Water, I am professional enough that I do not need to use profanity or use racial slurs. Speaking of professional, I suggest you get some professional help. End of story.

This is in response to guzler12oz- You blame the union for plant closings & high vehicle prices. Are you serious? or just stupid? It wouldn't matter if all US workers were paid the same as Mexican workers the prices won't go down. Plants are closing because of piss poor managment. GM should have seen the shift to smaller fuel effient vehicles coming along time ago. They didn't care. As long as the CEO & Upper Managment were getting fat paychecks & bonuses they were happy. The more plants GM closes the less workers they have to buy their products. If GM is hurting for cash they need to quit sponsoring the Olympics & other things that don't increase their bottom line. I don't think getting thisocal contract approved will help keep GM Janesville open, but it can't hurt either.

out of all that have commented here today, out of 58 comments, 10 has anything to do with GM, GM workers go down and listen to what they have to offer on there contract, if you dont like it, reject it, if you are losing your job, good luck. i do not work for GM, 38 years at ladish and a janesville parker grad. GOOD LUCK TO ALL GM WORKERS AND RETIRED WORKERS.

I can see that many comments have absolutely nothing to do with the UAW voting on a local contract. As a retiree who has worked both sides (Union and Management), yes this WILL help to get GM to possibly re-consider their closing ideas. To only think in a negative way shows child-like behavior. I say GOOD LUCK!! to all on the vote and on their trip to Detroit coming up soon!! If by chance the plant does stay open I hope there is a celebration and we can invite the negative GM bashers to it!!!

Waterdean, I work as a professional in this community. Not sure how you have all of these material things without working. But I can guess. I support Janesville and have given of my time and resources to make our city better. What have you done except spew ignorant garbage on this thread and many others?

Your comment on KFC and Beloit is very racist and shows your disdain and contempt for minorities. I will request that your comment be removed.

Looking at this thread, I find it bewildering that so many hicks have a computer. Wow, they really are pretty cheap now aren't they? Seems anyone can afford one. Does anyone have a comment on the story itself? Seems like 85% of these posts are about something else.

I'm very sorry that so many of you feel the need to snipe at each other. With GM's pullout, so goes great contributions made to needy charities that the workers of Janesville as well as Beloit gave so generously. Tougher times are coming to more that the GM workers.

Pwrtrip and Waterdean, I live in Janesville but have lived in Beloit. I work hard everyday and do quite well. If you are done working at 52, I can assume you are either retired from GM or disabled. This now makes sense.

No, class did not go down with Beloit Corp. Beloit has more people with college degrees than Janesville. Call Forward Janesville and they will tell you this same fact. I suggest you go look at the old plant and see all the great things going on at the Beloit Corp site. More new white and blue collar jobs are being created every day in Beloit. I wish Janesville would look at what Beloit has done. But the usual arrogance of Janesville will prevent this. I do not hate GM workers. I am sad to see anyone lose their job or home. I just hope they do not wait for someone to bail them out. Everyone needs to pull themselves up with their own bootstraps. All GM workers and not just some of them need to the same.

My point exactly. Thats why your not all that you make yourselves out to be. You have the aninimity of this site but in real life your a shallow introverted person. I'm glad i got the best of you. Like I said, civility. Best of luck in real life, you'll need it. When you post a reply, just remember, I and many others know that you are a phony and you can only get your kicks here by aggravating people.

Freedom of speech, yes, but how about a little civil discourse. You have resorted to name calling, racist innuendo and questioning people's sexuality. Not to mention work ethic and I could go on but I won't. Your responses take the enjoyment out of coming to this website. In my opinion, you prove that just because you have an education/money, etc. that your lack of compation and or jealocy for a fellow human makes your comments irrelevant. I then wonder what is missing in your life that you devote time to make your self more angry to the point that it becomes so personal. Have a nice life. Back on topic, good luck gm employees

waterfrontdean,

It is Fairbanks Morse. Not 'Fairbanks Morris' as you stated. You should do some research before you respond or at least know a little more about what you are talking about. As far as Beloit, I was born and raised there. No regrets whatsoever and it is a GREAT TOWN.

Waterfront dean, you continue to show your ignorance and lack of compassion. I find it interesting that your comments continue to be deleted by the Gazette. I guess they also get tired of hateful and bigoted comments. Please stay in Janesville. Also, when was the last time you ever worked? Sounds like never.

Unknown, I know who I am but sounds like you do not have the guts to reveal who you are. Beloit is doing a lot better than Janesville right now and I suggest you and others on this board take the time to learn how Beloit has changed bad things into good. Ignorant and racist comments should not be tolerated or accepted.

Powertrip and waterdean, yes, the comments are racist and ignorant. Have you ever been to Beloit and see all the great things going on there. Enough of this Beloit bashing. I think you are just jealous. Again, I demand an apology.

Mylife is not trying to infringe upon anyone's freedom of speech, to the contrary of waterfrontdean's assumption. Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) recognises the right to freedom of speech as "the right to hold opinions without interference. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression".

Exercising freedom of speech always takes place within a context of competing values which is exactly what's going on here and I'm simply making an observation based upon the comments I see here.

GM's closing is a complex issue and the various ignorant comments splattered about this site is a common reaction to an emotional event. I am working hard to keep my emotions separate from my actions so this community can work to get Janesville back on track after relying on such a focused and specialized industry for way too long.

Pwrtrip, your racist comments show your ignorance and most of Janesville's true "colors". Most intelligent people know how racist you and others in Janesville are. Your comments about Beloit are way off base and I demand a retraction. Beloit is actually thriving. Regarding gangs in Janesville, they have been here for the last 10 years.

hey opinionsforfree...maybe you should keep those opinions to yourself! i'd be careful to generalize that all GM workers are dumb hicks! I'm sure you work with a few dumb hicks yourself...don't we all? Education isn't for everyone! Who cares if these people got a job there years ago instead of getting an education and have had a good life because of it! Don't hate them for it! A lot of those people do jobs that no one else wanted to do because they were too lazy...now you're hating on them because they made money! Who cares!

Exhausting, overwhelming and quite honestly, disgusting. The comments I read here all have something in common: anger, fear, frustration ... quite obviously because a major trademark of Janesville is soon to be closed. The great debate of why the GM facility is closing is not worth pressing because the decision to close a plant of this magnitude was an accumulation of multiple circumstances which many corporations nationwide are also confronted with during these tough economic times. These factors include high medical costs, inflation, employee salaries, benefits, pensions, retirement accounts, compensation, energy costs, the economy as a whole and so much more. The reason a GM article creates so much attention and bitter responses between individuals is because we hate to admit that we're all in the same sinking ship. Directly or indirectly, we're all involved with a corporation we love to hate. We need to be kind to our neighbor and get this ship back to shore ...

Jagangsville and teloit will be fine once GM leaves. We will finlly get rid of the dumb hicks that work at the plant. I am sure GM will be replaced with lower paying Jobs. The way I look at it. if you want to make a good living
A. Get an education.
B. Get into a trade.
Sure both are not sure ways of making a great living, but its better than fast food or wal-mart
Stop crying "oh were losing our jobs" all GM workers have had more than enough time to put some plans in place to over come the hard times ahead. Those of you who are crying want to make 70k a year with no education or real skills. Well the party is over folks. Time to join the rest of real working people. Granted I make more than most that work at GM, but Hey I got and education in a very good paying trade, but I used to be a factory worker too. Well I'll be here to buy up your boats, cars, Harleys, four wheelers, houses etc when GM drops the big one. I hate to say it but both cities will recover and do just fine

I used to work for Motorola in Harvard and there was a huge business decision that cost us our jobs. There was a very high level executive that that "analog" was the way of the future not "digital". We stuck on our analog path while others were developing digital and we got caught. We were behind the future technology. This analogy is very similar to GM ignoring the gas prices and continuing to build gas guzzlers. I'm sure wagoners days will be numbered at some point in time just like the executive at Motorola. He will get his $10 million dollar, thank you for screwing up the company bonus before he gets fired.

GM closing in Janesville is a culmination of poor management and a greedy union. I will try and not come off as arrogant at waterfrontdean with my argument. I would agree that $20 an hour would be a fair wage for unskilled labor but anything more than that is setting the worker up for hard times in the longrun. I am not jelous of your wages and I do believe that most at that plant works hard but that type of work should not warrant those wages.

+

GM management is also at fault here. They chose to stick to a platform (large SUV's) for far too long. They should have seen gas prices coming and began their switch over to smaller cars much more quickly. I guess I would say most of the fault lies with management but union wages/benefits for retired don't help.

I have friends who work at GM and they're glad that GM is closing and declared their last days of working there as one of the best of their lives. They did work hard for their money, that I have no doubt.
However, I do have a hard time dealing with some of the griping from other GM workers. They have it a lot better than those being laid off from companies such as LSI. They are not getting the subpay for is it 2 years? Non GM workers that lose their jobs feel the effects immediately. Nor do others that lose their jobs get their education paid for, much less a 'salary' while going to school but not having to work. I realize the union contracts are reason for this and good for GM workers, but please realize that others are losing their jobs without those things in place.
I have a master's degree, and still fear for my job. I have many white collar friends and family who are losing their jobs because the jobs are being outsourced. No one should begrudge GM anything and really should be working together to figure out what to do to keep jobs in America. When I talk about working together, this means both blue collar and white collar people.

And people said the whole Favre thing was getting old. You know, lets all move on already. Yea its sucks that GM is leaving and yes it sucks that people are loosing jobs. Theres always gonna be GM haters out there. Their mad cause its not them making good money but you know what if it was them it would be a whole different thing. My heart goes out to all the familys at GM but just move on. I'am sure its eaiser then said but "IT IS WHAT IT IS" The GM area isn't gonna go unused. People will bring us work. We are hard working americans from the mid west, why do you think we have so many factory jobs in our area. Keep your heads up and move on, things can't change over nite. Just give it time.

i just recently moved to another GM facility and the union in janesville is ten times better than here as far as working with mangement and doing what is asked of them. I dont think that this plant closeing has to do with the local union and more of GM's mismanagement

All I have to say is that it's the fault of the union that GM has to close down plants. If the union didn't ask for such high pay increases and GM to "take care" of them way after retirement then maybe this wouldn't be an issue. Why do you think GM is sending so much work to Mexico. Why pay some greedy US worker butt loads of money when they can get it cheaper somewhere else? Plus it is the union's fault we have to pay such a high price for vehicles. Good luck if you can screw them out of more money, but you did it to yourself! Hopefully prices of cars will go down.

To the people who have negative comments about GM workers need to get a life! If you are GM haters why even read the story? Move on move on and get over yourself!!!

It seems pretty obvious that all the jealous negative comments are just that...because of JEALOUSY...one can never over-ride such negative force...but pity is in order...your loss...

"janesville will NEVER close" thats all you used to hear in there. buick city closed and it was #1 in the nation the year it closed. transfer papers were posted on the wall for years. but no one will go to pontiac, flint, lake orion or lansing. why not.....thats where the work is. so you'll get a cultural shock in those towns, big deal...you have been way to pampered here and now it is time to get the shock of your lives. no mommy and daddy won't pamper you there...its dog eat dog in the hood, you may even have to commute to get out of the hood.........a long commute too. you should have left by now, we all warned you that when you got about 21-22 years the doors would close here...so.......welcome to hood its not anything like your use too.

this mite help, milwaukeejobs.com keyword: ladish, 19 positions open.

local contracts are very important. The local contract is what gave the canadian plant the camero. They shaved 2 minutes off their break time.add 2 minutes times 1200=2400/60=40 hours per day of extra production.

I am finished trying to explain the situation to those with closed minds. Don't you wonder how those with no connection to GM seem to have all the answers and know more about our future than those actually working there?
I am not saying the future is promising, but I am not ready to give up. Everyone have a nice night.

sorry, simple typo on my part, please don't tell my grammar teacher guys. I meant to spell products.

Whoever said I was a male??? And what does it really matter other than the fact that your mentality must not go far. Good for you guy's if you feel that you are "above the average" worker in Rock County. Bet my college degree goes farther than yours. But I won't stoop to your level. The point here is that this economy is in trouble from all the foreign poruducts Americans buy etc. and if we don't wake up as a country, I'm afraid the two LOUDEST bellyachers here will find themselves wearing kimonos to work. At least the silk will feel better than the denim some buy from Farm and Fleet. :)

I am not jealous of the GM workers. They had a job, they had a chance to get out, some did and some did not. I am not laughing at GM families. If they can work, they can find a job. More than likely, they will have to move.

What I am jealous about is GM employees and their supporters who act like they should be bailed out by the government and act like this is the end of the world if they lose their job. It happens every day. Please face reality.

Unidentified: Thanks for the explanation on why this was an important move. I appreciate it and hope there is a good turnout for the vote. I don't know anyone who still works at GM, but I will continue to support you folks. Good luck!

Some very belligerent people on this comment board. I'm not sure why there are people out there, who are so angry at the GM workers. I'm not. I know that our country was built on the need for well-paid workers. What else is going to fuel our consumer economy? Good luck having everyone buy WalMart junk on WalMart wages.

Spewed from waterfrontbean: "Also I never applied there, as I am too good to work in a factory"
"I guess Farm and Fleet will be closing next as you factory workers can't afford to buy new overalls anymore."
"If we want to bash GM workers for being factory slaves..."
And so on....
Sounds like the reincarnation of the reincarnation of others who once spoke very similar, equally obnoxious self-aggrandizing drivel. Can it be there are several of them?
NO ONE speaks that way unless they've got a screw loose and is not aware, or are not afraid who knows it. Even those who truly think they are better than others try to appear humble about it, realizing that they don't have to prove it (especially not by belittling their hard-working fellow citizens).

A Serious question for those in the know:

Will those losing their jobs due to the plant's closure be offered similar opportunity at another GM facility?

At least there are a couple of you that make sense of having some compassion for people that lose their jobs. (ie Aprilgirl and dennpike) Yes, GM said they would close this plant, but why have there been "eyes" from above on Janesville and the status here? If you are NOT DIRECTLY involved I suggest you flip my whopper next!! You are clearly showing your ingnorance and jealousy towards these factory workers that have every right to a job as the person at Lab Safety or Blains Supply etc. It clearly must be that you FAILED the test that is now required by GM in order to be considered for an assembly job. Stop all this crap and whining. This column is starting to sound like the playground, not adults. I hope someday you'll find happiness in your obviously very troubled, sad life.

It sure takes a lot of class to make fun of families losing their jobs.

I would say local 95 you are a little late. What about the signing bonus you got on the national contract. The union broke GM face it. But GM was stupid to go along with your demands. This has been coming for years. Remember when the union said Parker Pen will never leave Janesville?

Here's the deal; if you want to post some extraordinary venom, in the form of your anti-GM or anti-UAW opinion, put your correct name to it. Otherwise, let's leave the keyboard heroics to the real writers.

A person who is a realist, is someone who faces facts and deals with them practically. To deal with something practically means you are inclined to action as to opposed to speculation. The GM workers have HOPE "something that gives them promise of the future" We are all realists and hopeful people who are facing the facts and acting on them vs speculating as all of you negative people seem to do. We are hopeful for the future, whatever happens to Janesville. So Waterfront, you are just one of many negative people that I do not want to ever meet.

well Mr.waterfrontdean, mabe ill git me sum edjucashun so i can be smart like you. In my spare time I could give you some grammar classes!
Why so bitter? GM wouldn't hire you I'd guess.

I am confused. What are they voting on? Why are they voting? The plant is closing for good by December 31st of this year, 2008. Announcement is to be coming any day. I am not being negative, I am only telling you the truth.

waterfrontdean - easy now. Eveybody needs to play nice. No need for that kind of offer. Optimism can be contagious.

snarly & waterfrontdean,

Why so negative? You should listen to aprilgal's post. Like she stated, a local contract is the first step in: A) Securing a new plant (best case scenario) or B) Securing a new product for the current plant. From both of your remarks, it seems as if you have no hope and you like to give up easy and throw in the towel. I would like to applaud the UAW & local GM management in their efforts to secure a bright future for the workers.

I will give you a little history lesson. Back in the early 1990's, GM decided to close its plant in Arlington, TX rather than the plant in Ypsilanti, MI (Willow Run). Both plants were making GM's large RWD cars (Chevrolet Caprice & Buick Roadmaster) at the time. By way of negotiating a new local agreement, Arlington was able to make GM reverse the decision and therefore designate Willow Run for closure instead. This was via new local work rules, job classifications, etc. Also, help from state and local tax incentives didn't hurt either. Now, we all know that Arlington has since enjoyed a nice run making full-size SUVs (along with Janesville). This is why the local agreement is so important. Also, local agreement's and tax incentives in Lansing, MI helped them land the two newest GM plants in the USA (Lansing Grand River & Lansing Delta Township - both state of the art).

So waterfrontdean, you want a "piece" of mind. I'd gladly give you one if I thought you'd understand. We have done all we can to make the best of a bad situation. We've got nothing to lose.
At least we will have 'peace" of mind if it does close.

I am sure it was an important piece of the puzzle that the local committee established by Doyle was putting together, regarding the proposal they want to give GM this fall in a last effort to save the plant and jobs. I don't think it will change GM's mind, but I also commend the committee and the people putting in the long hours creating the proposal. You have to say at least you tried. If you have a very competetive local agreement, it will compliment the proposal the committee is working on.

I am so tired of the negative comments on any article relating to GM. If you do not have anything positive to say, just shut up and go about your own lives and let the GM families worry about what they will be doing with their lives. We have made homes in Janesville, supported this community just like anyone else who works in a job in or around Janesville. If your means of income was being changed, all you negative people who hate GM workers would be begging for help. We are trying to save our jobs, and a local contract is one step in showing GM that we want to stay in Janesville-even if some in the community do not like it, even if GM closes the Janesville Plant, we can say that we tried every means to convince them to change.

....and if it doesn't?

The UAW needed to settle the contract before they could negotiate with GM about keeping the plant open. There is no way GM would consider Janesville with an unsettled contract. This doesn't mean GM will stay, but it allows the team to move forward with direct talks with GM about any potential.

Why would anyone bother showing up to vote?

waterfrontdean you hit the nail on the head with those comment

wooo may be GM will not close up and leave ???????????????