G.M.Hertiage Center

[jim t.]

11-10-08
GENTERMEN: IF you have not been to the General Motors Hertiage Center." yet, You should go. Good Luck,JIM

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Jim:

If you are referring to actually visiting the GM Heritage Center -- it's not open
to the general public.  Only groups with special authorization, with an advance
appointment, can tour the facility.

I visited there with the C&LC Board a few years ago.  It's really something to see.

Mike

[Matt CLC#18621]

What will happen to GM Heritage Center if GM files for bankruptcy which may happen?

Regards,

Matt CLC #18621

[Otto Skorzeny]

Assets are sold to the highest bidder. In the case of Carter Carburetor, it's archive of blueprints, records, plans, etc. going back over 100 years, was made available to a private company, Daytona Parts Co. These records were basically worthless to anyone else and would likely have been destroyed. They were recognized to be something of a national treasure and arrangements were made for the carburetor rebuilding company to acquire them.

In any case, if GM goes bnkrupt, it's likely to be a restructuring with bankruptcy protection rather than a total shut down and disssolution of the company.

One good thing that could come from a bankruptcy is that all UAW contracts would immediately be void. New arrangements would then be negotiated as part of the restructuring deal.

The average UAW worker earns $78 per hour compared to non union auto workers in Alabama who earn $35 per hour. Add onto that $81 per hour in healthcare costs and it's easy to see why GM can't compete.

If there is a government bailout of the auto industry, there should be concessions extracted from the unions . If there is not, it would merely be a bailout of the UAW and not of the automakers themselves. The deal should also be structured as a loan like Chrysler got in 1979 and not simply a handout.

[David #19063]

Really?

$78/hour = $162,000/year.

[Otto Skorzeny]

That is what I heard reported  on the local news 2 days ago. I know it seems very high but I also remember reading that the average income of a line worker 10 or more years ago was $85,000 per year. I'm sure these figures include overtime.

I would be interested in confirming the number from another source, though. On the news report I heard, the figure was stated by an elected official from Alabama (either a congressman or senator)

[David King (kz78hy)]

The number should look like this.

$78/hour = is a composite number that averages a workers total package which includes all benefits, health care is portion of this number.

[David #19063]

Usually all benefits are around 30% of the base pay.

[Otto Skorzeny]

That's what I thought but then later in the same story they used a figure of $81 per hour in benefits/healthcare/pension, etc.