the Unions can be allowed to say that any company must continue to pay employees that do not come to work, is a major reason why unions have outlived their usefulness. How does it benefit anyone? These folks are going to lose their jobs. What is the Union going to do for them now? What have those dues been paid for when that plant is nothing but a home for skunks and racoon’s?
The article states that most of the plants 300 workers have not worked for most of the year. So let’s assume that 200 workers have been getting paid 50% for 7 months. So, say… 12.50 an hour for 160 hours times 7 times 200. That adds up to 2.8 million dollars in wages that GM may have paid out (plus benefits, etc…) just to keep workers on the payroll so they could sit at home watching Montel and Jerry in the morning after they drag out of bed. Granted, I’m being a bit harsh, and WAY over generalized. But you get the point. SO if there are 4 of these plants in the country doing the same thing, then that’s almost 10 mil down the hole right off the top. Not to mention waning sales, higher costs, etc… How the hell is a company supposed to turn a dime with those kinds of retarded restrictions & demands. They’re not.
I think it sucks that 30,000 folks are getting their pinks next year, but how many off those folks are going to look for jobs between now and then? Hell, how many of those folks who have not worked for almost the whole year looked for a job while they were getting paid to sit at home? If I had to guess, less than 20% of them. Why should they? The union makes sure they get money for nothing… Who would want to give that up?
What sucks more is that this countries labor policies are driving business right into the crapper. That people can’t see past that new XBOX they want to realize the stupid crap they pull can hurt more than just themselves. This cracks me up too:
The union called the job cuts and plant closings "extremely disappointing, unfair and unfortunate."
What a freakin’ load of crap. The union did this. Not GM. At least in part. How is it fair to make GM pay employees to NOT work? The whole auto industry needs a swift kick in the arse. We don’t need more SUVs. We don’t need more SRT/GT/Cobra muscle cars. We don’t need to do research on Fuel Cells. Use the alternative fuels at your disposal. Look at Toyota and Honda. They are eclipsing the US auto companies faster than a fart in the wind. Look at Consumer Reports Best & Worst listing, foreign cars top the list in every category.
Take a hint Detroit.