"Inhumane": a laid-off GM worker in Ohio responds to massive job cuts

[workinclasszero]

GM says that more than 14,000 auto workers will lose their jobs in the coming months.

By Alexia Fernández Campbell Nov 29, 2018, 5:30pm EST

Nanette Senters

There’s a lot of blame to go around. I blame a lot of it on our president. I think it all started when Trump repealed the [Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard].

The CAFE standard meant that you could produce small cars that are energy-efficient and that would kind of balance out the building of big trucks and gas guzzlers. Building the Cruze meant that GM could also build many big trucks and still meet fuel efficiency standards.

When Trump repealed the CAFE standard, that gave GM more of an incentive to get rid of the Chevy Cruze and do this restructuring.

Then there’s his trade wars and his unfinished trade deals, which are hurting the entire country. Ford, Chrysler, Honeywell — they are all outsourcing good union jobs. The jobs being created are not good-paying jobs. They are $12-an-hour jobs.

Alexia Fernández Campbell

How much do you earn?

Nanette Senters

I make $30 an hour.

Alexia Fernández Campbell

Trump has threatened to punish GM for closing the factory. Are workers hopeful something will change?

Nanette Senters

All of the president’s rhetoric has divided the workforce horribly. I was here when Trump had a rally here last summer. He said, don’t sell your house, do not worry about that. I am going to bring jobs back.

I didn’t believe him. From day one, I could see what he was — the way he managed to give people false hope. A lot of people are still hoping he will save them now. It’s disturbing.

Alexia Fernández Campbell

Are you getting severance pay?

Nanette Senters

Yes, thank god for our union. We have a union guarantee of nine months of pay after March, and we can keep our health care. But it will be about 90 percent of our pay, and it cuts a lot of benefits. We won’t be getting bonuses or any profit sharing.

Nanette Senters

It’s a good idea, and we’ve sent him letters. But Trump is not willing to put his money where his mouth is. And so many of my co-workers, around half of them, are still pinning all their hopes on Trump. I hope I’m wrong. I hope he does do something about the thousands of jobs companies are still sending abroad. But he hasn’t done anything about Carrier, Honeywell, or Harley-Davidson.

Basically, since he’s been in office, it has been an assault on good-paying jobs. What he’s doing is not translating into anything good for middle-class America.


https://www.vox.com/2018/11/29/18117931/gm-worker-layoffs-reaction

[ProudLib72]

1. 14,000 doesn't take into account the spin off jobs

I heard that each job at the Lordstown plant equaled seven spin off jobs. I don't know if I believe that, but I would certainly believe three or four jobs. That's a lot of people being hurt by the Rump.

[workinclasszero]

3. That's for sure

That whole area/region is going to pretty much die economically.

There sure won't be any 30 dollar an hour jobs to take the place of the GM ones with a HS education or less.

[gratuitous]

2. Gee, Ms. Senters seems to be fairly articulate

I wonder if any of the news shows will have her on to talk about stuff? Or are they too busy booking nincompoops who are always wrong about everything but who say things that are soothing to the fatcats and the sponsors?

[sprinkleeninow]

4. Well, d'oi. You got what you asked for if casting your precious vote for

any repukkklican, esp. the humongous turdy one. It's not 'inhumane' for * to pull this crap. * is known for it. It's SOP. It's in *'s 'system'. Hey lady, where have you been all these decades....

Shoulda caught a fracken clue. What happens when sheeple neglect to educate themselves, thus getting enlightenment. The result is falling for lying lies and getting bamboozled, hoodwinked, tricked, DECEIVED.

No pity.



["I was here when * had a rally here last summer..."
Says it all.]

[lpbk2713]

5. Not all 14,000 will pack up and leave.

But if they leave the Rust Belt for the Sun Belt and registered Dem their votes
could make a badly needed difference. Florida's Governor and Senate races both
went to the (R)s by a very small margin just as an example.

[Blue_Tires]

6. Wow, it's almost like Trump doesn't know what in fuck's name he's doing...

...and all that pie-in-the-sky bombast during the campaign was just telling people what they wanted to hear with empty promises he never had any intention on making good on...

I mean God, WHO EVER COULD HAVE PREDICTED THIS AND WHY DIDN'T THAT PERSON(s) WARN ANYBODY??

[GeorgeGist]

8. Makes you wonder what a part of ...

CON ARTIST they didn't understand.

[workinclasszero]

11. "I mean God, WHO EVER COULD HAVE PREDICTED THIS"

Yeah, its just what the GOP has done FOREVER but you know, white man and he promised!

[TexasBushwhacker]

10. Plus bonuses and profit sharing n/t

[forthemiddle]

12. Both my husband and I make that (and more in Hubbies case)

Without college degrees!
Yes, Thank God for America!

[appalachiablue]

9. Race to the bottom. Manufacturing cos. & employees are going East,

where the new Middle Class is rising. As far as the US, it's permanent low-wage McJobs.

>By 2030, countries in Asia will have the largest Middle Class in the world, 64%. The US and Europe will decline to 22%.

"Ford, Chrysler, Honeywell — they are all outsourcing good union jobs. The jobs being created are not good-paying jobs. They are $12-an-hour jobs."
_________

Reuters, 2012. "For the first time in history, a truly global middle class is emerging. By 2030, it will more than double in size, from 2 billion today to 4.9 billion.

>Brookings Institution scholar Homi Kharas estimates that the European and American middle classes will shrink from 50 percent of the total to just 22 percent.

>Rapid growth in China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia will cause Asia’s share of the new middle to more than double from its current 30%. *By 2030, Asia will host 64% of the global middle class and account for over 40% of global middle-class consumption." https://www.reuters.com/middle-class-infographic