Daimler/Chrysler just became an ordinary car maker,..... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 07-17-2004, 08:32 PM

....or maybe it has been for sometime?
I can just imagine how PO'd workers will affect quality.

Quote:

BERLIN - Thousands of DaimlerChrysler workers walked off the job Saturday, extending protests against the automaker's threats to cut jobs in Germany if employees don't accept steps to cut labor costs.

Some 14,500 workers took part in stoppages at two Mercedes plants near the company's German base at Stuttgart, halting production of some 1,000 vehicles at the Untertuerkheim plant alone, employee representatives said.

The head of the governing Social Democratic party lashed out at German companies, saying some were trying to "gag workers" and "turn back the wheel by 100 years." DaimlerChrysler workers across Germany staged walkouts and protest rallies Thursday, prompting an appeal by Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, a Social Democrat, for employees and management to end the dispute, though he said he would not get involved.

DaimlerChrysler chief executive Juergen Schrempp was quoted Saturday as saying he expects an accord soon.

"I am confident that we will have a solution shortly," he said in an interview for the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. "We are in constructive negotiations. But we don't want to discuss publicly what we have achieved so far."

DaimlerChrysler says labor costs at its plant in Sindelfingen, near its German base at Stuttgart, are higher than at another German factory in Bremen. The company has threatened to move production of future Mercedes-Benz C-class model cars to Bremen and South Africa unless it gets $620 million in annual savings at Sindelfingen.

One of DaimlerChrysler's main targets is to cut the five minutes of paid break time Sindelfingen workers accumulate every hour under the local contract. They won the break time in a 1973 strike. Much of it is now banked and used for meetings with supervisors or work team members.

The struggle over labor costs at DaimlerChrysler's plants are part of a pattern by German industry to press workers for concessions, particularly in the form of longer hours, after three years of economic stagnation.

Electronics and engineering giant Siemens AG last month won an agreement from workers at a phone repair facility in northwestern Germany to work 40 hours instead of 35 for no added pay to avoid seeing 2,000 jobs moved to lower-wage Hungary.

General Motors Europe said Thursday it needs to save $124 million across the continent, saying only competitiveness on cost could secure jobs.

Social Democratic head Franz Muentefering accused employers of taking advantage of Germany's economic woes to squeeze workers.

"There are some _ I'm not saying all _ who want to use the unfavorable times to gag workers," he said in an interview Saturday in the Berliner Zeitung daily. "Rituals are surfacing that I had hoped were long behind us."

"Germany's future does not lie in low wages," he said. "Companies have a responsibility toward employees with whom they have become rich."

Taken from Comcast homepage.

Louis.

Gurkha · #2 07-17-2004, 09:34 PM

Well for me, after the OM 616/617 engines and W 123 chassis as well as the old G and Unimogs, the newer MB has no appeal at all as MB as a company lost all its scruples long time ago.

oldnavy · #3 07-17-2004, 11:00 PM

Besides they are butt ugly, I'd rather buy a Dodge and get the E320 with Dodge good look's.

DslBnz · #4 07-17-2004, 11:12 PM

Hence my sig,

ekisgen · #5 07-17-2004, 11:24 PM

Unfortunate for the workers it may be, but, I'll bet Deutsche Bank and the board completly support Juergen Schremp and his management team's plan to cut costs.

It looks like "Deutschland AG" is taking a page from good old American capitalism. As we, the consumer, know this will be good for the company's bottomline. However, it can be bad for product quality.

Should be interesting to see how this plays out. Louis, thank you for posting the story.

Benzcrusher · #6 07-18-2004, 12:25 AM

A few months ago I attended an event to demo the C-class lineup in Charlotte NC.

After driving several models, my wife and I agreed that the "C" stood for crap.
Expensive, tiny, what's the big deal, German Accords with a star......

While looking over a G500, I was approached by a MB represenative who looked like a Carmax saleskid. He told me that this year was the end of the G-Wagen, he said that it was, "dated and NOT what the customers wants"....hmmm.... He then asked If I had given the ML a look. I told him that I didn't care for the ML and was really interested in the G-wagen. I said, "isn't that a Chrysler product anyway?" That made him a bit indignent and said, "we give THEM technology not the other way around."

william rogers · #7 07-18-2004, 01:51 AM

Perhaps Juergen would be better off with an Accord..........

William Rogers.........

william rogers · #8 07-18-2004, 01:53 AM

Perhaps Juergen would be better off with an Accord..........

William Rogers.......

Gurkha · #9 07-18-2004, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Benzcrusher
A few months ago I attended an event to demo the C-class lineup in Charlotte NC.

After driving several models, my wife and I agreed that the "C" stood for crap.
Expensive, tiny, what's the big deal, German Accords with a star......

While looking over a G500, I was approached by a MB represenative who looked like a Carmax saleskid. He told me that this year was the end of the G-Wagen, he said that it was, "dated and NOT what the customers wants"....hmmm.... He then asked If I had given the ML a look. I told him that I didn't care for the ML and was really interested in the G-wagen. I said, "isn't that a Chrysler product anyway?" That made him a bit indignent and said, "we give THEM technology not the other way around."

Would be the saddest day in MB history if they take the venerable G out of their range, along with Toyota Land Cruiser and Nissan Patrol and Land Rover, one of the true 4WD which could really do the utility job. Well the G continues in its cheap Indian incarnation as the Gurkha for those still interested.

#10 07-18-2004, 04:23 AM

ah schucks, they were in the toilet when they came out with the all mighty "volare" my grandma's 1962 rambler classic was a better car... hehehe...

#11 07-18-2004, 09:32 AM

Yeah, I really feel sorry for those production line workers. They get paid very well to tighten a few bolts on a shock absorber.

BTW If anyone thinks that the Chrysler 300 is an E320, they are very mistaken. The car has E class suspension components and the driver adaptive transmission. I have heard but not confirmed that it also has the E electronics. That's a BAD thing.

There is much, MUCH more to a car than suspension components, transmission troublesome electronics. I expect that after 50,000 miles a 300 will just be another Chrysler Corp built rattle trap.

My $0.02,

Benzcrusher · #12 07-18-2004, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LarryBible
I expect that after 50,000 miles a 300 will just be another Chrysler Corp built rattle trap.

Why does Chrysler produce beautiful cars that fall apart???

In June of 1996 the Sebring conv. came out, I saw one and went ape$hit over it. I run to the dealer and $26,500 later the JXI version was mine. A month later I got my first recall notice, then another. After about 4 I took it to the dealer for "recall" service. More notices came with in the first year, then I get a notice regarding the freeze plugs. A week later after a trip to the store, the freeze plugs let go and coolant was all over the garage! I had more trouble with that car and STILL bought a 1997 Jeep Cherokee, that had electrical gremlins and the vinyl started to crack in a year!
Could it be that Mexico is not a 6 sigma kind of place to build cars?

oldnavy · #13 07-18-2004, 09:54 AM

Larry is most likely correct, but at least the Dodge is better looking and the body will probably be about the same quality of the new MB E series car. So I rather save $20,000 US and buy the Chrysler product.

Also Larry there is some public releases from Chrysler about the running gear, electronic's and in one case even engine and same interior being used from MB. It's been the talk of all the auto show's on TV and some of the car magizines. Friend in Chrysler management at plant St Louis says on some of the vehicles the whole chassis is used, as in the case of the Crossfire.

#14 07-18-2004, 10:25 AM

Some more reading to diggest.

http://www.lemonmb.com/index.php

Louis.

jdc1244 · #15 07-18-2004, 01:47 PM

I’ve seen the website before. It can be argued that a website for any make would yield similar problems. All cars have become very complicated. That complicated technology makes a car prone to failures. Last week Ford recalled almost one million Taurus and Sables for a suspension component prone to premature rust and failure.

And in that context you are correct, “Mercedes-Benz,” whatever that is supposed to mean, is just another car.