The sad truth here is "History does repeat itself" folks. 1990 the Savings and Loan scam was bailed out by the governemt at the expense of those who worked in the building industry. (The Taxpayer still has not received that bill yet) Recently the banking industry was bailed out at the expense of those who took their loans from the sharks with no penalty. (That bill is still being printed) GM, Ford,and all other major corporations sold their souls years ago to the global economy. The disposable American workers who filled their treasuries are now discarded.

Who is to blame you ask? We all are for turning our heads while holding hands and singing "Kum BA Ya" to to rest of the world. Fact is the world laughed behind are backs for being so stupid.... Do you think its time to turn around and look out for our own? No one else seems to be up to the task. Our government is deaf, our businesses are blind to their actions, and our unions are helpless. That leaves the rest of us to sink or swim. Simply put, there is more to come. Maybe after we save the crickets and become a third world county again we can apply to the UN for a few bowls of rice.

To the people of Janesville my heart goes out to you. Rest assured you a part of a gwowing sector of workers. To the city officials, have you tried the "World Bank" for a loan. Chances are you won't have to repay it.

brightjade What Railroad and where if you want to answer ?

Can we all get real here. Yes it is sad that so many will be out of work (probably should have taken the buy out huh) but Janesville will survive and so will all the people who worked at the plant. Janesville has needed to head in a different direction for a very long time. Now is that time. Lets see what the city does now, lets promote more new business in Janesville and lets grow with the times. This is not 1970. We can all learn new things and I am sure most of you that work at the plant will do just fine in your new career. The world is changing people and if you do not change with it you surely will be swallowed by it. Take this opportunity to grow and move on with your lives, that we everyone can put this stumbling block behind us and our children can grow up in a great community, and raise their children in a great community. If we dwell on the negative we will become Beloit, or Flint or any other town that has lost manufacturing jobs. I talk to alot of people who work at the plant and all they do is complain about it. As a matter of fact I don't think I know anyone who works there that "liked it". Now we all have the chance to become more than a "GM town" I, myself look to the future and am excited to see just how Janesville can grow and become more than what it is today. I look forward to seeing my children grow and grow with the community to make it a better place for all of us. GM never was anything to me nor my family, maybe now we can all watch our town blossum into a city that can open its arms up to more than just the plant. I choose to embrace change, besides it is not as if these people are left out in the cold. They all will be taken care of for quite some time. Education holds the key to this towns succes, not the plant. Lets welcome the new business that would like to come to our community, not dwell in the past. I feel for you really I do, but the future is bright, embrace it, and move on.

General Motors employed thousands of janesville citizens. This closing isnt just effecting GM but other businesses' that will close and lose customers due to gm and other business' employees being forced to transfer or not having enough money. Maybe instead of spending time writing negative things on this wall about how gm workers got what was coming to them...do something more productive with your time because youre not going to change anyones minds that have worked at gm or that knows people that do/have.

Gov.Dole said that this WILL NOT be a RIPPLE EFFECT...... THIS IS GOING TO BE WAVES !!!! HE WAS RIGHT TO THE POINT ABOUT THE WAY GM HUNG US OUT TO DRY!!!! I WAS REALLY HAPPY WITH HIS COMMENTS !!! GO GOV.DOLE !!!

Oh I didn't give up and I don't care what your husband did for 37 years. I LEFT cause they pissed me off. There is a difference!!!!!!!!

MK i am not trying to I am just saying all
jobs have some cushion jobs and all have some hard ones at them.. If your lucky you get the cushion if not you get hard one. just be thankful you have a job.... My husband made it the 37 years in the railroad and did not give
up like you did .. I wish you the best in your life ....remember compashion is always good to have.. ty jadee

britejade....Thank you! For that comment!!!!

brightjade-
Yeah those are seasonal jobs like the sand train and the freight jobs that come from chicago is the CHICAGO CREW. I'm sure they sleep on some jobs but those are the ones with the most seniority that get those cushy jobs..the ones who are old and crusty. Look I'm not trying to defend union pacific by any means, I left it..cause they pissed me off. I'm just saying I have no hard feelings for the ones getting laid off...at allied they race the brand new SUV's onto the railcars and beat them up before they even get to the lot and at the plant..they just screw in bolts and then take an hour break. Thats it your not going to change my opinion and what I think...

The Gazette just REMOVED ALL of "Schwoogies" comments !!!! THANK YOU GAZETTE !!!!!

MK SO those are not the only jobs like at the plant there are othere. Like the sand job and the frieght jobs .. come on own up some do sleep on their jobs tooo. Also how much didyou get for pulling a switch that any 14 year old with any strength could do.....

to snazzyj1977

We will not become Flint...they are still clinging to industrialization, where as Janesville is somewhat more diversified ...also, we are in the Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago corridor...Flint basically leads to Saginaw, Port Huron, and Detroit...not the same combo...also, I find Wisconsin government to be a little more pro-active than that in Michigan, so time will tell, but we will not become Flint...

brightjade-
There aint no napping when your working in the yard so get your facts straight and there certainly isn't any napping when your making the 1 mile trip to the plant from the yard. There is napping on the long cross country trips but all the work in janesville is in the yard or at the plant so nice try.....

Again, not everyone who works at GM lives in Janesville and contributes to the local economy. The workers are not the first or the last to lose jobs; however, they have an advantage in that they were warned well enough ahead of time. What about workers whose employer abruptly close the doors and there are no options? So GM workers will have to take a job earning less or transfer. It's not the end of the world or the end of Janesville.

to Unidentified:

I did not mean to suggest that GM workers will go work at Prent, but was merely suggesting that (hopefully) Janesville will not go belly up...

I agree that jobs that are salaried at 12-14/hour will not very well compensate, however, **on an inflation basis from the 1960s, the salary of the average worker has not kept pace with inflation and ultimately purchasing power has gone down from that time** also meaning that we make less than we used to and it doesn't go as far (basically the erosion [but not the destruction] of the "middle class")

IMHO, we need more equity between the highest positions (upper management) and the lower positions...forget trickle down...we need to give more money to the workers, because they are the ones who spend...then when the inevitable raising of taxes takes place it will not hurt as bad....yes, I'm actually advocating that we raise taxes!

With that said, we as voters must also do our jobs by vetting candidates and selecting those that truly have the best interests of the people (as a collective whole) in mind, not their own political interests...it should be an honor to be chosen to serve the people, not a favor! But I digress...

DEAR mk, I know what you did for work also on
the union pacific and the chic northwestern. How about those so called power naps the railroad had you takin while on your train,,,, and all the hours you sit and wait and take those naps along the way . more to your job than your telling also right?

Seems pretty crappy to me that GM waited until after the deadline for the buyout to announce the closing....Surely more people would have taken that option if they knew what was coming. Obviously a bean counter somewhere said,"it will save us money to do it this way".

Also, if it were not for GM employees you not be able to purchase your prescious Cadillacs!

I do not consider Cadillacs fancy! You drive truck and I consider that lazy!

Don't feel like or can't? I could leave there, but then I'd be lowering myself to the useless self absorbed, self appeasing post you've spewed across the blogs all day. If your only daily enjoyment comes from basking in the light of other peoples misfortune, then I feel sorry for you.

I got up this morning to hear the news on GM... I can tell all you haters that I know a lot of workers that will go to work and still take GREAT PRIDE in the work that we do EVERYDAY ! This isn't the workers fault ! I just can't believe how some people find joy in this ??

I don't feel like reading a novel unidentified

Certainly Janesville will not collapse completely. However, I’m finding it humorous that there are those who must think jobs at other manufacturing facilities in Janesville like Prent will somehow pick up the slack for displaced workers from GM, Lear, other suppliers, and other much higher paying jobs. I also laugh at the somehow diverse job market in Janesville. If hundreds of nearly minimum wage retail and restaurant jobs are what people consider diverse, than consider me blind. The medical jobs created in this town are based on some of the excellent benefits companies like GM and Lear have offered. If the highest non skill paying jobs top off at 12-14 dollars an hour, than Janesville will have major problems when combining that with increasing tax bills. Granted, there are some smaller companies that pay marginally better, but those jobs typically don’t enable someone to retire from said company as they change hands or go belly up more frequently than larger companies. In addition, as the equity evaporates from local homes as prices will certainly drop, disposable income from everyone will erode as many people use home equity as personal loans for various needs. There seems to be many who must think because Super Walmart packed on a Saturday, that Janesville will not be has heavily affected by this announcement. I guess some in Janesville are satisfied with Janesville being a pass through shopping and eatery city like Rockford. Outside of the many parks, GM was Janesville’s main source of notoriety. Now we can rely on having one of the nicest Super Walmarts as the main attraction. I think the city council should take up opening that new water facility again, since that was as big priority only a few months ago. Maybe that tunnel under east Milwaukee for the bike path? Surely those types of spending ideas will justify higher taxes. It would seem priorities have been in the wrong places for too long. I don’t think Janesville will go belly up, but I do think there will be some tough times ahead. Priorities will need to change from lousy wasteful spending to potential job creation and lower taxes.

hanginout-
I worked for Union Pacific down at JATCO, I know exactly what they do so don't try to tell me what they do when I see first hand. I've been inside the plant and I've seen what they do. I KNOW WHAT THEY DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To all of you that are happy that GM is closing, who and what will you complain about now?

Mk1009nes...They get whats coming to them?? What the heck the matter with you! You THINK all they do is stand around and tighten bolts! WHATEVER! There is also more then JUST GM that is going to be impacted by this! My husband works for one of the companies that works for GM and hauls their vehicles. These jobs are very hard physically on their backs, shoulders etc......There are people that climb on railcars, and have to be walking through them all day long bent over and have serious back issues from this! Until you have experienced working at GM, or Lear, or Allied Automotive or LSI then shut your trap! You need to get a life!

Schwoogie.....You also need to get a life! I thought you had a REAL job! Well apparently not because you have so much time to be on here bashing people! GET A LIFE!!!!! By the way, it is people like you with your HONDA crap that is why the AMERICAN economy is the way it is!

Hey Schwoogie, you got the right idea..lol They got whats coming to them. No more standing around and tightening down bolts anymore...POOR BABIES!!!!!!!!!!

Is there anyway GM will reconsider keeping the Janeville plant open?

I have compassion for those who will lose their jobs. Fortunately GM is not abruptly closing and there is time for those workers to either transfer or find another job. Secondly, not everyone who works at GM lives in Janesville. There are plenty who commute, and they are probably not contributing to the local economy. Yes, it will affect Janesville but I don't think it will be devastating. At one time it seemed like everyone worked at GM, but times have changed. Not everything revolves around the auto industry.

To normalcitizen:

My wife commutes to Madison five days a week and we have no plans to discontinue this...one just has to be smart about it. We will be getting a more fuel efficient vehicle and she drives about 60mph to conserve gas...these gas prices affect all of us and it is unfortunate that, as opposed to planning ahead (government policies, smart living, etc.), it actually takes something to happen to make people take action (I'm guilty too, but I try not to be!).

OK, use your favorite search engine and type in "Existing Conditions Report City of Janesville" and a report from last year will come up with some useful information concerning (pages 95-106 will be most pertinent to this situation) who employs people in Janesville. Certainly it's terrible to have GM close and I think that we could see contraction of 4,000 jobs (or more) from Janesville...of course not all of those people live in Janesville (probably about 60%) but obviously it's still huge...there are other industries, and as in Beloit, I think that Janesville will never lose all of it's manufacturing capacity...there are other companies including Lab Safety, Simmons, Prent, and others that are not directly related to GM that (hopefully) will stick around...finally, the rosy predictions for population growth, etc., are probably now out the window...I don't subscribe to the "doom and gloomers" like many of the comments below, however (IMHO), some contraction is inevitable, both in population, jobs, and the overall economic environment. I have some family members who have worked for GM (so I somewhat know the dynamic) and my thoughts and best wishes go out to those who will lose their jobs.

Let me start by saying that I feel for those who will lose their job either directly at GM, one of its suppliers, or through the 'ripple effect'. That said, I believe Janesville will survive, perhaps even prosper in the long run. I moved to this area in 1999 from a city that lost two of its largest employers in the early '90s. For several years that area experienced financial hardships which eventually saw almost 15% of the population relocate. However, over time the town transformed itself first into a "bedroom-community" for the three surrounding larger cities (think Rockford, Madison, Milwaukee), then into a thriving service and recreational based economy and has now become a haven for hi-tech firms. While Janesville may suffer in the short term, I do not foresee the city's future as bleakly as many here do.

PowerMaker To answer your question about your taxes. I just read in the gazettextra GM announced today that the janesville plant will be closing, and the next article I read said our property taxes were raised 3.8 % so you tell me if so many people are out of a job and and have to choose what to do with the money they have (feed their kids or pay taxes) what do you think they will choose??? And when taxes arent paid it will then affect those who have the ability to pay because they will go up again to make up for the rest.

GM itself pays accounts for a huge chunk of taxes, but I am sure they get some kind of break. I would imagine they still have to pay them after they close it, though, or there would be a sheriff's sale for back taxes wether they use it or not? I would imagine people will leave town as they find out they will have to travel to Madison, Milwaukee, Rockford, or Chicago to find jobs that would pay enough to support their family. But at $4 and rising gas prices, it is impossible to commute this distance anymore. Will have no choice.

How many of the GM workers affected, live in communities other than Janesville? Will that lessen the ripple effect? How much tax does GM pay the city? I hear about the loss of tax base, but does that mean that everyone who is affected will leave their homes and the community? Property taxes aren't going down. Will those affected choose to not pay their taxes? Is that why we will be losing so much money? Will my property taxes be going up to compensate? Not being sarcastic, honestly would like to know the answers to these questions.

Comment to "my3girls": [your quote]"Thank you ditzy for remembering the suppliers who will be losing their jobs too... My husband is one of them. While some of you think this won't affect you, who do you think some of your customers & neighbors are??? It is going to have a big ripple effect." [end quote]

It takes a village. Why else would the local merchants be clamoring to have you spend those income tax refunds in their stores?

Thank you ditzy for remembering the suppliers who will be losing their jobs too... My husband is one of them. While some of you think this won't affect you, who do you think some of your customers & neighbors are??? It is going to have a big ripple effect.

To "normalcitizen": Anecdotally, my girlfriend is a 'transportation coordinator' for a major firm nearby.(Eastern Maryland) Big fish and picking up business from smaller carriers being consumed by all of this. One year ago, a driver left the company to go the owner-operator route and his rig is parked and up for sale as of 04-14-08. Hardworking man trying to better his position in life. But not able to absorb a 40% increase in diesel since December. Salt-of-the-earth people being thrown out onto 'scorched earth'. Just lovely.

Last Fall, I purchased my sixth vehicle made in the Janesville plant... a 2007 GMC Yukon XL Denali. I am a small business owner and have prided myself on buying product made in the states. Demand for your product is not all about gas prices as my windows leak, the mirrors rattle in their holders, the windshield trim flops around at highway speeds and it is a $50K vehicle!

Please explain to me why is it that on the day of such horrible news to so many people (not just GM employees, GM has many suppliers that will be losing their jobs as well, not to mention the ripple effect that this will cause to unaffiliated companies that will have to down size)that so many would choose to bash each other blurt out unnecessary comments (go get a real job) instead of sticking together and supporting each other. Have a heart!!!! Has anyone stopped to think about how the suicide rate is going to increase when people are no longer able to feed their children, or even considered the children and how they will be affected?
Grow up, get mature, and remember "If you dont have anything nice to say.... KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!!"
Stop adding oil to the fire.

Yes, it is certainly important to rethink the necessity of education at this time. Sadly, there will be hard times ahead for the school district of Janesville due to the closing of GM. Not only will enrollment decline due to relocation of families, but GM supplies millions of dollars in property tax revenue that has helped to fund the district for years - I can see the loss of a lot of elective courses and larger class sizes in general as the district tries to compensate for this large loss. The impact of this closing, while not as detrimental to the community as it would have been during my childhood in the 1970s, will have much more far-reaching impact as suggested by previous posters. Having grown up the child of a GM working parent, my heart goes out to these families as they try to figure out a new way of living and having to make some really tough choices about the future.

I was laid off from the trucking industry a little more than two months ago. Trucking is definitely NOT secure.

Comment to "jviers77": JB Hunt laid-off 1500 people last week. Other major transportation concerns are teetering upon the brink. Airlines are shrinking or just winking out of existence altogether. The odds are against us and the situation is grim. We've drained 50% out of the value of dollar almost overnight by virtue of onerous fuel costs.

Nothing wrong with volunteering. I agree with jnsvlbaseballmom. Today let's hug and then talk about ways we can work for free! Hey, maybe GM would keep the plant open if everyone would just volunteer! That would be swell!

Comment to "mruglyhands": Granted then. Perhaps your 'tone' was difficult to determine in print. Everything we own is an encumbrance. I learned this when my wife died 6 years ago and I began to take stock of a life together of 26 years and the trappings which attend it. I 'slimmed' down, became mobile and moved with GM 3X before retiring just months ago. I feel for these souls who'll be forced to confront their deepest fears, take stock and re-establish themselves. It can happen, but the initial shock weighs heavily upon the heart, body and mind. Best wishes to all.

I just can not believe the mind set of some people. WHO in their RIGH MIND wishes ill on people?? Most days I really do have faith in others, but in situations like this, it is very disheartening to hear others wishing ill will on people. Janesville is a wonderful city,
just read yesterday's paper and the article of some of our wonderful citizens who are receiving acknowledgement for their VOLUNTEER EFFORTS !! If we would only learn to be there for each other instead of ripping one another apart....

The work unions haven't really created much security at all have they? When they made management unable to be flexible with the market, they created a system where it was wiser to close the plant and fire all the workers who have been such loyal union followers. Schwoogie's a short sighted goof - but I don't think that flattering the union is a good comeback. The union is at least in part responsible for the closure.

Schwoogie...
*
Maybe I'm mistaken, but aren't trucking companies across the country cutting back because of rising fuel prices? You're a fool to think 2,600 people losing their jobs won't effect everyone. That's 2,600 less families going out to dinner as often as they used to, putting strain on restaurants...2,600 fewer families going to the movies, going on vacation.
*
To your hatred of unions, just remember, Wisconsin is an employment
at-will state, meaning that an employee may generally
be discharged at any time for any reason. So, when your employer starts feeling the effects of our nose-diving economy, you'll have no union to protect your job.

schwoogie-You drive a semi for Honda; yeah that is a really secure job with $4.60 a gallon diesel fuel. People like you who make the kind of statements you did about the GM plant are the scum of the earth. Be glad you do have a job because if you need another one that requires an education you are in trouble!

Hey Nostromo, I'm not jealous in the least. Those houses and Corvettes are like cement shoes. The GM workers were my customers or were customers of my customers. When that money leaves the local economy there is going to be a silence far quieter than 9/11 in all of our businesses. This news is going to slash sales in Southern Wisconsin even more than gas prices and slow housing this summer. People will finally be holdding on to their dough but that will just exacerbate the problem. When their are no dollars to multiply there is a contraction. Motivational sentiment and positive flattery won't help right now. Best advice to everyone - MOVE!!!

This is not a Flint, Michigan situation. Flint had 80,000 GM employees at it's peak.

"schwoogie" the only reason you have a "secure" job is because of the work unions have done over the last 100 years. You don't have to be a union member to reap their benefits.

Hey Schoogie - When you take the incomes away from 2,600 for starts out of a community there is a ripple effect. After your done laughing at all the bankruptcies and the former pseudo wealthy standing with their families in line to get a peanut butter and jelly sandwich from a local church, you're going to see that car sales for all cars are going to just stop. When car sales stop so do the trucks hauling them. But don't worry, I'm sure that they'll save some sandwiches for your family.

Can any one say Flint Mich? The sad thing is This will effect more then just the people who were working at the plant..you have lots of hard working people who work at supplier companys like LSI,FSS,lear just to name a few who wont get any compenstation when the doors close! I work at one of them for 10 years and all 10 years we always heard how GM was going to close and now after two years of me leaving its finaly going to happend..I'm glad I got out of the auto industry when I did!..Good Luck to those who did not save any of those big paychecks!

Instead of commenting to the trolls, just hit "suggest removal".

schoowgie: Okay, time to take your chill pill.
Each time I see a Honda Truck Driver, I'll be sure go get out of your way. Sounds like you have issues...

Comment to "schwoogie": You don't have clue #1.

SarahB: All I'm saying is he cut and ran and he did period. I would never say anything bad about the real workers. Big labor and big business work the same at times

Does anyone know what benefits were provided to other facilities (GM)that have closed in the recent past?

This is a terrible day for Janesville and the surrounding communities. I am truly sorry for the employees and their families, not just at GM, but at the supplier plants as well. You can blame a lot of different people and circumstances for this situation, but don't forget to blame our President and his VP who have done nothing to ease the oil crisis (why should they, their families make millions in the oil business). Sorry, I didn't want to get political, this day about the workers. Good luck.

The city/county really needs to start cutting back also. All pet projects need to be scrutinized or canceled, we’ll no longer have the tax base to support it. Good thing they added onto Craig and installed AC. For those that stay around Janesville the tax burden will increase. The wife and I work in Madison and it might be time for us to move.

I'm not sayimg anything bad about the employees I feel horrible about the news. Its a major blow to Janesville. I do want to wish all the workers good luck and God bless, your friends will be there for you.

It amazes me that some GM employees are still so loyal that they fail to lay blame where it belongs...corporate management. This isn't Janesvilles fault; this isn't the markets fault; this isn't labors fault. Honda, Toyota and Nissan are not having the sales downturns that GM, Ford and Chrysler are having, because the former had the foresight to build the right vehicles people want.

Comment to "mruglyhands": Your commentary reeks of jealousy. Most of these people will land on their feet. Deal with that.

Remember the old story about the ant and the grasshopper? Most of the GM workers I know have been grasshoppers not saving a nickel in case this scenario that we've been talking about since I can remember actually happened. We have single guy GM workers who built $400,000 homes and two Corvettes because they could afford the payments. Do you feel that cool wind blowing? Winter's coming.

Just to let you know the announcement was made at 7 am eastern time which would have made it 6 am our time.

Comment to "chelleandlou": Unlikely. In an ironic twist we need those places now. We're a 'WalMart-Nation', like it or not.

For all you people saying it's managements fault for not "looking into the future"....I didn't see any of you complaining of all the OT you worked for the past 20yrs buying all your expensive houses, boats, cars, summer homes.....do I need to go on? If you knew it was going to come to an end then why didn't you put your money away? All I ever heard was “this place is never going to close” while leaving early from the shift end. Since I worked down there I feel for some of the people but not others. For everyone who always left early...got drunk at lunch...stole parts....complained that their jobs were too tough...etc. I don't feel for you at all because you took advantage of a high paying job and now you have to live with the decision to stop a low efficient plant.. Did anyone see the JD Power for Janesville? Now you know why they are shutting it down. I hope all the good people find another job and rebound from this. I'm just glad I left GM when I did.

i feel bad for everyone expecially my husband who is one of the mecanic's who keeps all the trucks running that go to the plant, and a good friend who works at fss who's wife is going to chemo what is going to happen to them when there is no insurance to help pay? (if my spelling is wrong please forgive me it to early for me)

Comment to "nowind": No. It was to give the appearance of business-as-usual. GM intends to service the high end of the market by building here the vehicles it knows it can sell here. There are still people who'll not blink until gas exceeds $8 per gallon. They need or desire those large vehicles. GM will continue to consolidate it's North American nucleus and import everything else it wants to sell here from Mexico, China, Korea and other points East. They lack the will to have their 'lesser' ambitions succeed here and see greater profit in sourcing the 'heavy-lifting' associated with manufacturing small cars elsewhere.

O-M-G!!!!!!!!!!!! good luck everyone! And, seriously, resorting to calling names, showing ill feelings or worse yet glee is really not necessary and certainly not going to be productive. Keep up the civility, posters!

This will not only affect GM and Lear employees and families; but the entire county. Wonder how long it will take for Sams Club, Walmart, and Menards to shut their doors....and forget selling your house now. Now's the time to put a LOT of pressure on our legislatures.

I would like to think that some employees could possibly get a relocation to another GM plant, but I suppose that would be too much to ask. I know moving would be a hardship but if it means jobs for many of the GM workers, why couldn't that be an option?

bcjst1more: So, are you going to say the same thing about the hundreds of others who are taking the buyout plan? Give the guy a break. What have you done to help others today?

This is from a Gazette artical in October
"Our strong market share performance and our ability to outpace industry trends on volume demonstrates the consumer acceptance of our new products,” he said.
Less than a year ago GM still thought SUV's were a smart investment. They didn't see it comming and got caught with there pants down without a strong economy car offering.

I have/had several family memebers that work/ed for GM. I know what kind of stress these employees go through not knowing with each new model and type of vehicle if itis going to be a "hit" or not. It was not poor management. The SUV's were, and still are, a great vehicle. We have one and would not trade it.
My husband works for Gilman, I know what the GM families are feeling as we are too.
Poor management? NO,lack of interest in some vehicles, yes. There just is not call for certain vehicles and machinery anymore.
We do need help with the economy. But, who can help with that? Govenor, President, citizens? Yes to all. We all need to pull together.

Isn't it funny that your leader Mike Sheridan has bailed before the bad news. Shame on you Mike for not sticking in until the end. He will probably do the same at the state level

Comment to so_sorry: Workers/Citizens have been 'shorted' by business leaders and politicians alike. Yet we're still exhorted to buy that product or support their candidacies. What type of psychotic Twilight Zone are we inhabiting?

My grandfather, father and brother have all been proud, hard working employees at the Janesville General Motors plant.
Shame on the leadership of General Motors for not being proactive in creating fuel efficient vehicles; thus, putting GM employees and their families in this position.
My thoughts and prayers go out to all....

To "pointing_out_the_obvious": So very true. GM 'killed' the electric car, the EV-1. Imagine if they'd been building off the knowledge gained from that for the last decade. It borders on criminal negligence. Certainly it is supreme stupidity. 'Red Ink Rick' should be handed his hat.
GM holds it's 'Team Meeting' today in Wilmington, DE. Fifteen miles from where I sit typing this.

Looks like it is time to start filming ROGER & ME 2: THE CITY OF PARKS

I don't think anyone is bashing the GM employees. I don't work there, but I do know some employees and I don't doubt that there is a hard working group of employees there, that are loyal to GM. Unfortunately, upper management has put this factory in this situation. GM could be thriving if they had looked more forward and produced higher mpg cars. They fought the electric mandate in California when they had a viable Saturn electric (EV1). If they had looked more at cars like the Prius they would be doing well. It is too bad that management put employees in this position. Management will probably land on their feet and run another company into the ground and the hard working line workers will be the ones who struggle. If they close alltogether it will be a sad day for the workers and the community in general. I hope the Janesville plant makes it.

This is shocking ... and, yet, most people in the Beloit-Janesville area expected the plant to close one day. I've never worked at GM but have numerous family members and friends who have. This is sad news for them and the rest of us. Very, very sad news. My thoughts and prayers are with those most directly affected ... and with the surrounding area because the impact of the plant closure will likely reach all of us in some way.

This is terrible news for Janesville and the surrounding communities. This one will hit hard.

Reports: GM to close Janesville SUV plant

General Motors Corp. will close its Janesville sport utility vehicle plant early next year, the Detroit-based automaker is set to announce today, according to published reports.

The factory is one of four GM is closing across North America, along with plants in Moraine, Ohio, Oshawa, Ontario; and Silao, Mexico, the Toronto Globe and Mail reported, citing industry sources.

The Janesville factory, which opened in 1919, is the oldest of GM's assembly plants. It survived a sweeping restructuring two years ago but wasn't able to withstand a dramatic deterioration in the market for large sport utility vehicles in recent months, as gas prices soared.

GM has long banked on SUVS for a significant share of its profits, since they are so much more profitable to produce than cars. But with gas prices at $4 a gallon and high food and energy prices mean consumers are turning away from the big vehicles.

GM reports its May sales later today. Through April, sales of the Chevrolet and GMC big SUVs had fallen by 27% to 33% from a year ago. That falloff prompted GM to announce that it would reduce from two to one production shifts at the Janesville factory and several other truck plants in July.

The Janesville plant employed nearly 4,000 people less than three years ago.

At the beginning of the year, as oil prices passed the $100 per barrel, GM executives maintained confidence that a downturn in sales in the first part of the year would be offset by a recovery in the second half of the year.

My step-father works for a company that makes sunroofs and things for the GM vehicles. I'm honestly surprised to see the amount of posts that I have only mentioning how GM workers are supposedly spoiled. The big picture is that GM workers are not the only people who are going to be hurt by it but anyone who works for any parts factory that supplies for them. I worry they will lose their home. In times like these you have to stick together and not come apart.

THIS IS BAD NEWS FOR ALL OF US. EVEN THOSE THAT ARE NOT EMPLOYED AT GM. YOU WILL SEE A TRICKEL DOWN EFFECT ON ALL SURROUNDING BUSINESSES. I DONT WORK AT GM, BUT HATE TO SEE ANYONE LOOSE THERE JOB. IF IT DOES CLOSE. GM'RS KEEP YOUR HEADS UP. GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL.

My husband and I saw this on Channel 27 News last night. They were talking about rumors that the plant would close and that there would be a meeting and formal announcement today at the plant.
It is getting very scarry around here with all the business closing. GM is the biggest business around here. Gilman closing as well in an anouncement just Friday. Who is next?!
We do need someone that can help the economy and fast!

While it is a sad day that the plant will close, it won't be the "end of the world". Janesville will be in the same position that many cities were in when near by military bases closed. It won't be easy & it will call for some "tightening of belts"(a hint to the city management), but I'm sure we'll pull thru somehow.

I have never worked at GM but I have always been a proud GM supporter due to the influx of jobs and money they brought into the community. What can we do now together as a community to attract businesses to come here to fill the void???

I don't think there are too many GM bashers just that the comments of the few stand out. I hope the city taxes the heck out of the empty plant- as the way it is now do they pay any city taxes?

I feel for you GM workers in beautiful Janesville, Wisconsin. I worked in GM's Fisher Body plant in Trenton, NJ (now closed)from 1976 to 1997.
I nearly transferred to your plant in 1994 but an illness in the family prevented that. Many good friends of mine from Trenton did find work in the sprawling Janesville facility. America is evolving swiftly and not necessarily for the better. In some places the work ethic has all but disappeared. Who would feel loyalty to a retail outlet or burger franchise? Few. The honest work we once performed here with dignity is flowing swiftly offshore. Our derelict politicians hamstring and undermine the efforts of the hardworking civilian workforce by 'negotiating' biased trade agreements which eviscerate families, towns and cities leaving them as pale shadows of their once proud selves. My heart goes out to you. As but for the Grace of God there go I. I once spent 4 days among you looking around the area in July, 1994 and my heart is there still.

aprilgal- Good for you !! I worked last night and there were a lot of upset people about the annoucement coming today ! My wish on here today is that posters remember that this is about people and not robots.This is not something that people need to take joy in !!I'm PROUD to LIVE and WORK in JANESVILLE!!! Best of LUCK TO ALL MY UNION BROTHERS AND SISTERS !!!

My father worked at the GM plant in Janesville most of his working days. It has always been a sign of success for Janesville. Unfortunately GM has never been forward thinking in the motor vehicle department. Building super high mpg cars has never been their goal. You can blame GM on this one.

It is already real bad around here! And, it is not going to get any better. I'm a GM family who has a husband who works dam hard down there, and I am sick of all the GM Bashers in this town. We will get through this, not with the help of the people of Janesville-but our own faith in us. I've lived here all my life and I am not proud one bit to say I live in Janesville. But I am proud to say that my husband is a hard working General Motors worker.

GM to close Oshawa plant: reports
Canwest News Service
Published: 28 minutes ago
General Motors Corp. is expected to announce Tuesday that it will cease production at four North American factories next year, including its pick-up facility in Oshawa, Ont., according to various media reports.

The closure could result in the loss of more than 1,000 jobs at the Oshawa plant.

GM also plans to shut the doors on operations in Janesville, Wis., Moraine, Ohio, and another plant in Silao, Mexico.

General Motors is expected to shut down operations at four plants, including the plant at Oshawa, Ont.
Photo by Getty Images

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Font:****All the plants manufacture sport-utility vehicles and other large vehicles that are less attractive in a time of record-high gasoline prices.

© Canwest News Service 2008

The first shift employees were told that they would all receive an announcement at 6:30 and then watch the press conference at 7:00 a.m. The Gazette could at least wait and hear what is said to the employees first! Oh, that's right - this town doesn't show respect to their workforce.

Forget about when the meeting was for a second here......and all the GM Bashers think for a minute too. How sad this is for all the families around here. I was talking to someone yesterday that works at Lear and they said if GM goes so will Lear. Do you realize how many people are going to be out of jobs around here.. It will effect all of us in one way or another...I guess we all knew in the back of our minds that it would happen sonner or later there has been talk of it for a few years now.....and the time is near now.....It is going to get real bad around here....

This was posted on www.canada.com at 6am CST

At a meeting that isn't suppose to be until 6:30 this morning. Apparently you can jump into the future