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GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's

 
XinTexas
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03/12/2009 11:33 PM
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GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
Thought you guys might enjoy this little bit of truth...

*******

Greg Knox, President of Knox Machinery wrote this. His company provides supplies for the "Big Three" auto makers.
One day last year, Greg came to work and received this email in his inbox:

Dear Employees & Suppliers,

Congress and the current Administration will soon determine whether to provide immediate support to the domestic auto industry to help
it through one of the most difficult economic times in our nation's
history. Your elected officials must hear from all of us now on why
this support is critical to our continuing the progress we began
prior to the global financial crisis......................As an
employee or supplier, you have a lot at stake and continue to be one of our most effective and passionate voices. I know GM can count on you to have your voice heard.

Thank you for your urgent action and ongoing support.

Troy Clarke
President General Motors North America

So Greg sat down at his computer and started typing out a response to the President of GM. When he was finished, he sent the letter to his mother. Like a good mother, she wanted to share it with others .. and the letter soon became viral on the Internet. Once you read it, I think you will understand why.

Response from:
Gregory Knox, Pres.
Knox Machinery Company
Franklin, Ohio

Gentlemen:

In response to your request to contact legislators and ask for a
bailout for the Big Three automakers please consider the following,
and please pass my thoughts on to Troy Clark, President of General
Motors North America.

Politicians and Management of the Big 3 are both infected with the
same entitlement mentality that has spread like cancerous germs in
UAW halls for the last countless decades, and whose plague is now
sweeping this nation, awaiting our new "messiah", Pres-elect Obama,
to wave his magic wand and make all our problems go away, while at
the same time allowing our once great nation to keep "living the
dream"... Believe me folks, The dream is over!

This dream where we can ignore the consumer for years while
management myopically focuses on its personal rewards packages at
the same time that our factories have been filled with the worlds
most overpaid, arrogant, ignorant and laziest entitlement minded
"laborers" without paying the price for these atrocities...this
dream where you still think the masses will line up to buy our
products for ever and ever.

Don't even think about telling me I'm wrong. Don't accuse me of not
knowing of what I speak. I have called on Ford, GM, Chrysler, TRW,
Delphi, Kelsey Hayes, American Axle and countless other automotive
OEM's throughout the Midwest during the past 30 years and what I've
seen over those years in these union shops can only be described as
disgusting.

Troy Clarke, President of General Motors North America, states:
"There is widespread sentiment throughout this country, and our
government, and especially via the news media, that the current
crisis is completely the result of bad management which it certainly
is not."

You're right Mr. Clarke, it's not JUST management...how about the
electricians who walk around the plants like lords in feudal times,
making people wait on them for countless hours while they drag
ass...so they can come in on the weekend and make double and triple
time...for a job they easily could have done within their normal 40
hour work week. How about the line workers who threaten newbies with
all kinds of scare tactics...for putting out too many parts on a
shift...and for being too productive (We certainly must not expose
those lazy bums who have been getting overpaid for decades for their
horrific underproduction, must we?!?)

Do you folks really not know about this stuff?!? How about this
great sentiment abridged from Mr. Clarke's sad plea: "over the last
few years ...we have closed the quality and efficiency gaps with our
competitors." What the hell has Detroit been doing for the last 40
years?!? Did we really JUST wake up to the gaps in quality and
efficiency between us and them? The K car vs. the Accord? The Pinto
vs. the Civic?!? Do I need to go on? What a joke!

We are living through the inevitable outcome of the actions of the
United States auto industry for decades. It's time to pay for your
sins, Detroit.

I attended an economic summit last week where brilliant economist,
Alan Beaulieu, from the Institute of Trend Research, surprised the
crowd when he said he would not have given the banks a penny of
"bailout money".

"Yes, he said, this would cause short term problems," but despite
what people like politicians and corporate magnates would have us
believe, the sun would in fact rise the next day... and the
following very important thing would happen...where there had been
greedy and sloppy banks, new efficient ones would pop up...that is
how a free market system works...it does work...if we would only let
it work..."

But for some nondescript reason we are now deciding that the rest of
the world is right and that capitalism doesn't work - that we need
the government to step in and "save us"...Save us my ass, Hell -
we're nationalizing...and unfortunately too many of our once fine
nation's citizens don't even have a clue that this is what is really
happening...But, they sure can tell you the stats on their favorite
sports teams...yeah - THAT'S really important, isn't it...

Does it ever occur to ANYONE that the "competition" has been
producing vehicles, EXTREMELY PROFITABLY, for decades in this
country?... How can that be??? Let's see... Fuel efficient...
Listening to customers... Investing in the proper tooling and
automation for the long haul...

Not being too complacent or arrogant to listen to Dr. W. Edwards
Deming four decades ago when he taught that by adopting appropriate
principles of management, organizations could increase quality and
simultaneously reduce costs. Ever increased productivity through
quality and intelligent planning... Treating vendors like strategic
partners, rather than like "the enemy"... Efficient front and back
offices... Non union environment...

Again, I could go on and on, but I really wouldn't be telling anyone
anything they really don't already know down deep in their hearts.

I have six children, so I am not unfamiliar with the concept of
wanting someone to bail you out of a mess that you have gotten
yourself into - my children do this on a weekly, if not daily basis,
as I did when I was their age. I do for them what my parents did for
me (one of their greatest gifts, by the way) - I make them stand on
their own two feet and accept the consequences of their actions and
work through it. Radical concept, huh... Am I there for them in the
wings? Of course - but only until such time as they need to be fully
on their own as adults..

I don't want to oversimplify a complex situation, but there
certainly are unmistakable parallels here between the proper role of
parenting and government. Detroit and the United States need to pay
for their sins. Bad news people - it's coming whether we like it or
not. The newly elected Messiah really doesn't have a magic wand big
enough to "make it all go away." I laughed as I heard Obama "reeling
it back in" almost immediately after the final vote count was
tallied..."we really might not do it in a year...or in four..."
Where the Hell was that kind of talk when he was RUNNING for office.

Stop trying to put off the inevitable folks ... That house in
Florida really isn't worth $750,000... People who jump across a
border really don't deserve free health care benefits... That job
driving that forklift for the Big 3 really isn't worth $85,000 a
year... We really shouldn't allow Wal-Mart to stock their shelves
with products acquired from a country that unfairly manipulates
their currency and has the most atrocious human rights infractions
on the face of the globe...

That couple whose combined income is less than $50,000 really
shouldn't be living in that $485,000 home... Let the market correct
itself folks - it will. Yes it will be painful, but it's gonna' be
painful either way, and the bright side of my proposal is that on
the other side of it all, is a nation that appreciates what it
has...and doesn't live beyond its means...and gets back to
basics...and redevelops the patriotic work ethic that made it the
greatest nation in the history of the world...and probably turns
back to God.

Sorry - don't cut my head off, I'm just the messenger sharing with
you the "bad news". I hope you take it to heart.

Gregory J. Knox, President
Knox Machinery, Inc.
Franklin, Ohio 45005
Don't bother calling me a Neocon. I'm a card-carrying Libertarian.
----------
A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes. - Mark Twain
Anonymous Coward
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03/12/2009 11:40 PM
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Re: GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
thoughtfully written piece I must say
Anonymous Coward
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03/12/2009 11:48 PM
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Re: GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
thoughtfully written piece I must say
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 537690


+1
Anonymous Coward
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03/12/2009 11:53 PM
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Re: GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
hf
Anonymous Coward
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03/13/2009 12:13 AM
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Re: GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
Very good.
snarkModerator
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03/13/2009 12:19 AM

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Re: GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
HELL Yeah.
T For Texas, T For Tennessee!


The virtue of courage is a prerequisite for the practice of all other virtues, because otherwise one is virtuous only when virtue has no cost. There are times when something needs to be done, and yet we know that if we step up and do this needful thing, we will pay a heavy personal price. -C.S. Lewis
Nailer45

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04/01/2009 08:46 PM
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Re: GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
The spoken truth is always good to hear. I hope all GM execs and CEO'S lose everything they own and end up homeless begging on the streets.
Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.
Thomas Jefferson
Anonymous Coward
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04/01/2009 09:17 PM
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Re: GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
Yeah, non-Union so the people can live in double-wide trailers with no insurance. Some of you are falling for it. Unions are not like this across the country, only in some places, usually in some of the northern industrial strongholds. This anti-Union, broad brush statement is not true. Labor, yes union labor, accounts for about 8% of the cost of a vehicle, management accounts for about 25% Talk about misdirection and playing on working class envy, that one of their own blue collar compatriots have it better!
Anonymous Coward
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04/01/2009 09:40 PM
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Re: GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
Yeah, non-Union so the people can live in double-wide trailers with no insurance. Some of you are falling for it. Unions are not like this across the country, only in some places, usually in some of the northern industrial strongholds. This anti-Union, broad brush statement is not true. Labor, yes union labor, accounts for about 8% of the cost of a vehicle, management accounts for about 25% Talk about misdirection and playing on working class envy, that one of their own blue collar compatriots have it better!
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 647617



IF I understand you currectly you are pro-union. Then Exlpain to me why the states that heavily union are the ones that are in the most trouble, Michigan, California, and New York are some that come to mind. WHile the non-union states, Texas, Louisisana, Alabama, others are not in as bad shape. Also lets look at the Autmobile makers, GM is a heavy union operation, Chrylser is pretty much a union comapny also. However, Toyota, Ford, hell even Mercedes are not is quite as bad shape. You know what the difference is
the difference is that the second group does not have a strong presence. So these companies can afford to price their vechiles cheaper. Another reason is that car makers have to make cars to meet these cafe standards and just about every state is different in terms of emission requirement which also affect the price of gasoline. TO really make american car companies stronger it is very easy. First, take the power from the unions, they basically tell the car companies what to do. These would automatiaclly maek the price of a GM, or chrysler drop and then magically they would sell more vechiles. Secondly, relax these stupid cafe standards. It would let the car companies make the cars most people would like, and it would also drop the price of gasoline. This is because refinieries would only need to make one type of gasoline, not 50 million( number not accruate).
Anonymous Coward
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04/01/2009 09:44 PM
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Re: GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
Fake
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 647617
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04/01/2009 09:47 PM
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Re: GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
Yeah, non-Union so the people can live in double-wide trailers with no insurance. Some of you are falling for it. Unions are not like this across the country, only in some places, usually in some of the northern industrial strongholds. This anti-Union, broad brush statement is not true. Labor, yes union labor, accounts for about 8% of the cost of a vehicle, management accounts for about 25% Talk about misdirection and playing on working class envy, that one of their own blue collar compatriots have it better!



IF I understand you currectly you are pro-union. Then Exlpain to me why the states that heavily union are the ones that are in the most trouble, Michigan, California, and New York are some that come to mind. WHile the non-union states, Texas, Louisisana, Alabama, others are not in as bad shape. Also lets look at the Autmobile makers, GM is a heavy union operation, Chrylser is pretty much a union comapny also. However, Toyota, Ford, hell even Mercedes are not is quite as bad shape. You know what the difference is
the difference is that the second group does not have a strong presence. So these companies can afford to price their vechiles cheaper. Another reason is that car makers have to make cars to meet these cafe standards and just about every state is different in terms of emission requirement which also affect the price of gasoline. TO really make american car companies stronger it is very easy. First, take the power from the unions, they basically tell the car companies what to do. These would automatiaclly maek the price of a GM, or chrysler drop and then magically they would sell more vechiles. Secondly, relax these stupid cafe standards. It would let the car companies make the cars most people would like, and it would also drop the price of gasoline. This is because refinieries would only need to make one type of gasoline, not 50 million( number not accruate).
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 626855


Because plants are being built overseas even the non-union labor is apparently too expensive. GM is a BUREAUCRATIC dinosaur which accounts for 3 times the labor cost. What Union are they in?
Eschatology

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04/01/2009 09:58 PM
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Re: GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
Yeah, non-Union so the people can live in double-wide trailers with no insurance. Some of you are falling for it. Unions are not like this across the country, only in some places, usually in some of the northern industrial strongholds. This anti-Union, broad brush statement is not true. Labor, yes union labor, accounts for about 8% of the cost of a vehicle, management accounts for about 25% Talk about misdirection and playing on working class envy, that one of their own blue collar compatriots have it better!
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 647617

I worked for a non-union supplier (Japanese) in the 90's. My start pay was $12.50/hr. end pay was $18.95/hr. I had damn good ins. it cost me $3.95/wk ($5k family dental included). I had paid 4 weeks "shut down" time. 2 weeks paid vacation, 5 paid personal days.

I owned my home, so no "double-wide" worries for me.

I won't deny American management is a waste of money....Reminds me of that old joke....



A Japanese company ( Toyota ) and an American company (General Motors decided to have a canoe race on the Missouri River Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance before the race.

On the big day, the Japanese won by a mile.

The Americans, very discouraged and depressed, decided to investigate the reason for the crushing defeat. A management team made up of senior management was formed to investigate and recommend appropriate action. Their conclusion was the Japanese had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering, while the American team had 8 people steering and 1 person rowing.

Feeling a deeper study was in order, American management hired a consulting company and paid them a large amount of money for a second opinion. They advised, of course, that too many people were steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing.

Not sure of how to utilize that information, but wanting to prevent another loss to the Japanese, the rowing team's management structure was totally reorganized to 4 steering supervisors, 3 area steering superintendents and 1 assistant superintendent steering manager. They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 1 person rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called the 'Rowing Team Quality First Program,' with meetings, dinners and free pens for the rower. There was discussion of getting new paddles, canoes and other equipment, extra vacation days for practices and bonuses.

The next year the Japanese won by two miles.

Humiliated, the American management laid off the rower for poor performance, halted development of a new canoe, sold the paddles, and canceled all capital investments for new equipment. The money saved was distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses and the next year's racing team was out-sourced to India.

Sadly, the End.
As a man begins to live more seriously within: He begins to live more seriously without.
Anonymous Coward
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04/01/2009 10:00 PM
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Re: GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
Yeah well, I ain't interested in no damn Chinese built Corvette.
:daggerinheart:
Anonymous Coward
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04/01/2009 10:22 PM
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Re: GM and Ford parts supplier just blisters the ass off of the automakers CEO's
i think gregory j knox will start losing orders very soon!





GLP