Curlysue, your leaving? You just made my day! No more comments about your husband, his job, your dad and his drinking, your husband and his AA meetings, your rosy life, and did I mention the need to comment on everything! You caught my eye when you commented on http://gazettextra.com/r/75/9345/ and http://gazettextra.com/r/171/3895/. After reading a few of your other posts, I was compelled to read nearly all of your posts. I am amazed at your troubled life, the need to be so abrasive, and your skewed view of life. Whether you and your husband are moving up north in WI, or to MN, I am willing to bet the boys up and leave MN shortly after you arrive. One less pessimistic blogger. Good riddance!

GEEZ, leave to fix dinner for the family and woa! lilbobby, thanks for stickin up for me. It's people like you that make me love Janesville so much! and the two guys who helped pull my car out of a snow drift last night! LOL LOL LOL
Ihavealife - yes my husband still works at GM. He is #33 on the seniority list. In other words he's on the bottom of the list now, but he doesn't work in the paint department.

You can believe what you want. Sue's husband is not a millwright regardless of what she has posted. He is in fact a plumber, she works in retail. She has 2 grown kids, he has 2 boys which live in MN with his ex. He has not worked at GM since the July layoffs. He does not have a child from a girlfriend. as for the amount paid to exs if they make the same amount they will pay the same amount. (My girlfriend's son who was a line worker paid close to that also). Give msleo a break, from her posts I feel she is alot kinder than Sue, besides I know Sue doesn't give a rats behind what people think or who she offends. How do I know all this? Her husbands ex is my sister-in-law. ps Sue's husband does not pay $3100 a month, he pays Janet $2,300 a month and $800 a month for college funds for the boys.

ihavealife your comment "Is your husband really Joe the plummer paying $3100. HAHA nice msleo ??? Move on !" is misleading. If you were talking to curly why add msleo's name?
I know for a fact they are not one in the same. I have had the mispleasure of knowing Suzanna for several years. The only thing they share in common is how much their spouses pay their ex's.

Oh Good Lord, I am 'dumb' and that's scary!

msleo, I will explain it to you. ihavealife thinks you and curly are one in the same. Goes to show some on here have way to much time to burn.

my husband is not a plummer. He was a line worker and now a millwright and still at GM untill the 23rd like everyone else.

ihavealife- I'm sorry, I must be missing something. I don't believe I called anyone 'dumb'. I'm sorry if I offended you somehow. I have read many of your posts and do not think you are 'dumb'.
As for meeting curlysue, I think I'll pass. I don't think we would get along with all her whinning. She forgets there are MANY GM guys who pay alot to their ex's. I've said before - if you make it, you pay it. It's only right! as for the topic-
I do not plan on leaving Janesville. I like it here and we will figure something out when GM closes. Even if GM brings in another product it will take a year or so to get the plant ready. Untill then we will tighten the purse strings and get through it like many.

I believe it was a 4 to 6 year old. and you forgot the 'nahna nahna boohoo'

I'm made of rubber,
You're made of glue.
What bounces off me
Sticks to you.
author unknown

Dang curly- I think your husbands ex is my husbands ex LOL LOL! My husband use to pay his ex-wife 2400 also, and then he payed an ex-girlfriend another 400 for their sweet little girl. The ONLY good thing about all this GM craziness is that he pays less to the ex-wife now. But it's still hard trying to make ends meet. We don't have the luxury of being able to move to a new city/state. We're stuck here waiting for this new industry everyone says will come when GM goes belly up. Good luck to you!

ihavealife- the support went up to 3100 a month with his new job. Lord knows the woman loves to shop! LOL

OK children lets not fight. Joker- congrats on your education! MANY here are well educated but not so nasty, you must have trouble walking down the street with your nose so high in the air. Just remember, all of us with an average education see nothing but boogers.
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As for the topic........ I have mixed feelings about the buy out. Yes my spouse works there in skilled trades. He would take less pay to keep his job. We have children in this town and need to stay here so the bailout/loan would help us. Then on the other hand it won't help unless the big 3 figure out how to put aside their stupidity and start giving us cars we can afford to fuel!

Good bye Curly Sue!

Joker- if I read your posts correctly YOU began the name calling so you should be removed.

ihavealife- you've missed a few posts honey. My hubby is working. He took a month off and got our house ready to sell and then took a job in another city closer to his boys. Our house sold 2 weeks ago and i'm all packed and ready.

Snarly, why so angry? I am a lover not a fighter. Thank you for the warm holiday wishes.
I will add you to the "jealous" list.

JOKER HAVE A GOOD CHRISTMAS, AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR,I WAS TRYING TO BE THOUGHTFUL TO ALL THE OUT OF WORK PEOPLE AND NOT PICK ON THEM BUT I SEE YOU CAN NOT BE A GOOD GUY SO TO ALL THE REST OF YOU HOPE YOU HAVE A BAD CHRISTMAS,

Gary, if you do want to listen to ignorant rants, you should listen to your yourself. You are just another example of someone who is jealous.

I want to listen to ignorant rants. :-)

Give it a rest snarly. No one listens to your ignorant rants.

So for all the people who are laid off and looking for job's good luck and happy holiday's to all. O big NEWS 15 BIllion to help out the big 3,

Hay I never sed i worked for GM I worked for JP.Cullen so Ha Ha.

And that jerker guy, he's dreaming if he thinks that anyone is jealous of him. ;-)

After watching all of the testimony before the Senate and the House, I am convinced of three things. We must bailout the auto industry's Big Three. It is a very, very, bad thing to do. We can't afford to screw this up and let them walk away with the money or waste it on ineffective policies. God help us.

Curly Sue, you are just jealous of my success. Why so negative? You have a lot of nerve to call me names. If you continue, you will be removed.

Please stay on topic or go away.

janesvillecomment - in 1994, GM and Isuzu started a joint program building medium duty trucks at Janesville. The system was just as you described. It was modeled after a team concept where you would have a home job, and also know the one across from you plus, one additional job outside your sub-section. This was to promote flexibility, coverage, and reduce repetitive trauma by rotation. Also, jobs were to be repaired in station, to reduce the amount of reprocess that would be required after everything was installed on top of the defect. The UAW (after the fact) fought this hard, and it never did take. The program regressed and was eventualy set up UAW style with specific individuals doing specific tasks which was uneffecient. GM management is just as guilty, as they should have stayed the course, but gave in as usual. It was a example of draconian efforts on behalf of the UAW Local 95 to refuse progressive work rules. It (the GM/Isuzu program) was originally a perfect business case, and ended up in a business case of unefficiency. A sad deal as it proved to the Japanese (Isuzu) what they suspected all along - American's can build quality, but not efficiently.

the joker says "For all you ignorant people out there, please learn how to spell before you post on this board. Learning proper grammar wouldn't hurt either" then he says, "Momo, as usual you make no sense. Please stay on topic or go away."
Hey dork you seem to have a problem staying on the subject also, so why don't YOU go away?!!
It's really to bad all your education didn't teach you how NOT to be a condescending ahole!

Maybe all Local GM workers could volunteer to give up their sub pay to help influence GM's decision ....Yea right :)

Momo, as usual you make no sense. Please stay on topic or go away.

oh Joker honey: "My points about spelling and grammar are dead one and is a bad reflection on the school system of this city."
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Correction: "My points about spellign and grammar are dead on and they are a bad reflection on the school system in this city."
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You get an A for effort little one, but please stop allowing your reflection to cloud that of the city's with your pompassness. It's not becoming of a Joker.
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Respectfully signed,
Bruce Wayne

Rubes, I fail to see your point. No one around here is making 2 dollars a day. Get off your soapbox about the plight of the world and deal with the issue at hand. Spare us the whining.

Tell us what you think about Mike Sheridan's claim he is fighting to save GM in Janesville or what you think of the Big 3 bailout.

snarly: ok, now I believe that you worked there as summer help. You refernced going to the bar (Zachow's I presume), getting smashed and bragging how the union will save "your" job. (This part of the union I do NOT agree with, and will agree with you on that). Do you realize that you all but implied that you too were at the bar on company time!!?
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Usually someone who works for GM is given one app for the temp pool. Who works there that was inconsiderate enough to expose you to the evils of that blue bow-tie monster? Why weren't you gainfully employed already that summer?

Lilbobby, I know I am smarter than most people on this board. And that is no joke either. Trust me, the multiple degrees I have earned and the success I have had with business backs this up.

I fail to see why you, Ms. Leo and Curlysue have to attack me. My points about spelling and grammar are dead one and is a bad reflection on the school system in this city. I have every right to question this and ask that people contribute educated and rational comments. Your attacks on me show me you lack both.

momof5 13.86 an hour

Everyone is quick to blame the autoworkers wages for the problems at GM. GM, Ford & Chrysler are in trouble because the economy is TERRIBLE. How can a business survive when sales are down 41%? It started with declining house prices, then the banks failing which led to the credit crunch. People aren't buying new cars right now & even Toyota's sales are down. It just happens that they have more cash because their country actually subsidizes their auto industry. Congress has been grilling the CEO's about everything under the sun & how they plan to fix things. If you ask me the worst run business in this country is the United States Government. If they need more money all they do is sell more bonds to China. We are over $10 trillion dollars in debt & they don't want to loan out $25 billion to keep a lot more people off the unemployment rolls. Rememebr if the big 3 fail the Government is still responsible for all the retirees pensions. Trust me it will way more then $25 billion.

My point is that so many people have nothing in this world. We should be thankful for what we have.

in plywood houses with 20 relatives no bathroom and the goat out front. THANK GOD the United States of America is NOT a 3rd world country!! But it appears MANY of you wish it were!

Remember that 60% of the world lives on less than 2 dollars per day.

For all of you ignorant people on here, how about you save the drama for your momma and not post on here....JOKER!

hey JOKER since your an English professor don't you have papers to grade?

GOOD ONE LILBOBBY!!!!!

the joker- ur name suits u to a T!! If u THINK u are so much better than the rest of us than y should u waste ur time TRYING to make us think u r better than the rest. JERK is another good name for u!!

About the hard work on the line... Wasn't one of the "selling points" of the Fort Wayne plant that there would be employee teams with job rotations to minimize things like carpal tunnel syndrome? I think that was a bit of copying from the Japanese style of automotive industry, as was the just-in-time suppliers concept.
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I would think it would be in the best interest of both the company and the union to pursue the reduction of repetitive stress injuries. Haven't they been doing any significant work on health issues?

such a short item and such a large response. who ever reads all that bull?

For all you ignorant people out there, please learn how to spell before you post on this board. Learning proper grammar wouldn't hurt either.

I find it hilarious you non-GM workers think you have the rght to say how much someone who works at GM should get paid. Who made all you the 'boss' of incomes? For Gods sake Taco Bell pays 9.50 an hour to make tacos!! I sit behind a desk and answer phones and make 13 an hour with GREAT benefits.
Shall GM workers tell all you how much YOU should be paid? But of course not.
When/if GM retools and cuts the wages to 14 an hour I bet ALL of you will be lined up to apply.

Sie stammen aus der Freude Unglück der anderen.

Schadenfreude.

SHERIDAN IS AN IDIOT

snarly: what was your hourly wage when you worked as summer help?

Snarly, you must have worked that summer many many years ago! Try it now if you could. Matter fact snarly if they do put a new product in Janesville you'll have that chance to work there again. You'll start at 12.50 per hour and the most you'll make is maybe 16.00 Oh and no bennies either. I'm sure you'll be surprised how much time you will have to drink!! AS YOU SAY! NOT!

Makes me SICK to see those of you happy and just beaming with glee about people loosing jobs at GM and making terrible wages here in Janesville.
All you auto industry bashers should be ashamed of yourselves.

staff removed my comments O darn, OK the GM/UAW and there wisdome just stuck it to all you, and starbase7 4 hour on the line HA 2 of the 4 are sitting around and reading or out to the bar. and the 2 hour's that you do work you complain about it. at $27.00 buck's an hour. What a joke I'v worked in that place in the summer and seen the BS that go's on

O and just for all you'r info $27.00 an hour job's for a line worker will not be out in the workforce.So get on with you'r life and hope you get a job.

Senator Dodd (chairman of the auto bailout hearings) asked Rick Wagoner if he had thought or studied the idea of producing mass transit units due to the infastructure improvements coming in the near future. This is in response to the increase in mass transit recently. GM Janesville has had experience and history in making medium duty chassis that also could be used for these mass transit units. This could be a retention idea for the group in charge of presenting proposals to GM for Janesville. Take that idea and pair it with Isuzu (already producing medium duty chassis in Janesville) and you might have a viable idea.

I'm a little fed up with all you GM workers thinking that everyone that comments on this issue is out to get you or is attacking you as an overpaid autoworker. Get off your high horses. Not everyone thinks that. The fact is, many of you are in denial, and rightfully so. I don't want to see anyone lose their job and everything to be out cold. I don't wish that at all. What I do want is for the morons that run GM, the union, and everyone else that took part in destroying a very large corporation, to get off their #$# and admit they massively screwed up and are to blame for where they are at. What are you going to do to fix the problem? Are you going to build vehicles people want? Are you going to axe the union and make cutbacks? And the damn gas prices aren't the issue. They may have been for a brief time, but that excuse is over. It's about planning for the future and GM failed to do that!!!

Well said starbase7!You all are just "giddy" over the thought of "the over-paid autoworker" losing their job. Remember, with that lost wage comes lost tax revenue! You think your taxes are high now, just wait!

YES IT IS CLOSING..........MY GOODNESS.....JANESVILLE WORKERS ARE YOU IN DENIAL OR ARE YOU WAITING TO COME OUT OF DENIAL. IT IS CLOSING...............

I find it funny that everyone thinks it's fine that we work for this amount or that amount,yet none of you would last 4 hours on that Assembly line. The deals that General Motors makes with the Union is based on their own choices. All the big 3 have asked for is a bridge loan from the Gov. So that means less money than Micky D's pays a hour???
What is wrong with you people? The middle class is going away. Has it ever dawned on some of you that if you get your way and put the US auto worker in the poor house, the poorer you'll be in the long run? You must not be able to think that far ahead!! No wonder your still in a job making 7-10 bucks a hour!

Zoom: I knew you would correct me. And, I agree. Why even have 4 vehicles from the same family compete against each other? Stupidity and poor structure, that's why.
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spark: poor structure is management's fault and that is what I was intimating. However, circumstances beyond their control--are not their fault. Sorry it wasn't cleaner.
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Maybe it's just me, but I think one of the concessions to the bailout is that (they) close foreign plants who manufacture vehicles that are sold on US soil and keep US plants open instead.
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It's time we give "NAFTA the shafta" instead of the other way around!

I say we bring back American Motors Company to Wisconsin and retool the plant to make Pacers, Gremlins and my favorite, the Hornet.

The pay could be $12 an hour and two shots and a beer a day at the "Overtime" bar. However, the drinks have to be taken only when they are on the clock.

I was all prepared to make comments on this issue today. However, after reading through most of these posts, I am amazed at all of the short-sighted ignorance. "nothing wrong with working for $8 an hour"...."$9 an hour is better than nothing, be happy with that"...."people in Mexico are willing to work for $8 an hour that's why all of our jobs are leaving". I can see there's not much sense in even commenting here.

momf5 - you said "poor structure and foresight and circumstances beyond the control of the Union, line workers or even corporate management."

Poor structure is because of management. That's managements job.

I would love to see a GM worker live on 8-9-10 buck's an hour???? No more gravey train and running out to the bar on company time and getting smashed and braging about how the UAW will save his/her job,What a joke

chemical_6 is struggling to make it on $15/hr. Have to wonder why. I am about to lose my job making less than $14/hr - the most money I have ever earned in my life! I raised a child alone and am now the sole income for myself & spouse. Oh yes - I forgot to mention that I work a second job to keep things going.

Here's a thought for the Big 3 Automakers - how about reverting to a "base" vehicle? You know - ones that do not have heated seats, 13 cupholders, individual DVD players, power everything, etc. etc. The "extras" that have become "necessary" really drive the costs up. I don't know about the rest of you, but what I really need/want in a vehicle is a dependable ride. I'm using it to go somewhere - it is not my home!

The 2nd generation GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook have been canceled. The current 1st generation are still being manufactured. The question should be, why did GM make 4 essentially duplicate vehicles in the first place? Cancelling 2 of the 4 2nd generation vehicles is too little, too late.

You are confusing Hummer with the company that actually makes the military Humvee. GM has nothing to do with Humvee's. GM purchased the the Hummer brand name only from AM General, who still builds the military HMMWV (Humvee), as well as the H1 (discontinued in 2006), and the H2 under contract for GM.

cjjs35--General Motors IS consolidating thier products. The GMC Acadia you referenced: cut. Chevy Trailblazer: already gone. Buick Rendevous: been gone and the Enclave isn't too far behind. I'm pretty sure they had already announced cuts to the entire GMC line, because they are duplicate products (essentially). Suburbans and Tahoes and their GMC couterparts the Yukons and Yukon XLs are already on the chopping block. I had asked once why Arlington (Texas), which is a much younger plant, couldn't be reautomated and tooled to accomodate a different product and leave the SUVs in Janesville. Answer: Because the next generation of large SUVs will be entirely different than these. Check out the Chevrolet Traverse. It's almost like a mini-van, large SUV and mid-size SUV morphed into one.
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It is also interesting how people blame greed and $4/gallon public gas prices for the plight GM has found themselves in. Let us not forget that HUMMER, a GM brand, lost its military contract. That's a lot of change to lose and have to be absorbed elsewhere.
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There isn't one or even two reasons that have caused this meltdown. It has been a myriad of problems that have compounded over time because of poor structure and foresight and circumstances beyond the control of the Union, line workers or even corporate management.
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GM would be smart to ditch Saab. Combine the Saturn and Pontiac product lines (but I don't think they can because of union restrictions and the State of Tennessee). Consolidate the Siverado and Sierra pick-up truck lines. Scale back the Cadillac product line from 10 to 6. With it's first ditch? The XLR. It's a beautiful machine, but it is pure suicide on GM's part to have 2 luxury 2 seater vehicles competing against each other (the iconic Vette vs. the XLR) in such a slim market. Of course, these changes would help, maybe, boost GMs bottom dollar. But, would it really help boost our economy? The unemployment numbers for the month of November was a record high since 1974. It is pure conjecture, but I'd estimate 5 plant closings with these consolidations and deletions to the product line. Let's figure 4,000 jobs per plant. That'd be another 20,000 jobs from just the main plants from just one of the 3 automakers (they all have duplications in their product lines). Factor in supplier's who would also be without jobs and I think we'd thrust another 35,000 people into an already very crowded unemployment line.

It will be interesting to see if our new leader of the state assembly has as much foresight as he seems to suggest, or if the assembly has chosen its new leader poorly.

Perhaps, but at least they have a job. Most of the economic growth in this country is in states with low corporate taxes and Right to Work laws. As GM goes through its reorganiztion Janesville won't even be considered for the reasons stated above.

magneto1 - I am single and my car died so I didn't have a choice to get a new one. Luckly my payment is only $200 a month, and I have to have a phone, I don't own a home phone and with the plan I am on it's only $25 a month. Even with these I am still low on cash. Luckly gas prices are down... which is a whole other story... But technically, I think I am making wise decisions, and always pay my bills on time. Even if I have to eat mac-n-cheese

chemical_6-cell phone and car payment, probably not a good idea at your current income level.

I am not necessarily “for” the wages that they earned at GM but I do agree with the people that ask “would you work for $14 an hour?” --- If I had a family to raise in this economy, then no, I wouldn’t want to. I am a single woman, making $15 an hour. I live with someone and we split the bills evenly but then I also have a cell phone, car insurance, car payment, school loan, and some doctor bills. It’s hard enough to pay those things and have any money left over for food, and maybe clothes when I need them. I couldn’t imagine raising two kids with that income. I know people do it, but it would be a lot easier if they made more money. I know too, that A job is better than NO job… but “mylildog” is right… it’s hard to work on a line at some places. Its hard on your body, your energy and sometimes you just do the same thing over and over and over…. Which can cause health problems. I think that Janesville will be ok if GM finally closes, but what is the harm if it stays open and provides someone with a chance to make some money?

MY2CENTS-Mike isn't trying to save Janesville, he's pandering. If he really wanted to bring jobs to Wisconsin and Janesville he would use his new found powers to lower corporate taxes and enact Right to Work laws.

Why can't any of you think positive about what Mike is trying to do. Maybe if more of you stand behind Mike instead of bring him down we might just have a shot at this. He is trying to save this town and bring lost jobs back. Its not over yet....

Get over yourself mylildog......your nothing special.

ah how could those guys at gm should`nt be upset they should be glad they have jobs at all huh? to all those that make that classic comment, most of those guys deserve every cent of those wages that the rest of you are fixated on, money that is earn by bone grinding work to which most of the mouths complaining could not fathom. ok so most people see gm workers with nice houses and a couple of cars that,are allways parked beacuse of total exaustion from the glorified work that people love to hate , so before you make a comment on gm workers and the salary they make ,remember that it takes a lot of people to create the cars you drive,and since you people want to compare our countrys auto industry to japan, try to get an american dream on a japanese budget,and think about the humble people that serve your country building american dreams while you kiss your american car hood most of you couldnt make it a week assembling cars.....

Even if GM were rolling in cash the consumers who would buy new vehicles cannot afford them. Because home prices are in a free fall and a majority of Americans are maxed out on their credit there are not enough credit worthy customers to keep the current number of GM plants open. GM has too many brands and too much production capacity. Banks are cutting off or closing credit lines for millions of homeowners who have lost equity in their homes or who are facing foreclosure. Millions more will face unemployment in the near future. Trickle down economics will not work this time around. Instead of giving away what is turning out to be trillions of dollars to the financial industry the government would affect a better outcome by paying off the debt of every individual citizen in America. Why the heck should the little people, the backbone of this country be given a break? The auto industry and the financial services industries pay millions and millions of dollars to lobbyists to represent their interests. How can you expect people like Bernanke and Paulson who came from Wall Street and academia to do anything other than bail out their fellow bankers and stockbrokers. What happens when you tell your bank that you've lost your job and can't keep up your mortgage payments? If evil, greedy corporations deserve trillions of taxpayer dollars to prop them up then don't the rest of us deserve a break? I wonder how long it will take for Americans to begin rioting in the streets. How many will have to become homeless and hungry before they do something about it? The government and corporate world seem to be telling us all to eat cake while they reap the benefit obscene infusions of cash.

I dont see any of them going out and starting there own business, couldnt handle it. The more they got at GM the less they did, human nature. I think GM should contact nascar owners, mechanics and drivers, send them to the plants and get things going, afterall it was Mr Chevrolet, Mr Oldsmobile, Mr Durant etc who didnt even have a grade school education but new cars, they built them, raced them and formed GM. Now they have a ceo that doesnt have a clue.

Like GM management has nothing better to do right now and would listen to Mike Sheridan. Yeah right, give me a break. I doubt this conversation even happened. Sheridan, as usual, is trying to grandstand. Give it up Mike. GM is done in this town. Start working on getting new industry here like tech jobs or food processing. Beloit seems to be doing well with these types of companies.

ljs64 and darius- those are very good posts! You couldn't be more right. The American worker sneers at $8.00/hr and feels it's so below them to work for that, yet, they get upset when people from other countries take those jobs! We all need to be grateful for what we have. The me-me attiude is killing this country. The fact is, the people representing the unions have that attiutude as well. Hard to fight for what's right when the wrong people are doing the fighting for you.

Looks like a better offer than those working in Mexico. The union and GM should have negotiated for any new model about 15 years ago. That way they would have kept the plant open. Even retooling for any electric cars would keep it open way into the future. Didn't happen. Didn't look past their noses.

bosslady~ If I hadn't made the career move I did and needed employment. Of course I would!
What's the alternative? I don't get people's mindset. If they can't have it all, they won't work??? What are people going to do then? Just watch their families starve or let their homes be taken away? People don't realize how good they have it here in the U.S.! There's a reason people who come here from poor countries have such a greater success rate getting ahead than the average American. It's called humility. They know where they've come from and the opportunity that's available here in the U.S.! They don't sit around like spoiled brats and wonder what's in it for them! They get out and make it happen! They don't spend money they don't have, they don't ask for handouts and they appreciate what they have! Most of the people who are sweating things out over the closing of the GM plant wouldn't be sweating so hard if they didn't have massive debt staring them in the face! I'm not saying all of them do, but, many do! I was one of them! People have gotten away from what's important in life. Like family and friends because they're too focused on the almighty $$$! I personally know people who were making a third of what I was making while I was at GM and they were ten times happier than I was! So I did the smart thing.......I found out why! It changed my life forever! It's called humility! This age of entitlement is over! People are going to have to humble themselves to change or pay dearly. It boils down to what's more important to them? Material things or things money can't buy. Think about that real hard! Again, I'm not trying to sound like I have all the answers or that I'm smarter than everyone else! I know that to not be true! I've just chosen to take a good look at myself and realize that I'm in charge of my life and not GM or any wage amount! If it's meant to be, it's up to ME!

bosslady96- I do have compassion, telling people to get over it represents the harsh reality that people have taken way to long to realize, the plant is GONE. It's to bad, it's awful for the economy of Janesville and surrounding communities, but it wasn't completely unexpected! Get over it, move on, look for ways to lure prospective businesses to Janesville, sign up for classes at the local tech perhaps in in a medical field so that can find a comparable job. The auto industry workers out of work have it a lot better off then the average unemployed person, they are getting more funding for school and in benefits. I truly hope people use this to their advantage to help themselves and the community.

lilly.
Your comment to people "get over it" doesn't really reflect a person who wants this community to come together and pull through. Have some compassion in your posts.

Wouldn't it be cooler to be a vampire? They seem to be very popular lately. :-)

Frankenstein's monster. ;-)

garyprimer,

I don't think it is that tough to convince people they deserve a pay raise. Heck I always deserve one :-) (at least in my mind). I think the unions biggest challenge is getting GM to buy the notion that their workers deserve the pay raise.

cjjs35,

You are correct. GM really should scale down to their only profitable brands, Chevy and Cadillac. Even saving Buick is stupid.

Ok wake up people. GM HAS NO MONEY!! And it looks like no matter how hard they try and how willing the union is to help it is just not going to happen. Lets say for a minute the plant was saved. There would be extended down time while the re-tooled the plant for what ever product they brought in. Not to mention the age of the building that has not had any major repairs in a long time. It is so far from energy efficent. Lets not forget if the automakers should get the loan how long would it be before the plant would close again? A year maybe 2 at very best. One of GM's many problems is they have way to many product lines. On crossovers is there really a need for a GMC, Buick, Chevy and a Saturn crossover? They all do the same thing. A feature or two difference between them. Do they really need a Chevrolet and a GMC full size and mid size pickup and SUV? NO. I could go on but I have other things to do.

$14.00 per hour, $10.00 per hour, $8.00 per hour, benefits, all of this is better than nothing. Beggars can't be choosers. There are a lot of people that have never made $14.00 per hour and would be darn happy to have the opportunity to do so. One day the "I deserve $20.00+ per hour to work" will be over.

One of the biggest challenges that the union faced in the past was to convince workers and their families that they really deserved all of the wage increases and benefits that they were asking for. After all, workers are only human and if they did not keep them pumped up, they might start to feel guilty and be swayed by the negative feedback that they got from people outside the plant. Some people required little reinforcement, some required a lot, but they all got the same propaganda and that resulted in some of the Frankenstein monster types that have caused many of the negative feelings that we sometimes encounter on these blogs. I personally feel that these workers deserved much of what they fought for as much as anyone deserves anything. Now the union is in the awkward position of bargaining down to try to save jobs, while still appearing proud and strong to its members.

You darn right I would work for $14.00 an hour. Most line workers in this country who does not work for the the big 3 works for 9 to 11.00 an hour. If you are a GM line worker swallow your pride be happy you are making 14.00 an hour. Bring your self down to earth.

I supervised at Chrysler and I can honestly say that $14 is a little low for many of the line jobs. I would put a good number at $18. In my opinion, $18 per hour would be a very fair wage. Of course there are some jobs that don't require that, but in most areas of the plant, people work in teams and rotate on different jobs every two hours. Plus, you have to remember, if you drive down the GM employee's wage, GM as a corporation will look to suppliers to cut costs. And, you guessed it, that comes out of the suppliers' employees' pockets. Now you've got your suppliers paying $8 per hour or less. And really, unemployment looks more appetizing than $8 per hour because you'll make more money on unemployment.

They should be glad to work at all. $14.00 an hour to "work on a line" in a factory is actually pretty good pay. Seriously get over it GM is gone. People need to be concentrating on coming together as a community and pulling through these hard economic times. Not concentrating on the past and eating up false hope for the future.

darius...
I would like to ask you if you would work on the line for $14.00 hour?

ihavealife, It's not going to happen. But, even if it did, of course the workers are going to take the offer! There's nothing else out there! When reality sets in, it's a great wake up call for people. Some will practice humility and stay on track and move on with their lives, many will allow pride to stand in their way of progress and allow it to hold them back. Foolish pride is the reason the auto industry is in the dire straits it's in now! Not just the foolish pride of the manufacturer's, but, the workforce that's been taking and taking for years now. The time to start giving back isn't when the hammer falls, if the UAW had any leadership and vision at all, they would've been all over this many years ago. People can slice and dice this thing up any way they want, but, it's the truth. CHANGE is on the way.
Just for the record, I'm not relieving myself of blame either! I was a worker at the local GM plant and said nothing of this nature while I was there. All I could think about was what I could do for me and that was, GET OUT and not go down with the ship. If I could do it all over again, I would've pined for a leadership position with the union, even though I would've been fighting the masses who weren't into giving back! A leader stands for what's right, regardless of the consequences. Something the union leaders nationwide have no clue about.

**crosses fingers**

I'm all for GM staying in town but I think that we'll be able to move on without GM. I would like it if they kept their presence here, though.

There is always...Hope, but this plant is done. Hanging on to false hope is a waste of time.