Bob Moore Closing Dealerships

[Curt]

I think GM would be warmly recieved if they moved to OKC. Probably the best thing any of the Big 3 could do is move out of Michigan. Well 2nd best maybe. GM needs to do 2 things; declare bankruptcy so they can get rid of the huge union obligations and close Pontiac, Hummer, Saturn, GMC, and Buick. As for Chrysler, they are privately held by a hedge fund - let them figure out their own problems or better yet - let the UAW buy them.

The best thing either of the D3 could ever do is get rid of the unions however they had to do it. The unions are truly the hemroids of the D3.

[Kerry]

Curt - it sound like you need a trip to the UAW education camp and resort in Onaway, MI. With the right kind of motivation you could become a union supporter. I have some vacation time - maybe I will go with you. I was just looking at some of the ammenities and it seems like a great place to learn about unionism and play a little golf.

From the UAW golf course website:

Black Lake Golf Club is the newest addition to the UAW’s Walter and May Reuther Family Education Center, situated on 1,000 heavily forested acres along the southeast side of Black Lake, one of Michigan’s largest inland lakes near Onaway, Michigan.

Black Lake Golf Club complements the Center’s recreational facilities, which now include a beautiful gym with two full-sized basketball courts, an Olympic-size indoor pool, and exercise and weight room, table-tennis and pool tables, a sauna, beaches, walking and bike trails, softball and soccer fields and a boat launch ramp.

and here is what we can look forward to at the education camp:

The Walter and May Reuther UAW Family Education Center is located on Black Lake near Onaway, Michigan. It is funded from interest on the UAW strike fund. No union anywhere in the world offers an education center of this magnitude to its members. With its stunning design, beautiful location, and warm, open atmosphere it is the envy of labor educators.

Each summer UAW families may apply to participate in the scholarship program. Members, spouses and older children learn about the union and have the opportunity to participate in supervised recreational programs.

The education center conducts conferences geared to the responsibilities of union officeholders. Classes are offered on leadership development, union involvement, health and safety, political action, civil rights and many other topics.

[Kerry]

OK - here is the link to the mother lode: The Union contracts between the UAW, Ford, GM, and Delphi. Have fun reading.

http://www.uaw.org/contracts/index.cfm

[Kerry]

Holy crap - I am reading through the union contract with GM and the entire State of Michigan appear to be just one large welfare state and the Big 3 are/were paying all the bills. No wonder the University of Michigan writes all these great forecasts about the auto industry - half of their staff is paid by students who get the money from union benefits.

I guess when the pro-labor crowd said the Michigan economy would colapse without a bailout they weren't kidding.