Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Tough news from Wagoner

Sean and I are listening to GM's CEO Rick Wagoner's press conference. It is not a pep rally.

From the AP:

DETROIT - General Motors Corp. said Tuesday it will lay off salaried workers, cut truck production, suspend its dividend and borrow $2 billion to $3 billion to weather a severe downturn in the U.S. market.

GM said the moves will raise $15 billion to help cover losses and turn around its North American operations.

"In short, our plan is not a plan to survive. It is a plan to win," GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner said in a broadcast to employees.

Chief Operating Officer Fritz Henderson said GM wants to reduce its total salaried costs in the U.S. and Canada by 20 percent.

A large chunk of the reduction, he said, would come from cutting health care benefits for salaried retirees. Those people would get a pension increase from the company's overfunded pension fund to help compensate for Medicare and supplemental insurance, the company said.

Several thousand jobs will be cut through normal attrition and retirements, and through early retirement and buyout offers, Henderson said. The company could resort to involuntary layoffs but does not want to, he said.


Wow. More bumpy roads ahead.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:48 PM

    Hi Christy - I've sure been thinking about your family today - I want you to have a great time on your getaway, and don't worry about a thing... They'd be FOOLS to let Sean get away. Hope all else is well, and there are no more cast adventures! (We're on our THIRD!) Bon Voyage!
    Mary Grace

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  2. Anonymous10:49 PM

    This is assuming you'll be doing some sort of boating?! Who knows....! MG

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