Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Originally Posted By: StevieC
I'm sure that the workers assemble the products to a very high standard of quality and it is unfortunate that such greatly skilled people who seem to be really nice hard working people as well (as shown in the video) are subject to GM's poor marketing, poor component choice and poor overall design which for the most part leads to poor reliability and a poor taste in consumers mouths and leads the sales away to other companies.
IMO the workers of GM should be angry at the company for the designs and component reliability. This is proven by the loss of market share over the years year after year and didn't just happen over night.
There is no doubt that it isn't the workers fault but that of upper managements for not managing the company properly and making poor decision after poor decision.
While they (Corporate Execs) ride their "Golden Parachutes" away from this mess the workers are left picking up pieces and trying to salvage a sinking ship just to make ends meat for their families and that just isn't fair.
For those I have pity for your situation, but I will not be purchasing a GM product anytime soon and supporting this mess even if it means putting food on the table of a worker because if I were to it would teach the company nothing except to put your hands out in a time of need and all your mismanagement and poor decisions will be forgotten because there are no consequences for your actions. This I can't agree with as I'm not one for allowing History to repeat itself.
Good luck to all the GM employees, you certainly deserve it and I wish you all the best. If I were you I would be making a career change as quickly as possible because I think the ship is pretty much sunk regardless if the quality is that of other makes now.
Consumers are just turned off, and taking bailouts from the government just sealed the deal for most IMO.
Steve
You hit the nail on the head StevieC. It is all upper mgt's fault and I understand that a portion of the public feels just as you do. Very good post w/o the usual hardcore GM bashing.
I tend to disagree. The UAW workers are just as guilty as the poor management. There are many, many stories of what was going on in the GM plants in the 70s/80s. My brother-in-law and a good friend both worked in UAW plants. They regularly saw other workers smoking pot and drinking while on the clock. They saw UAW workers deficate and urinate in the body of a car before the seats were put in. They saw workers throw handfuls of screws in the dash and fenders so there would be rattles. The workers thought this was funny. Management was scared to say anything.
The result was people started buying something else that they ultimately found to be better. There was no reason to ever buy another GM. I have friends and family members who would never, ever buy a GM product. It is completely irrelevant and not even a consideration when they think about their next purchase.
I feel sorry for the good workers at GM (both on the line and lower level management). I am angry at everyone who killed that company. In virtually every industry, the best products are made in the US, by US workers from US companies. There is no excuse why American cars should not be the best in the world.