Gm is about to lay off people here locally and you know what? I have no sympathy for them.. why? they get 48 weeks of unemploymnet which is augmented by GM so they get full pay.. THEN after that, they go into a job bank where they collect 95% of their wage untill? they get another job? and these people a gripe about it? I don't get it?

Ok, I admit I don't know much about unions at all, but don't they pay a portion of their check to the union for this kind of thing?

yes employees pay unioun dues BUT no where the amount thats needed to continue this type of programs GM and the other companies pay the vast majority of it.. so where is the bailout money going then?

At the price they charge for their products, I'm surprised that their total "elaborate package" isn't even more! It is just unreal. I feel as if they have strike for so much...now they have struck their self right out of a job. No...I don't feel sorry for anybody that is knocking down roughly $70 bucks an hour...just ridiculous! JMO!

well LOrdstown made the national news as of this moment..lol I don't feel a bit sorry for them... I just don't understand why they are complaining they still will be getting a paycheck .. when so many others can't find work.. makes me sick to hear about GM employees. selfish and stupid.. all at one time.

hope the other people applying for the jobs get them first!

I am union and my company is SCREWING us!!! Wont go into details but will say, we wouldnt have those kinds of benefits. We cant even get the company to settle a contract!!!

unions built this country, if you coulda got job at GM in lordstown, you know you wouldve and then you would be in the same boat....walk in their shoes then tell me about it

I dont work for them either. But **** rolls downhill. The money they make actually gets spent and puts other people to work. And there are thousands of small shops that make parts for them too. Who dont get all of that extra. They basicly assemble the cars.

I used to work at couple of different shops, one was a plastics place made $9.00 hr, Then along time ago I machined Rotors for $7.50 hr. Not anywhere near what actual Ford or GM workers get. That machine shop had 300 workers and now has 25.

Some of the Union demands might have been or are way out of line with the reality of today life but if company agree to them they must not complain about it.

I do agree that any of the money for their bailout should be to create jobs not to make people stay at home getting paid because a lot will go work somewhere else in the meantime so taking jobs away from other people who need it more.

You people do not get it. Practicaly every part of those cars are made in smaller shops across america. And trucked into the Large factory to be assembled. Steel workers, truckers, textile workers just a whole slew of people who dont make those big wages and benefits are effected.And you will be effected too. When they dont buy what you make.

ok I will tell you about it... I did get offered a job at the lordstown plant several years ago. But after seeing what the union was about I turned it down.. I don't care for uniouns. People should get certain rights , BUT with UAW? give me a break they wanted everything on america's back . sorry... could of? would of? I don't think so ...

living near the lordstown plant I am fully aware of all the support bussiness that work their butts off to provide Gm... many plastics and machine shops here for that.. yet some like Lear ( seats and other parts) are tied directly to Gm also.... I realize a lot will suffer with the layoffs.. But not THE GM EMPLOYEES

I am on the fence on this one. My brother up north has worked his way up the ladder from the foundry to admin. at John Deere...great for him!

Where I live...not only is there no Union...we purposefully keep Unions out...ya gotta go to Dallas or Houston for that kind of gig.

At the company that I work for...no union can save your ass. Increased wages and benefits are individually earned...no one gets a free ride. There is no charter dictating the precise outline of one's duties and obligations...for us...we are a team and everyone from management to the newest guy will do any and every part of the job to help out the guys who we work with...the last person who was stupid enough to say "That ain't my job" around me...got fired on the spot. (well, not so much fired...I simply took him off the work schedule for 6 months...he didn't bother showing back up)

If you ain't willing to do anything and/or everything for your company...you don't deserve the job. Personally, I got where I am because of individual work ethic.....not because of mob mentality. (in reference to strikes) I would be the first scab to cross a picket line to take the jobs of the people who felt that they are simply entitled to it.

Love the work ethic! Go South)) Unions make people lazy. It's a socialist organization, but I'm like you, I feel sorry for those stuck in places that have to deal with them or risk loosing their jobs b/c the other union guys are holding strike posts behind their backs. Sort of reminds me of the mafia.. ;p

good for you I worked for a company like that .They took care of the employees and the employees took care of the company with out unions..... oneof the best places I ever worked at. I just think it sux that all I hear on the news is the poor workers at Gm... not anyone else.

I live in Michigan and our unemployment rate is the highest in the nation. They don't make $70 an hour our even half that. My son lost his job a couple of yrs ago because of the downturn in automotive. He worked as much overtime as he could but was making about $20 and hour. They lose their jobs, their health care, their retirements. Most went into the job right out of high school, are too young to retire, but too old to be "hireable" by other companies. Michigan is in bad shape right now. The hospital I work out is now laying people off because our costs are up due to the underinsured coming in and we take them all. It is a vicious cycle and I do feel bad for these folks. The trickle down affect will hurt thousands of families and other businesses.

I agree Skad. It does strike me as almost communistic. and the Mafia reference is spot on..."Do it our way...let us have it our way..OR ELSE!"

To me, that sh*t don't fly. I don't care if someone has spent decades at a job...if they are too good to pick up a mop if the floor is dirty...(as an example) and "let someone else do it" is thier attitude...let em have that attitude while they fill out thier next job application cause they sure as Hell wouldn't work with me.

I also do not like unions. I worked in one once and work a button for a few days that said "My union sucks" I was "asked" to take it off. But if you want the job, you are required to join the union. Unions are not used the way they were set up to be used. They originally were to protect the workers from long hours, low pay, OT with pay, bad working conditions, underage workers, etc. Now it is just a joke.