9/14/2003

Making money on the hurricane; and the UAW vs auto makers--- Construction will boom, employment will soar in those businesses, lumber futures, appliances, etc. because homes will have to be rebuilt. Roads and bridges will have to be repaired. Crops left in the ground will be toast, but in that part of the country the only crop left in the ground is pot. UAW Auto makers are meeting now with both sides ignoring the obvious: American cars cost too much due to the insane labor benefit packages. Ford and GM have a $1,700 worth of benefits on each car; Toyota has just $200. Unless this is fixed, and there is no way these unions will fix this, the American car manufacturing business may cease to exist. The question for the past ten years is still out there: can any company with a UAW contract make money? GM has an advantage over Ford because of their product mix but will Toyota, Honda, and Mazda stay out of the truck business? Right now trucks carry all U.S. companies. They only stay in the car business with huge rebates.

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