After suffering nearly $4 billion in losses in 2005, GM hopes that closing nine plants and cutting 30,000 jobs in North America will put it on the road to profitability.
Wall Street is worried that GM's plan is insufficient, while the United Auto Workers union struggles to defend jobs and benefits in a tough, competitive environment. On the bright side, experts believe the economy is robust enough to absorb the jobs. While GM works to convey that good news is around the bend, its biggest challenge remains fixing consumer perception.
Most frequent messages
1. Hopes to see $7 billion in cost reductions a year by end of '06
2. Plan does not go far enough
3. Most job cuts will be through attrition/early retirement
4. Will cut vehicle production by 1 million units by end of '08
5. High labor/pension/healthcare costs have hurt GM
Based on an analysis of major-market and business print, web, and broadcast coverage from Nov. 21-22
Evaluation and analysis by Delahaye - a division
of Bacon's Information, Inc.
