Detroit The Lie To Hide The Truth About Bankruptcy. DETROIT—More U.S. auto plants are cranking out cars around the clock like never before, a change that is driving robust profit increases at Detroit's Big Three. After years of layoffs, plant closures and corporate bankruptcies, U.S. auto makers and parts suppliers are pushing factories to the limits. GM, Ford and Chrysler with more flexible union agreements now allow the companies to build cars for 120 hours a week or more while paying less in overtime pay. Nearly 40% of car factories in North America now operate on work schedules that push production well past 80 hours a week, compared with 11% in 2008, said Ron Harbour a senior partner with the Oliver Wyman Inc. management consulting firm. "There has never been a time in the U.S. industry that we've had this high a level of capacity utilization," he said. The Detroit auto makers closed 27 factories following the financial crisis as GM and Chrysler went through government-led bankruptcies. But U.S. vehicle sales have roared back from the trough of 10.4 million in 2009. In July, U.S. car and light truck sales ran at an annualized pace of 15.8 million, up from a 14.2 million pace a year ago. Auto sales hit a peak rate of 17.5 million in 2005. The industry had 925,700 employees that year. Last year, the workforce stood at 647,600. The combination of rising sales and tight production capacity helped Detroit auto makers last year generate the second-highest profit in the industry's history. Adding a third shift, as many plants have done, also reduces overtime. Overtime pay also starts after 40 hours a week, not after eight hours a day as in the past. On top of those savings, a newly hired Big Three factory worker now earns about $15 an hour versus $28 an hour for veteran workers, under postrecession labor pacts. Workers don't even have to leave the factory to get a bite to eat; there are three Subway locations there. James Spizzirro, 33 years old, a worker at Hyundai Motor Co.'s Montgomery, Ala., factory, said the South Korean auto maker's decision last year to add a third shift came as a relief. Before that, he was working 10-hour-a-day shifts with overtime. "It was very grueling," he said. "You make great money but the toll it takes on the body, and the time away from family gets hard to deal with." Of those who applied for the work, 70% were rejected, mostly because they couldn't pass initial assessment tests, Mr. Pino said. The auto industry is now building about the same number of vehicles as it did in 2007, but with about 100,000 fewer employees, said Neil De Koker, president of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association. online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324769704579008774210016680.html They want to blame the unions Wal-Mart service industry low paying jobs Bill Clinton NAFTA Kaz vs Wild Season 4 Sept. 22 -- 28 in Frankfort Michigan All of my friends, subscribers and subscriptions are invited to along with me!! Time for Kaz vs Wild 4 www.youtube.com/watch?v=-505Qo6vg9M KAZ VS WILD PLAYLISTS: Season1 www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1AF60CB33EFBB5C8 Season2 www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB0643A9574A9854D Season3 www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUEU_Tnd6c2n9AyBqmmSxXf9PncVHLrK6

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