[Shotimes] Re: (OT) How to avoid the pitfalls of pricing Former Porsche boss: There's no 'right price' for a car

[Mark Nunnally]

>Remember one of the major issues with the "employee pricing". The Big 3 are
>saddled with the "pay me anyway" UAW contracts, so they don't save squat
>when they shut down a line. 

That and the obvious healthcare costs (at least for GM), are what are killing them (or have already killed them).  That and the endless line (save a few) of ho hum cars that nobody cares about anyway!

The '98 convention plant tour of the 3.0L and 2.5L duratech motors was a real eye opener for me.  The little 5th grade reading level charts (with pictures!) at each of the various work stations so they could just swap workers around and "learn" a new skill and fill in at any station.  I will never forget the connecting rod station, where a box of 6 end caps and rods would come floating down the line at 1/2 mph while 6 workers (3 on each side) sat on cushy stools dropping bearings in the caps and rods.  A stupid 5th grader could do that, was 7 yrs ago, and they were probably making close to 2x then what I make now in 2005!

mark