The problem with reading just the headlines, or listening to just the soundbites on the 6 o'clock news is that they can be misleading....
As a GM employee, I tend to read the whole article(yes it's true, some of us at Gm can read). What GM actually said was they were eliminating 25,000 jobs over the next three years , mostly through attrition !!!!
(that's a big word that means when people retire they won't be replaced)
and closing some redundant plants.(another big word that means they have too many plants that make the same thing).
But putting that in the headlines doesn't sell papers !!!
If you take a plant such as Flint Truck and Bus, where I work, fully 85% of the employee population will be eligable to retire within the next three years, does this mean that they'll all go ??? No it does not, as some of them started with GM right out of high school and having 30 years in at 49 yrs. old they are still 10 yrs. away from touching their 401k's, and and 16 yrs. from Soc. Sec. (if that's still around...Don't get me started.). Gm is contractually obligated to hire 1 employee for every 2 that retire...so do the math folks !!!
If you are counting on the gloom and doom headlines for better deals than you're getting, I wouldn't hold my breath.
Just thought I'd interject a little perspective...