Most people don't understand the trickle down effect of a major plant closing...........it not only affects the plant, but all the businesses that support that plant! Before anyone blames the "over paid" auto worker, think about all the people in the community that have benefited from their income, stores, small business, doctors, teachers, school districts, etc. etc. etc., too numerous to name them all. NPG employees are a major contributor to the CNY economy, politicians need to step up and do something to keep  companies in CNY. Magna, also needs to keep their promise to their employees, investment in plant, new work, security, the main "hub" for Magna Powertrain. Go UAWLocal 624 and 2149.

Dan - This is the first time I have read the most true to fact with a level of the understanding of what the workforce of NPG - Magna are facing.    Thank you.  

To the rest of the uneducated and spiteful people and for the people that are too ignorant to understand what is happening..  This is for you.

Yes there  a cushion for the Chrysler workers but this is very little compared to the hardwork and investment toward the future these workers have earned.  For many years it was prideful to be investing in a future to maintain a life in Central NY.  

Now either way if union members stay or leave.  The economy here is going to plummet.   People do not realize what the workers conditions are and what stress the plant has caused familys in recent months, not knowing what is going to haoppen to thier family,  if they move will they be able to sell thier homes?  The  housing market is very rough right now.    Children will have to change schools  - and adapt to a new environment.  

The laborers that decide to stay may be doing for so because thier family has an connection to CNY that they do not want broken.  Maybe they have elderly parents that need financial help or frequent visits to maintain healthy eating habits.  If they left CNY - who will take care of them?    Certainly not the people who think the Workforce of Magna and other 'high' paying positions are spoiled and deserve to be punished for exploiting the 'weak' company's by forcing them to pay a Living Wage!!.

For God's sake - don't people realize the impact these type of positions for the everyday worker is being deminished due to the lack of respect of the hardworking people in our economy.  Why would a person get a job at a factory for little or no benefits and with an environment that is harsh on the body.  No sun - no windows, greasy dirty oily, unbearable heat.  WHat about shift work?  Nobody chooses this way of life because of the 'perks' of the work environment.  They chose to work because they love thier family and they love thier 'home town' and want to be able to live a life here.. this helps the economy in so many ways.  

After the minimal insite above .. tell me who would choose to work there for less that $15.00 per hour?  After 15 - 20 years this company wants thie veteran employees to take massive pay cuts or leave.  I work in an office I make about $13.00 an hour - I am not a main breadwinner.  But I know if I was forced to choose between the pay that is being offered to the workforce to stay is an insult.  A person could work doing landscape or driving a truck and make more money per hour.  

CNY needs to back these hardworking individuals.  They have thier backs up against the wall and need all of the support they can get.

What do you say..now.


NPG / Chrysler / Magna - Employees  Keep your HEADS HELD HIGH!!

This local event is a precursor to a larger cost cutting process for the automotive industry and the reactions to those adjustments by the Auto Workers Union.

The future is at stake and the outcome will have a dramatic effect on all unionized labor.

Mr. Cummings....Thank you for such a 'FACT FULL' article.  This is the FIRST one that I have read that actually tells the truth and lays it out in detail.  My husband works at the plant, and it is VERY stressful on the workers and the family.  I pay a very LARGE price for those wages...I never see my husband..we are on different shifts.  NO AMOUNT OF MONEY can ever give that back to me.  But, we choose to stay in the area because of family, and my husband has a specific job title that is not easily obtained in this area.  All the staff at the plant pay a price for their wages...it's unGodly hot in that plant...oily...greasy.   Regardless of what the "outsiders" think...it is NOT a "CAKE" job.  God Bless the workers at NVG and their families.  Let's hope we can all get through this and both Employer and Employees come out ahead.

I worked at NPG in the late 80's.  I kept getting laid off and decided that factory work just wasn't for me.  But let me tell you the work is hard.  It is not a cushy job and the money you make is not a whole lot of money for the work you do.  Chrysler NPG now known as Magna is a hot, dirty, smelly stifling place.  It is no piece of cake to work there.  I sympathize with those who may lose their jobs.  People like to think that those working in these factories are spoiled or make too much money.  Are you kidding me?  If you've never been in this plant or worked there you can't comment about someone being spoiled.

People have been injured (my cousin had a portion of his finger sliced off).  People walk away from there after years of working with repetitive movement injuries. That particular plant can be dangerous because of the type of materials that are handled and machinery used.  I personally burned myself with an extremely hot piece of metal when I worked there.  I also almost ground one of my hands off because I worked the 3rd shift and it was a difficult shift for me.  It is no cake walk believe me.  And yes it would be a blow to the economy.  It is not just the plant closing and all those people losing their jobs.  It is all of the other economic areas that will be affected.  The surrounding businesses in that area would lose a substantial amount of income due to the fact that those workers wouldn't be there.  

http://www.thegearplanet.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=15


for all NPG employees

 Magna keeps threatening to pull out if wages are not lowered.What is wrong with them? They looked at the books before they purchased New Process Gear ,so they knew what to expect.If you listen to them,we are over-payed,which is not the case.Some employees,with myself included ,have been taking wage cut after wage cut,and they want to cut more! Our benefits have dwindled and something should have been done long before now about Magna not putting thast proposed 75 million into the plant.All that they have done since they have been here in Syracuse was to paint a little(and that was half assed)never finished ,and to change the lights!I am one that thinks that Magna is like everyone else that wanted to purchase New Process Gear.They came in here to part out and sell assembly lines to the highest bidder,and then turn around and close the doors.Big businesses that fail to live up to their end of a contract need to be held responsible. The only money that Magna has waisted ,was the high attrition rate of personal in the front offices.Some of these individuals had 6 figure salaries and didn't do anything to prove that they were worth their pay.The people that have worked at New Process Gear during the hard times and at a time when we almost lost the plant are getting slapped in the face by Magna! They are full of tall tales.They say they are family oriented,quality concious,and listen to the workers. If that is true,I have a bridge that I can no longer use,and I would like to sell it !!

NPG has a highly skilled work force. The skilled trades have saved the company big bucks on retooling many jobs and machines and to keep the plant and machinery running on little or no budget to work with.
The production workers work long hours on many thankless jobs.
No one has mentioned the loss of charity donations, taxes and the help that UAW has given to community projects.

I understand when Magna bought NVG it told the workers that wages would have to come down in order to be competative going forward. So Why so many years latter does this come as a surprize????

Central New York is no longer a viable place to do business. The tax base and New York state payroll costs are staggering, compared to the rest of the nation. Too much overlapping government services.
I decided to pull out of CNY and sell my business when carrier corp closed its manufacturing operation, and yesterday i closed on my last piece of  syracuse property and am thrilled to be out of New York state for good, although ill miss my 82 year old mother!
i support the auto workers and must say that they are the victims of poor planning on Chryslers part. They produced the wrong products for our times and the workers are paying for it now. NPG is located in New York state and that is the problem. Too far away from the assembly plants that use the output.
i recommend the auto workers move to states like tennessee where there is no state tax, no school tax, no tax on pensions , power at 7.2 cents per killowatt, and much more responsible government. all 99 counties voted for our governor and we love him . come to east tennessee where cisco is opening up a new distribution center here and hiring 650 people.  
my advice  to the soon to be unemployed autoworkers.... now is the time to leave  new york . this is a good opportunity to do so.

When Magna first came in, we did in fact take a pay cut! They are not happy until they have their workers working for Peanuts! As far as the Union goes,At the negotiations last year,members that have retired are a little suprised on the way they are utilizing their help!No-where through out the automotive industry has a union where the stewards have alternates that have alternates! They don't work unlike other plants where the stewards work regular jobs but if they need to they can walk off and take care of business! I personally don't think that the current union has done anything to protect the workers at New Process Gear! Over the years, the plant shop chaiman's have been either for themselves,friends or family of management ! There is one exception! That is Anthony DeFransisco! He was a very instrumental on promoting growth at New Process Gear while he was in office! It is too bad that no-one else has decided to follow his foot-steps!Not to mention that I don't think that anyone there now can fill his shoes!

Wage cuts???? Exactly what wage cuts are you refering to? The fact that now you don't get paid for "downtime"?  I'm confused. How can you say you have gotten wage cuts already? The first year of the last and current contract you all got a 3% raise.The following year you got a 2% raise and the third year you got another 3% raise. So tell me when did you get your base wages cut? Currently the low base rate in the plant is what $26 per hour. You have still gotten Christmas Bonuses and countless other bonuses.
This will definately be devestating for this community. Who will buy all the new cars, snowmobiles,and boats? Who will be able to afford $300000 mortages? Better yet who will buy these houses when the rest of the New process gear workers go bankrupt due to these massive wage cuts?
Don't worry everyone that works at Destiny will buy everything up.
By the way, about the supposed half assed painting, it was all done by plat employees.So go complain to your Union Brothers and Sisters.
The real downfall of that plant is the fact that 20% or more of its workers refuse to show up. They all have FMLA. Better known to most of the workers as Friday Monday Leave Act."Oh no, I get migraines I need FMLA". Guess what people, we all get headaches.
Instead it's I'm sorry Iwe can't make those parts today The operator didn't show up to work.Where else in society can you blow off 5 days of work a year on top of you 5 days personal time and vacation. No where, you would be fired in a heart beat. No call no show, just another day in the Gear.

Magna cut wages in A500 back after they moved the assembly line up front by the offices by 9 dollars an hour to Chrysler day rate 24 and change. Then to save 400 jobs they cut the wages in the 126/226 area to Chrysler day rate 25 and change. Now where are those 400 hundred jobs, oh they lost them right after that. Outsourcing !!!! Bosses get performance bonuses for us doing a good job where we used to get profit sharing. Oh that goes to non union Magna employees. As far as the employees on FMLA some do take it for family that is very ill and others do abuse it. But this is not the time for workers to point the finger at other workers. When in fact the finger should be pointed at Magna . They wanted painting done and lights changed and where is the other 74.5 Million that they were supposed to invest in our plant. New machines to replace the old ones , no they put offices in where machines should be replaced for more manufacturing. Magna hires people to cut costs and it ends up costing more. All in all Canadian companies come down here for government money for opening or buying a business and then goes back across the border after they get all they can get from the government. Magna is building a plant in Russia and who is paying for it ???? The problem started when we were sold down the road by the previous elected union officials and they know who they are.

NYS state is an expensive place to do business.  Companies don't invest as much in their existing factories here as their factories elesewherere...why would they?  That makes NYS factories prime for closure during downturns.

I hope what happened at Carrier does not get repeated.  Look around - where else (esp. around here) can you get a job nearly as well paying as NPG?  If nowhere, well, that answers the question as to whether the union should agree to cut labor costs...

I am the wife of an employee at Magna/New Process Gear.This is very nerve racking and depressing to think our daughter might have to change schools and leave her family and friends,Yes the pay cuts would be horrible we would all have to adapt to a new way of living,But as far as these men and women that have worked there being spoiled by high wages that frankly is bullshit! I see my husband come home every night with back pain and covered in carbon what these people endure in an 8 hour period is worth every penny they make!!!All we can hope for is the plant to atleast stay open a few more years because if not there will be 3,000 families devestated.

Are you another person that is un-aware  about anything that Magna had proposed to the Union and it's workers?  If they got in-they were going to invest 75 million into our plant! They got inand are brewaching their contract.By the way you talk, you have to be management,otherwise you wouldn't make such rash and callous statements!  Anyone in management would also say we make to much! But they don't tell the public how much they make for sitting on their --- all day!!We are not over-paid,management is! When you have a business with a high attrition rate of management at high paying jobs that don't contribute to the company,that is what brings acompany down! Especially if those positions are being replaced every six months! Let's take this a page further! If it wasn't for Bush and the Republican party,we wouldn't be in this mess! NAFTA, and REAGONOMICS have destroyed the auto industry! It was either in 2006 or 2007 that Bush had signed a bill where it made it possible for big business that wanted to move overseas could ! He is single handedly destroying this country! He vetoed for a second time a bill on health care for children here in the United States , but turned around and sent 30 billion to China! Who is screwed up in the head???And he also increased the number of Chinese that come into this country.Having our jobs go to China and other overseas countries is bad enough,but to bring more of them here is an outrage! PUT THE BLAME WHERE IT DESERVES TO GO ,NOT AGAINST THE WORKER,BUT TO THE COMPANY! If you look at this another way,what is going on is what could be labeled Industrial Espionage !

sorry, I didn't check for errors before I sent the last blog.What I meant to say was that they got in breached their contract!

This information comes directly from Magna,so if anyone disagrees with what I have written ,it is all fact!!  In 2004 Magna drivetrain had acquired a majority share in one of its largest rivals in the all -wheel drive sector,New Venture Gear. In less than two years,a local company employing 1,500 people had thus become an 11,000-employee-strong Magna Group with eight times the annual sales!!! When a company makes that much profit and doesn't want to invest like they promissed that they would, are just plain GREEDY!!! And you think we the workers need wage cuts again? Magna paints a bad picture of its American workers! They promoissed the world ,but can't deliver! They had just acquired New Process Gear to squeeze all the profits out and flush us down the toilet! So if you think that when a company promisses to invest 75 million dollars for machinery and updates ,and fails to do so ,even with the profit they had made are acting the way they should,YOU ARE WRONG!!!Only someone in management would disagree!!

So Magna hasn't put a dime in the plant? Thats interesting. Must be the Brand new GM line (AKA GMT900) and the brand new Chrysler line(AKA Nitro line) they must have been absolutely free. WOW!! No wonder magna is worth millions.They get all their equipment for free. Oh wait let me guess it was all in the plant before right? Some how I don't think so. So while your laying it all on the line SCARAB maybe you ought to think about that. But I'm sure you will have some kind of answer for that.  
Oh and as far as performance bonuses for management that went away as soon as your BELOVED Chrysler left the building. As a matter of fact the did not happen to even get a raise like the rest of the workforce last year. And that is why you see such a high turn over rate for them. Oh, by the way if you think that it is so easy why don't you take a job in management, there are positions avalible I'm sure. You criticize everyone else for not knowing the facts, you better brush up on some yourself.
Now lets talk politics shall we? I see your not a big fan of the republicans. Thats fine. But let me ask you, where is your hero that  you all elected after she paraded through your plant? Oh thats right she doesn't care about good old New York any more, that stone has been stepped on and its use is over now to bigger and higher paying things. I know we should probably reelect her hubby . What a great leader and role model he was. Now what's the divorce rate at NPG? No wonder Bill is so popular there.
Well I suppose I'm done with my ranting. But at least More than one opinion was voiced here.
By the way I don't want to see anyone including Scarab lose their job for this reason we as a community have seen this too much in recent times. Kinda reminds me of the way things were when I was young. Unfortunately.

Wow Just reading some of the comments. I wont comment on what Magna is doing but what I know from my own facts of interest .  Ive been there 14 yrs ,single parent of 1 child, own my  home, got bills like every other American in the US. I have work very hard ,done all shifts,  been hurt 3 times inplant,been to work everday walking well or not ,have sweated, tried to save ,been stressed to the maximun, saved this company several millions of dollars, help them receive the f150 contract ,have made enemies and have got the best of friends. My fact on this is DONT blame our Local 624 Union Officals, Dont blame Magna,Dont blame D Chrysler or even anyone associated to this company and its work force. DO BLAME WHO the GOVT, POLITICANS because of the Financial recession that has been put on everone in the country.This is  one of the highest taxed states without the highest paying jobs except for the political big pocket back stabbers. Wow You people need to look at the higher up big pictue here, I know I do

First of all ,those two lines didn't total 75 million! I know that the lines were put in but this all was in motion before Magna took over,they just finished what was started! The union told everyone that they had saved jobs by getting their wages lowered,now that the wages are lowered ,their jobs are still going to be lost ! People like you will say that the union did everything they could! You must believe everything they tell you! After you catch them in lies,you will change your tune!You say that every business is supposed to have a high attrition rate of people in high paying jobs,you need to learn about business! I never voted for her,but I think that right now she could not do any worse than anyone else ! Debbie , you are right,the government is mostly at fault for the possible recession that we might be headed for! I don;t think that the company will be able to turn this around,you would need a miracle!!

Boss Man the GMT 900 line was about 25 mil and that was money already spent on a line that they originally planned to put in Muncie Indiana.  But we were told if we sacrifice incentive pay they will put it here and save the jobs.  they could have retooled the 863 assembly line for about 9 mil and have a much more efficient line.  I don't know the cost of the nitro line, but I can say that both lines are erector sets, they can be taken down and on a truck within 48 hours and could be up and running elsewhere in about week.  Trust me Magna has not lived up to one promise, we were told they were going to take advantage of our gear making capabilities and manufacture gears for everybody that wanted them.  we were told we would get the foreign business we couldn't get as chrysler, we were told that they would have no choice but to hire more people, we were told outdated and inefficient equipment would be replaced (instead either re painted or scrapped out), we were told that they would have no choice but to hire more people, we were told Syracuse would be the hub for Magna Powertrain, we were told the 3000 employees of NPG have nothing to worry about and we were told they would honor our legacy wages and benefits 'till 2011.  what they said and what they did are 2 very different scenarios. we have NO new business.   Magna already has it in there heads to shut the plant down so eventually it is going to happen.   We wanted to believe that a company could be good to it's workers and not sell us down the river the way chrysler did (with help from the international UAW), boy were we wrong.

Primarily I agree;
DON'T blame the Local 624 Union Officials, Don't blame Magna, Don't blame Chrysler or even anyone associated to this company and its work force.

Secondly;
Scarab, I'm sorry to single you out but why so negative?  I believe the majority of the population of the US Automotive industry are self respecting individuals with a great work ethic not unlike the people who post stories about their loved ones whom they care for in the plant.  I'm sure those individuals arrive to work on  time everyday and put 100% of effort and heart into the work they do.  It's unfortunate however that, not unlike society, there are a minority whom I'm sure do the opposite.  It's these individuals that I'm sure are seen by management, their peers, and the rest of CNY's society. - Smile, Express a positive aura.

I'm sure everyone has heard the old adage, "Loose lips sink ships", and I'm sure opinions can be expressed without disseminating details internal to the organization, such as financial, moral, and NPG's dirty laundry being displayed on a public forum of all to consume; primarily NPG's competition, supply base, or future customers base.  Think about it?

When you goto work on tomorrow, ask around and find out much the AVERAGE unrepresented office employee makes for "sitting on their --- all day!!", ask them the percentage of their performance bonus, ask them if they personally contributing to the company's finical future, know the facts.  When you find the answers to those questions, keep them to yourself and ask would you do the same, or are you better than them, do you deserve more?

Lastly, again I agree;  IF Magna or any other corporation has it in there heads to "close" a plant there is little that can be done to stop it, In my heart I hope everyone prepared if that day comes?  I believe every one who works for any company wants to believe that, the company will be good to it's workers and not "sell them down the river the way Chrysler (Cerebus) did to NPG"!

When I owned Jeep Grand Cherokees  and other Jeeps for years  I knew the dealers service dept managers on a first name basis. I used to have a new list of items gone bad and  about every other month under warranty.

This was not a one vehicle fluke...this was every Jeep I bought.  Finally tired of the hassle and the oil slicks in my garage from leaking drivetrain components from the engine to the axles.  

Spent time researching others opinions and quality reports, talking to others etc.

Switched to foreign and been in for warranty once in the last 5 years on multiple vehicles.

You all act shocked because you are loosing market share, jobs, money.  

Your competition is whipping you into the ground....Toyota is now the #2 car seller in the US pushing Ford to 3rd!!!  

They did not accomplish that by selling poor quality!

Can anyone here explain why?  What do they know that US automakers don't?
Are the employees that work at the Toyota facilities go through this?  

I feel for you but there is something wrong with your system and doesn't sound like it's being fixed.  

 

This is the first time that I have heard about problems with Jeeps ! If we had a problem with what we made for Jeep,we would have known about it immediately. But we never heard anything ! As a matter of fact ,we didn't have any warranty problems ! You didn't say where the leaks came from ! We don't have anything to do with axles now ,nor do we assemble the motor to trannie assembly,so we are not to blame for leaks if that is where they came from! Companies such as Magna, save cost by putting cheaper quality parts in the units that are being built ! Are you going to blame the worker because the worker has to build these units with the parts they get?? Something has been said about different things,but management won't listen because some of us didn't recieve the amount of college time that they got! There is one thing that you can't get from college ,that is COMMON SENSE !! I don't think that half of them have it!

scarab I've noticed the times you've been these sending blogs ... how about trying this    turn off your computer  get your ass out of the chair & SHUT UP !! Get a life !!

points to ponder everybody should look back farther to the 70's what happened to rockwell and porter cable .As far as the trickle down effect look at  how many trucking companies there were 25 yrs ago compared to  today. Any of the former employees of gm, ge, carriar,crouse-hinds or any of the other now defunct co's would say about blood ,sweat and tears at work, been there done that!The  real ? is what drove our jobs a way the unions, the workers, may be it was really the amount of max profitability!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times it's gear time.
   At the gear the workers always rose to any challange.  And once again this spring we all pulled together to launch a new product line with new contracts and new products. It seemed like old times again.  A light at the end of the tunnel. Then in less then a year, it all changed.  Daimler sold Chrysler (After they bled it dry). Chrysler and the union sign a new contract.  Less then a week later the new Chrysler wants to dump another 12 thousand employees.  Magna wins a large contract and is out smarted by Borge-Warner (Ford pulled the contract). Is it magnas fault?  Not really, they just didn't rise to the occasion.  Yes, the end may be near.
  Magna said they would close the plant if we didn't take a major wage cut or if we struck.  I don't know what to believe.  Magna hasn't kept its word yet.   The day I started work at NPG an older worker remarked "why did they hire you,  they're going to close the plant".   Maybe he was right.  

I find it kind of funny how like you see in the Auto Classifieds, Honda's that are for sale, that have 195k miles on them, and still running good. I actually test drove a few just to see how they ran. Usually no problems, decent condition mechanically. Now, I have a Dodge car with 53k miles on it, and I have already put $5000 into the piece of crap to keep it runnin. The car isn't even worth that anymore.

Like Consumers View said, it's all true. Let me ask you.. does Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep even have a Hybrid vehicle? No? they don't? I didn't think so.

The rumor that I hear, is that Dodge will come out with a Hybrid Truck in 2010.. by that time, it will be too late.

I understand that a newly developed T-Case is going to be BUILT in Mexico, is that true? Why did Magna toss out Tesla development from the plant? What happend to the Erdm project? It seems that some projects are developed and then built some wheres else.......why?Don't we get to bid on such things? Is Magna here for the rights and patents like the Germans did to Chrysler?
Remenber when the Germans took over? That next year Chrysler had no money for bonus checks but for the first time in years there were bonus checks for the German plants over seas. Tell me what you think BossMan. no yelling now ;o)

garage, have'nt heard the one about mexico yet. but as for Tesla, they took it away from us we did EXACTLY what they wanted us to do and it diddnt work so they took there buisness elsewhere. yes it is still being devolped by magna but just not our plant. as for Erdm. GM decided to go in another direction with the technology the Erdm unit was too complicated for the application. it was there design and they cancelled it. wasnt our fault.

BTW neither the tesla or the Erdm was ever intended to be produced or assembled in our facility. we just did the R&D.

I here and read so much about the Factory Workers........
ok......so one must assume that the Engineers will take the Half Pay ALSO?
I know...ASSUME... like Benny Hill said
you make ....an....ASS out of  U and ME......
                  ASSUME

Hey Barb D how is the LATD doing?

Just fine doing what he does best.

what's this now? a chat room
who cares about Barb D and LATD
You should be more concerned who shows up at the Friday Meeting in Detroit and what becomes of it.....TTD & Barb D..........duhh

The entire American auto industry is going down the tubes.  The wages and benefits paid to UAW workers over the years have allowed the foreign manufactures into the market.  Americans did not want to pay for the cost of making an American car.  More and more American jobs were sent over seas to avoid the UAW wages and try to make American cars competitive in price.  The UAW still wants more and more and is on a route to total self-destruction. In another 20 years the entire auto industry will be off shore.  Nice work UAW.  

dtaylor4 you make no sense!

How come non-union made Japanese cars cost more than UAW built vehicles? Compare the price on a new Sienna versus a Caravan or a Tundra versus a Ram, The Japs always cost more!  Where is all that money going?...(straight into the pockets of the CEO's).  

Please stop blaming the Union. Have you ever been in a union or benefitted from one?  My guess is probably not, and you are just a complaining wannabe.

God bless the UAW and I hope all goes well at NPG!

Hay Joe,
How about 30 – 40 years ago when this all started?  Honda and VW got their foothold in the US market by selling cheap cars.  The foreigners have built on that initial market penetration and now compete price for price with American cars.  Many people believe that the quality of the foreign cars is better than the American cars and are willing to pay for that quality.
And yes Joe I was a union member when I was younger and did receive benefits from that membership.  I started working at GE in Syracuse when I got out of the service in the 60’s.  The union there was able to drive GE out of Syracuse and I received unemployment benefits.  

1) No one owes anyone a job. We have a job beause someone is willing to pay for our products or services
2) Magna is an International Company, they have plants all over the world and it's very easy for them to move product anywhere.
3) Magna, like every other company is in business to make $, the more the better, call it greed if you like.
4) Customers are not happy with our quality and cost, that's why we have no new business. Ford made it clear that they wanted the F150 business in Mexico
5) Our competition is building plants outside of the USA.
6) The North East has been closing plants for years, take the guy's avise and get the hell out of NY.

my dad allways said all good things come to a end.

Magna says they cannot afford the current wage and benefit structure when they have no idea how many NPG employees are going to accept the 100,000.00$ buyout or the guys who are eligable to retire . Anyone new they hire gets 13 bucks an hour. Magna has no idea if 3/4 of the workers are leaving or staying .Magna may end up with a huge number of new workers that are paid 1/2 of what most make.Wake up!!  There threating to leave syracuse . The wages are an excuse. If they say they are going to LEAVE THEY ARE LEAVING NO MATTER WHAT THE UAW gives in on .I am a senior worker at the plant and there are so many problems to address on both the uaw side and management it unbelievable. The number one problem I see is the incompetant management . If you have lazy workers the boss should deal with them . Instead they rely on the people who work there tails off . Lump some more on they as they will come thru for them . The uaw work rules are a joke ! Period they need to change and be enforced . I believe in unions but I also  believe in everyone working and being productive . If  whats goes on in the plant could be addressed  in a productive way then we could easily layoff loads of works . Sucks for them but it would possiably save the plant ? The uaw fights for everyone but lets be real and fight for the plant first .  Lastly , to the UAW local leadership . Please inform the workers more . The silence is killing the plant . Everyone thinks we are closing and they are stopping to try to turn it around . Morale is at an all time low !