Yes, the should get the 25 b LOAN they are asking for if for no other reason than the cost to local, state, and federal governments could reach $156.4 billion over three years in lost taxes, and unemployment and health care assistance if they don't get it.
The unions are not the cause of the current problem. The credit crisis is wounding the U.S. auto industry in many different ways. Car makers can’t get loans to restructure and to produce new advanced technology vehicles. Suppliers and dealers can’t get loans for routine business, and customers can’t get loans for new cars. Car sales have dipped in the last month to the lowest in 25 years due to lack of loan money. The workers could work for $2.00 an hour and that isn't going to help free up the loan money due to the Wall Street crisis.
UAW contracts have reduced the pay rates so that new hire-ins are only getting $15 an hour and starting in January the union will take over the health care expenses, saving GM 9 billion an year. Unions have already been working with the company to reduce expenses and save the company.
As for your comment: "Sorry Michigan looks like it's time to go back to school and learn a trade instead of suckin it up on your cushy union over paid factory job." Many/most jobs in auto factories are now very high tech and require skills you can't learn without specialized schooling and training---that's why the call them SKILLED TRADES. You act like working in a factory is something anyone can learn in 10 minutes which isn't true of most jobs there.
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