Auto dealership closings

Hey, foreign auto buyers. How about those Chrysler and GM dealers being closed, resulting in lost jobs and property taxes? This may have an effect on schools and fire and police services, especially in smaller communities, not to mention dealer sponsorships and charities.

Sure we have freedom of choice and wealth to buy foreign autos, but these choices have unintended bad consequences.

By the way, I don’t belong to the United Auto Workers.

James Atkinson
Kansas City, Kan.

Kansas City should mourn the loss of Conklin Fangman (formerly Major) Motor Co. Ken Lehna was the service consultant I was fortunate to meet on my first visit. He was always honest and treated me with respect, not as “some woman” who did not know what she was talking about. (Believe me, I have had that experience.) Everyone was “down-home” friendly and built relationships with their customers.

Sure, some of the other dealers might be in a better location, and they might sell more cars, but everyone I met, including the body shop staff, represented General Motors in a way that made you proud to be part of the GM family. I have not had that experience at any other GM dealer in the Kansas City area we have had occasion to visit in 34 years.

Goodbye, my friends, and good luck.

Beth Boerger
Kansas City

Comments

[JoCo]

Yeah, I talked to Keith Westley, he was in paint when I finished out. He told me about serving time for auto theft and went into a lot of detail about it. Made me wanna try it. Don't recall the other 2.

Laurie. She's curt S M/W, P/F. he's a good guy. I only worked with her one day after my return: single mother of 3; was mia a lot. I'm surprised she was rehired after all that time. Was running a painting bus. on the outside.

Did Keith understand they needed a doctor's signature, not doctored?

Take care, Mike. I'll get down with my gold card. Hang in, Mike, not the best of times, but maybe not as bad as '30's-'40's.
See you later.

[red rover]

laurie sh. also canned, hired back, darrel h. was giving her a ride to the shop, she said to just turn around and take her back to the front door, that she just couldn't come back!

[red rover]

detroit did want to fire blob last year, called down here to see if it happened, they said no so they did toss him out for a couple of weeks, I've been here 13 years, seen some people fired 5 or 6 times, seldom sticks.
did you know keith wesley? he was in my group hired off street. fired for supposedly doctoring sick leave papers, got rehired, wanted back pay, gm said no so he quit again.
david S. and todd the other two off the street hires ended up taking first buyouts.
young kids overwhelmed by this plant, scored good on test, but could never handle the plant. they HAVE to hire some off the street and i guess that's ok, but they should work the line awhile and then they would appreciate these trades oppourtunites.

[red rover]

detroit did want to fire blob last year, called down here to see if it happened, they said no so they did toss him out for a couple of weeks, I've been here 13 years, seen some people fired 5 or 6 times, seldom sticks.
did you know keith wesley? he was in my group hired off street. fired for supposedly doctoring sick leave papers, got rehired, wanted back pay, gm said no so he quit again.
david S. and todd the other two off the street hires ended up taking first buyouts.
young kids overwhelmed by this plant, scored good on test, but could never handle the plant. they HAVE to hire some off the street and i guess that's ok, but they should work the line awhile and then they would appreciate these trades oppourtunites.

[red rover]

well, I guess this isn't the best forum for "shop talk", but I'm already here and it's quicker than picking up the phone. but if sty doesn't wannna read it he can surely scroll through it.
a buick about every 10th car, no more saturns, so lucky we got buick.
One of my daughters had 3 wisdoms pulled last week, the other one was pulled years ago.
use that gold card and come in and see us while there is still anybody you know left. our shop is at u-44 by towveyor line.
if blob pulled the #$%& on the out side as he does in here, there would be a rude awakening!! but he is cheap entertainment.
one thing about people about sty, they always know one more thing than you do so you don't have to tell them anything, why even try?

[red rover]

well, I guess this isn't the best forum for "shop talk", but I'm already here and it's quicker than picking up the phone. but if sty doesn't wannna read it he can surely scroll through it.
a buick about every 10th car, no more saturns, so lucky we got buick.
One of my daughters had 3 wisdoms pulled last week, the other one was pulled years ago.
use that gold card and come in and see us while there is still anybody you know left. our shop is at u-44 by towveyor line.
if blob pulled the #$%& on the out side as he does in here, there would be a rude awakening!! but he is cheap entertainment.
one thing about people about sty, they always know one more thing than you do so you don't have to tell them anything, why even try?

[JoCo]

Mike,

As you know, "seniority" is no guarantee of work on the outside, thus the widespread existence of "shoppies" who CAN be notorious back-stabbers and suckasses. When the old guys slow down outside, if they haven't "vested" themselves ala the shoppie, they may find themselves continually first laid off and last one off the bench. That's one of the more minor reasons for construction scale outside, gotta make it while the body can.

I've been a young fitter outside, having first acquired seniority inside at GM/Leeds My timing was serendipitous in that as construction slowed in 1991, I was able to return to GM in Wentzville area by exercising my quickly elapsing timeoff-vs-time-on corporate seniority rights.I worked there with enhanced skills in fire protection that were lacking there at the time. I mentioned they could simply "fire" these misfits. Local UAW there, ironically, was attempting to place by patronage, into my eventual position. Takes some siht to grow roses. I grieved and lost at the 3rd step for lost overtime at Region 5 in STL.

COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!!! & SOLIDARITY

[JoCo]

Mike,

GOOD NEWS for Rob B. Let's fire him from the UAW, laziness and all, and ship him back out to #533 where he apprenticed. See A-1 Star 6/25: 157,000 fitters needed, among top 50 employment needs. Fitters: #33, sparkies: #20.

[JoCo]

BTW, Mike,

Don't worry about The JOKE-OH tag, I've been dubbed with. The real phonetics is JAW-KAW as the O's represented are of the "short" variety.

[JoCo]

I dunno, Mike. Kneejerk and the knee-slapper. And I thought you would learn the edoc.

Just a case of mutual disgust, I think. After 12 years of tests after high school, tho, I'm thru knowing ALL the answers.

Now, back to the Rooster Crow. Everything OK? Didn't see a post last night. R.B. waitin' in the lot? Is he also 2nd? He IS singularly deadbeat not to mention bizarre. I'm with STY--let's fire im. I'll even represent the company in a mock termination hearing. Wouldn't STY be really irritated if he knew the true lengths UAW COULD go to prevent unjust dismissals? They help ensure the company doesn't unilaterally dictate the ranks. To him that's bad; to me that's good. Case closed.

Seeing a lot of Buicks out there in GA/Chs. yet? I read it'll be a weak mix at first. I've been noticing more Auras lately on the street. That's a looker, maybe moreso than the chevy. The Buick's looks don't thrill me, but they say it's a multinational effort. How long before assembly transfers to Korea? Can the UAW prevent that?
See ya, Mike. My son calls. Had his wisdoms pulled today. I don't know if I'm under the wire or not. Hope it's 7/1, but haven't researched it. Picked up a Delta policy for myself only== $500/yr, same coverages--90%/ 50%, $1,600/yr limit. For retirees only.Saw a letter from another retiree (salaried)last week who touted a family plan. Gotta look into it. Hey, wait a minute, are "deadbeat" housewives "retirees"? If not, she's outta here. Later and SOLIDARITY. P.s. When you see Danny again, tell him careful how he throws the term "deadbeat" around. Y'know to him it's the ultimate up, but it may mislead others. If you see him, say hi for me. I love that deadbeat, but I STILL hesitate to call because of freshly exposed nerves.

[red rover]

JO, wow, who pulled that guy's chain. that wore me out. what, we can't have ONE deadbeat at the plant?? He never worked with at least one deadbeat? Everything is great at the you know what and the you know what car is gonna be great for the unnamed corporation we are associated with.

[JoCo]

Won't see me commenting on telecom, either side, as I know little to nothing about the inside workings, similar to you with the automobile assembly business and contractual labor relations therein involved.

Hey, don't you run away from me for an ice-cold beer. We've only begun to fight.

Seriously and ironically, I spent my summers here in KC during college working in a program for economically disadvantaged students at A.T.&T. Paid my own expenses all the way.

I'm glad to part gentlemanly on this and use Marctnts recent agree-to-disagree solution. The repartee has been invigorating, but my keyboards remain dry. And Joke-Oh? I like it. Kinda like the listener's lightbulb came on. I AM a notorious workplace jokester. Ask Mike

[Smarter Than You]

Struck a nerve, did I? I didn’t see where anything I wrote excluded any of the other factors that can affect costs. While I think it “cute” that you decided to put on a show worthy of any first year econ student and throw out some generic terms, it in no way mitigates my argument that costs to produce items effect price. That’s really not an advanced concept and it worries me that you would feel the need to obfuscate the issue rather than just admitting it. With regards to the auto industry, I tied it specifically to labor costs and legacy costs. It may hit close to home, and that’s why the child-like tantrum. Or maybe the educated you grasps the truth but the gang member doesn’t want to accept any responsibility for the actions of his klan.

Since you opted to out incompetence in your work place in this very public forum, comments on it are fair game. I guess all the recent cut-backs have made a member’s chat room for the UAW prohibitive so you’ve decided to redirect the Unfettered Letters section. After all, it’s obvious what your exchange had to do with closing dealerships. . .ok, not really. I just ran with the ball you put in play. You can now take your ball and go home.

My background? Thanks for asking. Well you know the union membership before finishing my matriculation (BA for what it’s worth to you. That REALLY seemed to matter to you). Years in telecom, including management (remind me to share the story how after the first WTC bombing we were delayed in getting services restored because of union hierarchy’s that were deemed more important than actually restoring service). Then I started my own business with a partner. Sold it. Moved to KC. Enjoying a life of relative leisure. Still do some part time consultations. So yes, I’ve been on both sides of the labor equation, which would (utilizing your rather limited gyrations on value of opinion) make mine more applicable in a macro sense than yours.

Given your ever shifting positions on organized labor, is it that you think the UAW is fine and all other organized labor is bad? Did the union fairy somehow absolve the UAW from any of the economic and political realities of every other union? I notice every time we start looking at overall union activities and then drill down to the UAW, your Pavolvian response is “different union.” (Did you hear the bell ringing?).

Love to stay and chat, but there’s an ice cold beer calling me. Political issues aside, I wish you well. I look forward to our next exchange.

[JoCo]

Hypocrisy, innanity, irrationality, ignorance, Salieriness (WTF)is that "bad", too? Thanks for your judgment. You know me not, obviously. And your cost-push scenario? Whatever it is (duh, input costs affect product price) it's a study grounded in past observation and utilized in predictive fashion to lessen inevitable economic cycling. Application of resultant policy, whereevr that policy lies in the political gamut, far from being guaranteed is ALWAYS subject to constant adjustment based on real-world factors that are neutralized on the graph paper and may, in fact produce results counter to the intended. Things such as shifting political rule, imperfect market conditions, war, peace, world population, availability of natural resources, input costs (your pet), elasticity of supply and demand, am I blathering yet?. No economist yet has conceived a way to safely predict anything without negating the effects of some/all of these factors when putting brain and pencil to graph paper. Thirty hours of A, 6 hours of B, and 3 hours of C among the required curricula told me so. But 2 things are sure. Put your money where your mouth is in regard to MY economic prowess and I will take YOUR money, without the UAW.

[JoCo]

Thanks for the down STY. "Inane intricacies"? My "test" to you was facetious, illustrating your virtual ignorance of the situation you commented about; that being that based on a conversation, somebody oughta be fired and "the UAW would never". Thus, I asked, "What do you know of UAW relations with auto company employers?" The answer an apparent, but indignant, "not a thing"

"Cost-push". Elaborate. Cost as in marginal, average, fixed, variable, effect on budgeting, costs to industry, costs to single-businesses, costs to society? Implicit, explicit,long-run, short-run,of production,.

Cost-push scenario: simple question, I guess if you await my answer with your simple mind. Lessee. Costs of business/production such as labor, capital, plant, taxes, raw materials push on the the price of doing business and have an effect on product price? Am I close? WHO CARES? I haven't stuck my "expertise" into a labor situation I know nothing about. That's my point with my "test" for you. You know nothing about the workings of our inane contractual details, except that they're inane, a purely outside judgmental opinion. You prove this by citing a newspaper article (news, not editorial, how utterly deep) about a state government service union when the question we WERE on is about an international industrial union. Quick easy ? for you, then. Understand the difference and, as I'm sure you do, why it's irrelevant to your original.. " and so I was reading along" vicarious post, thus creating your own personal "dichotomy"?

As you said, your experience in a union workplace, as employment while studying (What, summer job, night school) led you to the profound revelation that unions are purely greedy, with inane work rules and have outgrown their usefulness. Ever go to union meetings in those times? Contribute ideas? Vote in a union election? Sounds like you may have just muttered about some percieved injustice in the conduct of the job at hand and prayed for the end of summer so you could get back to school.

And so blather, blather, blather. This is absurd, isn't it? BTW, I'm awaiting your reply about your work so I can begin authoritating on your worthiness as you have about my degree and about that of characters discussed off-hand in a social post.

[Smarter Than You]

So much blather with so little said. You are a joke-o!

Since you continue to ignore the economics of the situation with organized labor, I’m sure you conveniently missed the CALIFORNIA NIGHTMARE article on page A11 (news, not editorial). Allow me to quote: “State spending has risen rapidly, fed in part by social service burdens from undocumented aliens and healthy salaries won by public employees unions. By one estimate, if state spending since 1990 had been held to the inflation rate plus the states population growth, the state would have a $15 billion surplus.”

Then there’s the dichotomy of your positions. You wanted to test me on the inane intricacies of the “2007 contract GM/UAW and all addenda through fiscal 2009” but can’t rise to the challenge of a simple (for an econ grad) cost push scenario. You instead respond (I’m being polite in even addressing it as a legitimate response) with “the testing is over.” The hypocrisy must drip from your keys.

If wish to play Salieri to my Mozart, I would at least appreciate something rational and consistent from you. I know that’s not a fair standard given your passing relationship with rationality, but it would be greatly appreciated.

[JoCo]

I'm thru here. I''m really mistaken. I've allowed an innocent enough personal conversation to be hijacked and escalated into a history, pro and con, of The American Labor Movement. I'm far to casual, in my reclining years for that.

[JoCo]

I'm thru here. I''m really mistaken. I've allowed an innocent enough personal conversation to be hijacked and escalated into a history, pro and con, of The American Labor Movement. I'm far to casual, in my reclining years for that.

[JoCo]

And STY, what is your employment? May I take an uninvolved interest in your termination?

[JoCo]

Oh, and STY, thanks for acknowledging it is an open forum. You earlier chastised me for using Unfettered Letters "for my old hen's shop talk". Ouch, I'm a rooster, city boy.