NYT: Resentment Toward G.M. Is Growing in Germany (jobs to ally Poland?)

[DeepModem Mom]

Resentment Toward G.M. Is Growing in Germany
By MARK LANDLER

Published: October 26, 2004


FRANKFURT, Oct. 25 - Is General Motors jilting Germany for Poland because of the war in Iraq?

A German politician suggested as much last week, saying in a radio interview that G.M.'s Opel division had shifted some auto production from its plants in Germany to a factory in Gliwice, Poland, to reward the Polish government for its support of the Bush administration.

G.M. dismisses political motives, noting that Poland's far lower labor costs give it a compelling economic incentive to move. But this is only one of several brickbats General Motors has had to absorb in the 11 days since it announced that it would cut up to 12,000 jobs in Europe, the majority in Germany.

The cover of this week's Stern newsmagazine has a picture of a red, white and blue cowboy boot crushing a crowd of Opel workers. Stamped on the boot's sole is the G.M. logo. The magazine describes General Motors as the "brand killer from Detroit," using "Wild West" methods.

General Motors is no stranger to bad publicity in the wake of layoffs. But in Germany, the company's painful moves have coincided with a fraught period in German-American relations. It is little surprise that the anger at G.M.'s cutbacks has taken on an anti-American flavor....


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/26/business/worldbusiness/26gm.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1098874872-zxTFxB3S0QkhRnwptv7Eig

[Systematic Chaos]

1. Just read "The Oil Age is Over" by Matt Savinar

http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/Introduction.html

I downloaded the book while it was being offered by Mr. Savinar for free, and near the end he points out that these companies have a LONG history of playing both sides in these trade and resource conflicts and care ONLY about their bottom line.

G. M. will never care what people hate what other people as long as when all is said and done they could make a buck from it.

Fuck 'em.

[JPace]

2. My husband is retired from G.M. and it's true....

they are motivated by profit only.

[geek tragedy]

3. It is probably cheaper to do business in Poland than in Germany.

US workers aren't the only ones whose jobs are being moved to other countries.

[TolstoyAndy]

4. they'll do it to Poland, too

Eventually they'll move these jobs to Ukraine, or Russia, or Afghanistan. The plan is to reduce every country to a low level, have us all begging for our jobs, so the corporations (earth's real rulers) can play us all off against each other.

[Sin]

9. Just like that line from Gangs of New york

You can always pay half the poor to kill the other half... :(

[AP]

6. It's not about labor costs. It's about rewarding countries for playing...

...along with your politics.

Read The Pinochet Files. Big Business has a track record of ignoring short and medium term good economic and business strategy in order to achieve what they must see as the long-term advantages of fascism. Of course, history always proves they're wrong when the do it. GM will no doubt lose money in the long term for doing this.

[American Tragedy]

10. I don't entirely agree

Corporations largely exist to make as much money as possible. Why is it so hard to believe that they outsource to countries with lower wages and fewer labor protections simply to cut costs and increase profit?

[AP]

5. This isn't the only reward (or bribe) the US gave Poland.

Remember GE (was it?) is building a factory to make fighter jets in Poland.

Since there aren't many countries in Europe not committed to building up a strong Europe, Bush only had Poland and Italy to appeal to with American fascism.

[Blue_Tires]

7. no politics

just pure profit-margin motivation

[American Tragedy]

8. To be fair

it could just be the fact that it is a whole lot cheaper to outsource jobs to Poland than to Germany - not to say that is okay. There's been an exodus of Polish doctors and other educated workers to Sweden and Germany because in Poland they are paid so little compared to their counterparts in other European countries. For a massive employer, Polish wages are a bargain.