From: crosmun@crosmun.rtp.dg.com (William Crosmun)
Subject: Re: Health Care & Jobs (Disappearing) was: Re: Stupidity of Am. Masses
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 92 16:51:41 GMT
Distribution: na 
Organization: Data General Corporation, RTP, NC.
Keywords: GM sells out American workers! 

In article <1992Sep5.200451.24729@squid.tram.com> patt@squid.tram.com (Patt Bromberger) writes:
>In article <168558166.KGODDEN@cmsa.gmr.com> KGODDEN@cmsa.gmr.com writes:
>>There was an article on the front page of the Detroit-area newspaper about
>>how Al Taubman is getting involved in improving education in the U.S.  For
>>those of you who have no idea who AT is, he's a local billionaire (yes,
>> [deleted]
>
>Gee, Kurt - I wonder if we're thinking about the same guy:  isn't
>Alfred Taubman a real estate an auction house magnate in New York City
>or does he just have offices there?
>
>Since you, Kurt, are connected with GM, I thought you and the folks on
>the net would be interested in the latest GM development for taking
>jobs away from Americans and exporting them to Canada so General
>Motors doens't have to contribute to the health care of its American
>workers:
>
>reposted from misc.handicap:
>From: Patricia.Bregman@f24.n3602.z1.fidonet.org (Patricia Bregman)
>Subject: Health care and jobs
>Date: 4 Sep 92 20:28:29 GMT
>
>Another sign in California that the "cost" of a national health
>insurance system may be less than the "cost" of the current
>system.  GM announced today that they are closing a 45-year old
>plant in Van Nuys, employing 2500 people, because it is more
>efficient and cost effective to move the manufacturing to its
>plant in Quebec.
>
>Despite the fact that Canadian wages tend to be somewhat higher
>than the US, and taxes may be somewhat higher, one of the
>reasons that the Canadian plants are able to be competitive is
>the fact that the company does not have to pay health insurance
>premiums for the employees.  This was cited by the GM executives
>as a significant factor in the move.  This was also apparently a
>factor in the decision to keep two other Ontario GM plants open
>while closing others.
>
>In addition, GM announced that they would not longer pay health
>insurance premiums for its employees, other than those protected
>by a collective agreement.
>
>In 1991 when it was making decisions about its plants, the
>company did a survey which showed a great disparity between the
>health care costs in different US cities. They said that health
>costs for workers in Youngstown, Ohio were twice the medical
>bills in Grand Rapids Michigan, 200 miles away.  The costs in
>Ohio added $1.00 per hour to labour costs.  GM in fact told the
>Youngstown plant that if these costs were not controlled it may
>result in the plant closing.  On average, health insurance costs
>$3100 per employee.
>
>According to a Fortune magazine article in July 1991,medical
>bills for US companies grew at twice the rate of inflation in
>1989. That amount, $173 billion, equalled 100% of their net
>profits.
>
>** sigh **
>
>
>
>
>-- 
>Patricia Ann Bromberger                     -       patt@squid.tram.com
>Tramway Unix Systems 
>"Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty." (Anne Herbert)

This is a result of our Santa Claus Congress that desperately wants to shower
gifts on us to buy our votes but is desperately afraid of asking us to pay for
them.  Instead, they force businesses to pony up.  In Canada, on the other
hand, the people pay the taxes to support their health system.  Can you blame
any business for moving to Canada if they have the opportunity?  This doesn't
mean, however, that health care is cheaper if it's nationalized.  It's still a 
question of who pays for it.


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William Crosmun
crosmun@dg-rtp.dg.com

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It can't be won, the way the game is run
but if you choose to stay, you wind up playing anyway.

		"On the Boulevard" -- Jackson Browne

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"As to guaranteeing bank deposits, the minute the government starts to do that
... the  government  runs  into a  probable loss.  We  do not wish to make the 
United  States Government liable  for the  mistakes and  errors of  individual
banks, and put a premium on sound banking in the future."
                                      Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933)
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William Crosmun
crosmun@dg-rtp.dg.com

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