Thread regarding General Motors layoffs

I have been both a contractor (engineering) and a direct hire (project management) at GM as well as at Chrysler. Being a contractor you always felt second rate and I know I worked harder always feeling like I needed to in order to keep my job. Also was envious and at times frustrated working alongside salary d---beats who had pensions and bonuses and such. After becoming a direct hire, I felt like I had some sense of security but alas, nothing is secure. But at least with direct hires you get severance. With contract you get nothing.

The big 3 are the only companies that I know of that keep contract workers indefinitely.

Other industries keep them for a specific time and either hire them permanently or let them go.

They also control where a contract worker can work outside of The company (GM as an an example) .

I was a product designer for GM for years. I couldn’t get a job at a GM supplier for the fear of them losing work for poaching GM’s resources.

They track this by requiring a--. number to get a login Id for their software.

When I was finally laid off off in 2008 I had 2 job offers in a horrible employment climate.

There is nothing like working a long side people that get bonuses and merit raises when you are ineligible for anything and having to perfom better than some.

Chrysler (FCA) has UAW (United Against Working)designers , which we all know how horrible that is for the company . Perhaps GM deserves the same.

Sorry didn’t mean to post 3 times!

Posting your reply 3 times may have been a bit much. If you are still looking for work, I'm gonna doubt you are looking that hard. There are jobs out there. One interview in two months doesn't seem too eager. Working as a contractor, getting cut is part of the risk. It happens. Not just at GM or the big 3, but all over. That's why there are companies that do nothing but provide contractors to big companies/gov't employers so they have what the need when they want. It s---s that you got let go, but it's been two months. Get over it and move on.

How is the job search going? I was also let go 2 months ago now from GM. I worked in a contract position at the Warren Tech Center in purchasing. I’m still looking for a job and only been on 1 interview. At this point I’m ready to start a petition to extend unemployment or reinstate EUI... emergency fed funded unemployment. With all the contractor furloughs throughout the year it’s cut into the 20 weeks Michigan currently offers. Contract = No Severence and our Unemployment if let go at the end of November 2018, will run out sometime late March/ April 2019.... feel left out in the cold and that this was definitely downplayed! Wondering if Warren’s Mayor Fout’s is up to speed on the real numbers and impact!?

I was also let go 2 months ago now from GM. I worked in a contract position at the Warren Tech Center in purchasing. I still looking for a job at this point and been on 1 interview. At this point I’m ready to start a petition to extend unemployment or reinstate EUI... emergency fed funded unemployment. With all the contractor furloughs throughout the year it’s cut into the 20 weeks Michigan currently offers. Contract = No Severence and our Unemployment if let go at the end of November 2018, will run out sometime late March/ April 2019.... feel left out in the cold and that this was definitely downplayed! Wondering if Warren’s Mayor Fout’s is up to speed on the real numbers and impact!?

I was also let go 2 months ago now from GM. I worked in a contract position at the Warren Tech Center in purchasing. I still looking for a job at this point and been on 1 interview. At this point I’m ready to start a petition to extend unemployment or reinstate EUI... emergency fed funded unemployment. With all the contractor furloughs throughout the year it’s cut into the 20 weeks Michigan currently offers. Contract = No Severence and our Unemployment if let go at the end of November 2018, will run out sometime late March/ April 2019.... feel left out in the cold and that this was definitely downplayed! Wondering if Warren’s Mayor Fout’s is up to speed on the real numbers and impact!?

To: Uces- They are making your a-- pick up the slack and actually do more with less , you better put that fire out salary employees or your services are no longer needed. They cleared all of us out to pave way to you , they want to justify why they pay salaried heads a good compensation package , now you have your answer , come on now your smart after all your probably a Purdue grad. Go put that fire out Son.

1-800-u-can-sue

To: Uces- They are making your a-- pick up the slack and actually do more with less , you better put that fire out salary employees or your services are no longer needed. They cleared all of us out to pave way to you , they want to justify why they pay salaried heads a good compensation package , now you have your answer , come on now your smart after all your probably a Purdue grad. Go pit that fire out Son.

Anybody know the phone number that called?

@WpoU7KU-Ubyk Don’t you mean “were”? If you’re correct everything would be on fire right now.

What I see is >90% of contractors are doing the heavy lifting and most salary people are doing support and management work.

Will GM use contract people again or is this a permanent cut , meaning they won't use contract house's anymore? And does anyone know if Pontiac GPS is actually closing ?

Us contractors did all the work for you over paid salary employees , now you to are going to suffer GOOD! Now you know what it feels like to squirm , at least they killed us quick but boy the real test is to see who actually does the work and it sure as hell isn't the salary head. Hopefully you all Saved your fat bonuses for this rainy day😊

Layoffs in Austin, Texas rumored to occur on 2/1/2019. Some close to retirement may be targeted.

Phony, posturing execs at these monster corporations always tell the employees to their faces that they are the most valuable resources the company has, yet they are the first to get axed during times of trouble. The CEO and surrounding execs are always rescued even though they are the ones that caused the issues with the bottom line through faulty product decision making. Prized resources deserve better than an unknown voice over the telephone on a weekend telling them not to come back to work. Sad and disgusting

Does anyone know when direct employees will be selected? And what the criteria is? Are they going with people primed for retirement?

GM is like the US Government one bloated mess of BS. Bureaucracy typically fails in the end. Now go brag about your great high paying automotive job you no longer have. Comon brag you work for GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota. Cars will stop selling really quick. Feel the pain and pull out those big arse taxable bonuses to keep you afloat.

I can confirm that many contract employees were let go. They eliminated quite a lot of them.

GM has a phrase "earn customers for life". This is short sighted.

When a customer has a bad experience, they stop buying the product. However, an employee scorned, not only do they not buy the product, they become an advocate against, for life. They tell their friends, their family, all about their negative experiences, and will never speak up for the product to anyone. Sure they may return at a later time as a mercenary for hire in a fair exchange of talent for pay, but they won't purchase a GM products ever. They always remember. I still remember back in 2008, when entire floors were wiped out at the VEC tower. I stood and watched as Rick Wagner told us we won't be going bankrupt, we'll be fine. I said we would be bankrupt within the year, and we were.

2018 will be another year remembered. Contractor eliminations started about six weeks ago. This has always occurred annually over the last few years, but many had notice with months to prepare. This time was different. These past few weeks leading up to now, no notice, just a phone call. No chance to say goodbye, grab a reference, exchange phone numbers, or pick up belongings. It was quite a slap in the face, and nothing short of treacherous.

Meanwhile, not only was the company posting record profits, they were spending billions on useless projects. A new parking structure. New open layouts and interiors on it's 2020 transformation program, that no one wanted. A new design studio. They were spending like drunken sailors, unable to control their expenses. While salaried were receiving record bonuses, contractors were getting laid off for years. Even the salaried were saying they'd willfully give up some of the bonus to save jobs.

As some history, back in 2014-2015, GM started on a course to bring in a massive 40% increase to it's salaried ranks over the years, with the purpose of replacing it's aging demographics, and to acquire youth with talent it didn't have before. They could be hired for less, at the expense of the well paid experienced worker. I had a friend who coined this "economic recycling". It's not hard to see, when you bloat the ranks, eventually you have to start thinning it out. Wage expenditures and specific talents, start to come into play.

It is a tragedy what is going on at GM. The worse I've seen in my career. GM's goal is to become the taxi of the future through their ride share services. No one wants the electric car, as it's a huge joke, even internally. They destroyed propulsion. They're cannibalizing much of the core business for these electric/autonomous vehicles. It just seems like a huge gamble, and it's the livelihood of the workers who are at stake. It truly is NOT a move for their survival. It's nothing more than corporate greed at it's finest, get their first, win at all costs. If it's not that, it looks nothing short of insane.

In the words of Mary "we must do more for our shareholders", and I believe she means it. Lift it up high to reach new levels of success, or watch it all burn down as the attempt fails. It will be interesting to see which occurs first.

I got a call on Saturday Dec 1st, I will never buy a GM again.

Don't buy GM Cars. They will feel the impact real quick. Let em feel some pain especially those fat greedy executives.

Update : found out they were selective on the contract personal. Depends on how much you were worth to them !!

Contracors go first, always

True, my father got a call😪