What role did the Volt play in the UAW strike of GM?
Here is one reason why blogging can be so fun: take two stories, blend, and voila! More questions! The first story that I'm writing about is one which was covered here on our site. See here: "Lordstown, Ohio could be the home of the Volt". The other story in question is this one: "Chevrolet Volt: Where Will It Be Built?" over at Edmunds Auto Observer. Read both, then come back.
(Maestro: the Jeopardy theme begins now)
So, just what role did the Volt play in the UAW's contract negotiations and strike with GM? Small cars like the Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G5 are low-profit vehicles that GM needs to compete in certain market segments. The Volt, despite being based on similar architecture, may turn out to be a bit more profitable. If not profitable in money, at least in market perception. Depending on how many GM is able to manufacture and sell, it could be a huge home run for GM, the UAW and the factory that is making it. In other words, the Volt is one vehicle that the UAW would like to see built in the States.
[Source: AutoblogGreen and Edmunds Auto Observer]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ron 4:20PM (2/25/2008)
Now that GM has cut the new and future hourly workers pay in half, I'm sure they will be able to afford a new Volt car costing around $35-45k!
Get Volt info @:
http://GM-Volt.blogspot.com
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Ed 3:14AM (6/30/2008)
The UAW is rediculous. Whether or not many of GM's problems are caused by its (mis)management is really no longer the point. Do they honestly think the company will survive at the current pay rates and pensions?
However, i dont hear about a lot of automobile factory workers in the US on welfare. However, some of our hard working soldiers in the US Military are doing 18-hour days and their wives are collecting food stamps.
The UAW has become nothing but a selfation manifestation of an economy which is long past. You dont deserve $40 an hour if your standing around at factory. sorry. that's just the way it is.
Perhaps the by 2030 the reminents of these pitiful companies will be bought by ones that no longer exist (or barely do like Tesla) and their unions will be mere histories. Maybe some day Detroit will learn to reinvent itself like North Carolina did after it lost the textile industry.
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Golden Boy 10:05AM (9/28/2007)
Yeah, unions going on strike will remind GM executives why they should build the Volt in the US....
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Tim 12:28PM (9/28/2007)
There is always a price to pay. Bleed the company dry and you can't blame them when they are forced to ship the jobs overseas in order to remain competitive.
Add the far left's excessive regulation with the manufacturer’s legacy and capital costs and one begins to wonder how ANYTHING is made in the US.
The Chinese are communists in name only. They have become better capitalists and loan the US $Trillions while the US citizens and government has become more socialist while they go in debt up to their eyeballs.
There is going to be one hell of a hangover once this binging party is over. The Fed will have to print $Trillions of notes to service the debt. This will cause hyperinflation. I hope the Chinese don’t figure it out and I hope everyone's investments are NOT based on the US Dollar!
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mike 8:24PM (9/28/2007)
Tim,
As for BLAMING the UNIONS AGAIN, why didn't GM FULLY Fund those Pension Plans YEARS AGO. I know these guys have access to Actuaries, they knew how much they would have to invest into a safe INDEX Fund to fund these benefits.
No wait for it: But, they RAIDED these Funds during the Stock Market Bubble, when Everybody KNEW that Bull Run was going to last FOREVER.
Now, lets talk about the Volt.
Great Concept, my only complaint is I might HAVE TO buy a car before 2011. Maybe I'll be able to pick up Version 2.
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BGJ 2:07PM (10/01/2007)
"Add the far left's excessive regulation with the manufacturer’s legacy and capital costs and one begins to wonder how ANYTHING is made in the US."
Not sure what you mean by this, but it is the current lack of regulation started by Reagan that allows US companies to outsource labor and kickback all of the profits to CEO's and members of the board at the expense of the health of our country.
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mike 10:32PM (11/13/2007)
Unions have nothing to do with this issue, what has something to do with this issue is the fact that GM is behind and it needs to get in front of the marketing being done by Toyota and Nissan, GM must make this car, union or not, here in the USA or on the moon, (rather spendy to get them here) The wave of the future is NOT using oil, its using oil wisely and GM with its hummer and huge trucks does not do that, use oil wisely, it squanders the resource driving up prices and making unions almost out of the picture. If GM can make a real come back the unions can demand almost anything if GM fails due to the union depressing the Volt or other technologies like the volt then there will be no GM, no union jobs, nada. We the consumer must demand this car, push for it, buy it and let GM get its feet planted back on real ground instead of this slippery slope they are forced to deal with. The cost of labor in the US is much higher than elsewhere, and were it not for the profits they make in other counties GM would be LG or some other company. A strong company makes for a good America and a strong company makes it possible for Unions to exist, the time for taking sides of the union or not is a waste of conversation, the time is now to make this kind of technology available to all Americans so we can thumb our collective noses at the middle east and their absurd ways of treating the US. Oil is not a good energy source, we dont make it, we buy it, we need to move forward and out tech the oil producers. The unions should see this and help GM make it all a reality. Take the long term approach we need to build a future not a horrible present, we have already done that very well.
M2Cents
Mike
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