GM To Seek Government Incentives To Reopen U.S. Factory

[Robbien]

Source: WSJ

ORLANDO, Fla. (Dow Jones)--General Motors Co. is taking steps toward reopening a shuttered U.S. factory that would have a "non-traditional, innovate" style of manufacturing, GM North American Chief Mark Reuss said Saturday.

GM faces shortages of several key vehicles and expects that shortfall to continue without added manufacturing capacity, Reuss said. The auto maker plans to start seeking local and state tax incentives as it weighs whether to restart production at a U.S. plant.

. . .

"We're looking for something that may not be traditional in how we staff it and how we operate it. It would be innovative," Reuss said during an interview with reporters at the National Automobile Dealers Association in Orlando, Fla.

. . .

The two factories considered the most likely contenders to reopen are in Janesville, Wis., and Spring Hill, Tenn. Those plants were closed as parts of GM's bankruptcy but are not part of the so-called "Old GM" being liquidated.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100213-700896.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines

---

They profited from public funding when the sites were closed and now they want more public money to re-open them.

Also

"not traditional in how we staff"---in other words, non-union slave wage positions.

[dencol]

1. Sure, let's make a deal.

As long as the CEO makes no more than 25 times the lowest paid worker. That would allow for the greedy to strive for the top, while putting more money in the pockets of the middle class who will spend it here in the US.

[BulletproofLandshark]

2. Sounds like extortion to me. n/t

[hayu_lol]

4. Food for thought:

Maybe it is time to open a brand new plant under the Studebaker mark. Plant could have a tremendous design, research, and development for the production of all-electric or very high milage vehicles. Start up stock prices(to acquire capital)at from $1-$5 share.

This would be located in South Bend, Indiana where the old Studebaker works were located for over 100 years prior to becoming part of the infamous 'rust belt.'

Union of course. Without unions, we contribute to the destruction of the middle class.

[seabeckind]

3. At the risk of being called a socialist

Why don't we do eminent domain and take OUR factory? I'm sure employee/ownership where they approve executive and worker pay and maintain the new corporation as a non-public owned, ie, no stockholders, can't do a worse job.

Then we can use our tax incentives to provide a slightly non-level playing field so they can compete against the inferior (ie, foreign-owned) products.

Afterall, isn't that what other countries do to us?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. In other news, American auto maker GM doubles their sales in

the U.S., outstripping all other automakers, sends condolences to Toyota, "Them's the brakes".

[420inTN]

6. Springhill, TN is the old Saturn plant, iirc.

It was non-union originally.

[LiberalFighter]

22. Union from the beginning

[pipoman]

7. Imagine that

the plant in Fremont CA isn't on the short list...I guess it's ok since we aren't talking about Toyota in this thread..

[Omaha Steve]

8. I would think Fremont would be the easiest to get running a GM product again ASAP!

But then I'm not paid to make that kind of a decision.

[pipoman]

11. The current UAW employees aren't even off the job yet...

it could be seamless. But I am sure it is more that the terms GM can get in a TN or WI on a new UAW contract and incentives offered by the state and locals for far less than they could in Cali..but again, we are not talking about Toyota in this thread.

[high density]

9. Does GM just want us to own them completely?

I mean we threw money at them because an entire industry was at stake. Now demand is increasing and they can't deal with increasing manufacturing capacity? Sounds like we're damned if we do and damned if we don't.

[Garbo 2004]

10. GM executives are socialists!! Enemies of free market capitalism!! Commies!

;)

[Blue_Tires]

12. why not Detroit?

the city could use it, and it would be a great PR symbol, to boot...

[jobwithout]

25. Ill tell you why

Because they want non-union labor.

[boomerbust]

13. Plant in Janesville, Wi.

Would never be reopened without union representation.

[jobwithout]

24. Keep thinking that

[Odin2005]

14. This is extortion.

[jobwithout]

15. GM to talk to states about plant incentives

Source: Reuters

General Motors Co will talk to state and local governments to see what incentives might be available before deciding which shuttered U.S. plant it will reopen, North American president Mark Reuss said on Saturday.

Reuss said if a shuttered U.S. plant is reopen, it would operate in a more flexible, and innovative way.

"What we want to do is something that may not be traditional in terms of how we do it and how we staff it and how we bring it on and off," he said.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61D00V20100214

---

Does this mean no union jobs? Methinks so. Good think we rescued them huh!

[CC]

16. If they are talking to local governments they

are looking for tax breaks, utility breaks etc. Basically who will give us/pay us the most. The union part they have to negotiate with the UAW.

[msongs]

17. GM can pay all its bailout and back wages due first eh? nt

[jobwithout]

18. "how we staff it "

Certainly means that they are looking at different ways to staff it. Maybe contract labor?

[PSPS]

19. "Incentives" = Make me a better offer than I can get in Mexico, suckers.

Gee, let me guess. No union, taxpayer subsidy, tax breaks, infrastructure improvement on the taxpayer dime, employees without health insurance get thrown onto taxpayer-funded state medical program, etc. But at least the CEO will get his multi-million dollar bonus, build a multi-mansioned "compound" and "stimulate" the local economy by hiring a team of gardners.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

21. Hiring a team of "Mexican" gardeners...

to stimulate the Mexican economy.

[Psephos]

20. Because $50 billion in govt. cash isn't quite enough. n/t

[LiberalFighter]

23. The best innovation that GM should implement would be in their management.

Labor is not the problem. Management continues to screw it up. Especially when they use college graduates straight out of college.