FORD's Turn

[KaGee]

From FOX NEWS:<br />

Beleaguered automaker expected to cut thousands of North American jobs, close plants in massive restructuring

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: FORD's Turn

Another one? I thought they just did this a couple of years ago.<br /><br />I always wonder, why do we trust CEOs that created the mess to get companies out of the mess?<br /><br />Ken

 

[vipzach]

Re: FORD's Turn

Ford reorganized 4 years ago Ken. I think they are shutting down 8 plants and loseing about 25000 jobs. I think those are the numbers I saw this weekend.

 

[NOSLEEP]

Re: FORD's Turn

Its been in the cards for a long time.<br />Ford needs to refocus on the kinds of vehicles they<br />are offering and close all its under productive plants

 

[Kwas]

Re: FORD's Turn

Health care is what is killing the american car companies, that along with foreign inports. As can be seen imported cars affects our whole economy. One way to to help our economy is to buy american. There is a misconseption that we make inferior cars, we make great cars.<br /><br />Buy american and save jobs.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: FORD's Turn

There is only one problem with American cars. They cant make any profit from them. American labor is too expensive compared to the rest of the world.<br /><br />Either our labor rates (and benfits) must come down, or the car buying public must be willing to pay more for an American made car, or we can increase import taxes.<br /><br />Pick your poison.<br /><br />Ken

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: FORD's Turn

Increase import taxes....Should have been done a long time ago.....Especially anything made in China.....JK

 

[rogerwa]

Re: FORD's Turn

Totally agree with KIZ.. The CEOs have their arms tied behind their backs because they cannot manipulate the source of their highest costs. Cost cutting and staff reduction is a valid way of bettering the economics of the company. Only the mgmt cannot do it due to the union influence.<br /><br />Don't even get started on the mgmt bonuses and all that. A guy screwing lug nuts has free health care and getting paid way more than what the job is worth. <br /><br />I also don't beleive its a quality issue. its a perception issue. I bought a new Suburban 1.5 years ago and had very little problems after 26K miles. Basically radio problems. I have a Ford Expedition with 140K on it and still running and looking good. People think Hondas will go for 200+k and probably will. They can ask full MSRP because of this and do not have all the sales and rebates that GM and Ford do..<br /><br />Just my .02

 

[DJ]

Re: FORD's Turn

Before one goes CEO and Management bashing---check your facts.<br /><br />Ford's CEO has not taken a salary, since he has taken the seat. Nor, has managemnt received any bonuses, of any kind. Would YOU want the FORD name now? I don't think so. It entails RESPONSIBILTY! That is something, we Americans, have learned to shun.<br /><br />The facts are clear. "Perception" is the rule. Americans have convinced themselves that their next door neighbor is a "goof" producing inferior products. But, who knows their neighbor??? He/she might think the same of you.<br /><br />We as Americans have convinced ourselves that big business and industry is BAD. (Thanks Hollywood) We are now left as a "service" industry nation that cleans up, after a big show, after our foreign competition. <br /><br />Toyota is He!! bent to make themselves into an American Company. It's a hard sell on me when we do not get to see the bonuses and perks leveled on their Exec's-IN JAPAN. But, Who cares? It's all for one-now.<br /><br />As far as I'm concerned, my father (uncles) did not go through living HE!! (WWII) to see our nation turned into a bunch of "broom pushers" as servents to Japanese, Korean and German-LORDS. But, who cares? Welcome to-SERFDOM.<br /><br />The "dumbing" down has worked. Adolf Hitlers dream. He had one thing right. His dream was to exact a certain "thinking" into the German populace. He was succesful, beyond belief. <br /><br />We (US) have resources-oil. etc., yet, we can't use them. Our "collective" shame prevents it. Our foreign competition KNOW's it. We're so caught up in our guilt/prosperity the guilt factor reaches a crescendo.<br /><br />The rest of the world is laughing at us and "cashing in".

 

[18rabbit]

Re: FORD's Turn

Ford's not cutting "thousands of jobs", it's cutting 10's of thousands of jobs...30,000 of them from 14 plants.

 

[technostingray]

Re: FORD's Turn

Originally posted by KenImpZoom:<br /> There is only one problem with American cars. They cant make any profit from them. American labor is too expensive compared to the rest of the world.<br /><br />Either our labor rates (and benfits) must come down, or the car buying public must be willing to pay more for an American made car, or we can increase import taxes.<br /><br />Pick your poison.<br /><br />Ken

Perhaps we could have guest workers come in to keep the cost of production down.

 

[JRJ]

Re: FORD's Turn

Ford was building units just to keep plants busy=good for the workers. They over-estamated the suv market=overstock. QC wasn't good enough=people go for quality. Some styles aren't in demand=no buyers. This is some of what I heard Bill Ford say today. I wish Ford Motors employees the best and hope they are given something to build and sell that I will buy.

 

[txswinner]

Re: FORD's Turn

American Management teams are not doing a good job and many are crooks. Look around and see all the Enrons. then look at the likes of American Airlines loss money but pay big bonus to management to keep the managers on who were so good at losing money. sorry, as i know DJ will be on this that I am just anti-American, but I am a bit of an American Entrepenuer myself and see the bad sides of these large corp management teams. It is criminal.

 

[bandit86]

Re: FORD's Turn

I would not think twice about buying a ten year old import. I don not want a ten year domestic. If I can afford new, I'll buy one I can sell later. On our fleet of company cars, luminas blew headgaskets left right and center, ford taurus and windstars spew out transmission like there is no tomorrow. The older Caravans had nothing but tranny problems. in 160000 miles, two of our for tempos went through 7 transmissions. My neighbours new chev truck is in and out of the shop with tranny troubles. Since switching to corollas, fleet expenses dropped dramatically. better fuel economy, less repairs. Do the math.

 

[KeltonKrew]

Re: FORD's Turn

tx....for once I agree with you <br /><br />not only do these corrupt CEO's get huge bonus', golden parachutes, etc, they will move on to another company and repeat. They are in it for themselves, not the overall good of the company or their employees. I've worked for a company that had several CEO's come in that had literally ran their previous employer to the ground....why our company thought they would do us good is beyond me!<br /><br />I also agree that the unions are a lot to fault. In my business, you don't perform, you look for another job. With unions, you don't perform...heck, we'll protect you and they can't touch you....kinda like a majority of the un-productive gov't workers out there! <br /><br />you don't like your pay, get a different job or exceed expecations....that's how you advance...not by having some group of legalized mafia keep you employed!

 

[PW2]

Re: FORD's Turn

I love everyone trying to fix blame on Ford's woes.<br /><br />If they made a quality product of the style and features people want, at a price they are willing to pay, the people will buy it.

 

[saumon]

Re: FORD's Turn

Originally posted by Kwas:<br /> Health care is what is killing the american car companies, that along with foreign inports. As can be seen imported cars affects our whole economy. One way to to help our economy is to buy american. There is a misconseption that we make inferior cars, we make great cars.<br /><br />Buy american and save jobs.

I think you should have a look at this thread<br /> Buy American <br />they talk about Mexican-built Ford, German-built Chrysler and American-built Toyota! <br /><br />Wich one qualify as an American car for you?

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: FORD's Turn

PW2, Ford does a pretty good job on those ideas, they just cant make a profit with the cars anymore. Rising overhead costs have killed their profit margin.<br /><br />Also, I forgot about pension plans (I call the deferred salary plans).<br /><br />Pension plans are good ideas if a company is young. But when those older people start cashing in, the company suffers.<br /><br />Pension plans are now bogging down several companies.<br /><br />Think about that when you count on your pension plan. It might not be there if the company goes bankrupt.<br /><br />Ken

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: FORD's Turn

First I have to blame the unions. There is no reason why someone who pushes a broom should get 20 dollars an hour. Secondly, I have to blame the unions, again, there is no reason why someone who tightens lugnuts to 40 lbs ft should get 20 dollars an hour. Thirdly, I have to blame the government, there is no reason why any foreign manufactur is not subject to some kind of tarriff on what they bring in or "assemble" here.<br />Lastly, thank you Hollywood and the media for beating it into our heads that "America is bad...foreign is good". No-one in my family has ever bought a foreign car, we only buy American. My 16 year old son is looking at cars, he is expecting my "help" (that means he wants me to help pay for it) so far he is looking at Honda's and such......if he wants my "help" it will only happen if he buy's American....period.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: FORD's Turn

It's a problem that effects any country that wants to play 'world economy'.<br /><br />Import tariffs are a two way street and it is a hotly debated point in most international trade agreements.<br /><br />Increasing import tariffs usually means that your export orders deminish.<br /><br />The U.S. is known for being world leaders in a lot of diverse fields, maybe it's time that automobiles are taken of that list - dunno.