Another letter from our membership on GM’s current policies relating to Salaried retirees. Posted here to keep our membership informed of what their fellow retirees are thinking.  See additional comments by Duane below:

John E. Bond

Yes, we agree we have a good retirement plan and that there are others who might not be as fortunate as we are!  There are also people starving in Africa and folk suffering from various malady’s all over the globe and while that is terrible, it is not germane to this issue. Those of my age group served GM well.  Unlike today, we had to work very hard to attain our positions as salaried GM people.  We were chosen after long careful scrutiny because we proved ourselves as honest, intelligent and dedicated.  Back then we had to pay our “dues” to attain Salary positions!  For those qualities GM paid us well and gave us good benefits.  We in turn worked hard and used our God-given talents to make GM a profit and a good name.  We adhered to Alfred Sloan’s principles that were “required learning” for all and were posted in every office in GM.  I suggest you look them up and study them, they might enlighten you!  You will however have to go to a Library to find them because the neo management Roger Smith types have seen to it they were taken down and discarded, ala George Orwell’s famous book, 1984!

Sir; here is the crux of the issue!  When I (we) retired, a representative of your domain shook my hand, looked me in the eye and promised to cover my health benefits “until death do us part”!  Your folk and I then signed an agreement to that effect.  But within six months, you welshed on the deal.  You had your “what does IS mean” Clinton-type slick Lawyers to go to some judge they had probably helped get appointed and declared that handshake, verbal oath and promise in writing, null and void. And now yet today you try to continue this despicable action with unclear weak excuses and illogical comparisons. Again Mr. Crabill, the issue here is only honesty, loyalty and fairness!

Have you ever heard the old saw that says, “Honesty is like pregnancy, either you is or you ain’t”..!  Well, for us I hate to say, GM “ain’t” anymore and we think that maybe the world needs to know it!   It is up to you; the ball is now in your court.  Do what is RIGHT…, and do it quickly dear sir! The old and loyal GM Salary folks are a stirring!

Duane Allen sent the above letter to Mr. Crabill in early January and apparently Crabill responded with a form letter.  Duane’s email comment on the results of his communication is quoted below: