Dwain,

No doubt management makes mistakes and job shuffles at the top of the ladder do occur because of them. That said, after looking at what the 5 top execs at GM were paid last year (a combine total of under $14m with no options exercised), the real financial gorilla on the company's back is cash outlays for 335,000 employees, not to mention retired/former employees.

When a company is willing to offer an average of $140,000 to employees to quit working for them (which GM did last month) in order to save money, there is something desperately wrong with the wage and benefits structure of the company.

I harbor no animosity toward either the union membership or the corporation, but it is apparent that the union asked for promises that, in hindsight, it shouldn't have, and the corporation, in hindsight, made promises that it shouldn't have. The chickens are coming home to roost, and it isn't good news for anyone involved.

Bob