Posted on 02/26/2010 4:19:10 PM PST by TigerLikesRooster
Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008
System under stress at Toyota
Criticism is surfacing about the potential social costs of the carmaker's labor practices
By YURI KAGEYAMA
The Associated Press
TOYOTA, Aichi Pref. (AP) Toyota Motor Corp. has long boasted a stellar reputation for super-efficient production that has become the lore of countless business success books.
Past and present: Hiroko Uchino, the widow of Toyota Motor Corp. employee Kenichi Uchino, who died of overwork, is seen with a family photo at her house in Anjo, Aichi Prefecture, in July. AP PHOTO
But recently, criticism is starting to surface in Japan about the potential social costs of the company's prized — and virtually uncriticized — labor practices.
Over the past year, the deaths of two Toyota employees were determined by law to have been caused by overwork.
Then in June, a downtown Tokyo stabbing spree by a disgruntled worker at a Toyota subsidiary stunned Japan. The vehicle and knife rampage, which left seven dead, prompted further public scrutiny of the leading automaker. Some questioned whether its aggressive cost cuts were putting a stressful squeeze on its employees.
(Excerpt) Read more at search.japantimes.co.jp ...
P!
More bad mouthing from the propoganda arm of the owners of Government Motors.
and no report by the drive-by’s on Gubmint’ Motors execs getting bonuses which they do not deserve.
If I were in the market for a new car, I would be buying a Toyota.....just my way of say “f” U......
Hope the CEO does not commit hari kiri.
If only Toyota had unions.. /sarc
I think that Toyota may have made a mistake in removing the mechanical link entirely from some of its cars and going wholly “fly by wire.” That said, it is an exceptionally well-run, very large company that produces quality products.
An intermittent electronic bug—a hypothetical one at that—is devilishly hard to believe in, and devilishly hard to find. So, they’ve got a problem.
The US government is doing show trial type hearings, hoping to benefit, not GM the company, but the unions that now own it.
It’s looking like it’s time to visit our Toyota dealer, I’m sure I can get reasonable price on one right about now.
I agree. Not just Toyota but other car companies as well. Reports about sudden acceleration and other kinds of loss of control had been made by drivers of various model of cars from different companies. Perhaps ensuring proper functioning of fly-by-wire system is either more expensive or requiring more technical improvement.
Doubtful. That honor was reserved for Japanese captains in the IJN who ran their ships aground.
Well, Japan actually has a high suicide rate, because it’s sometimes actually considered the “morally responsible” thing to do.
So yes, the culture remains, even though Hara Kiri is no longer practiced.
BS meter, please.
In Japan it does.
I was unaware of that.
My 2000 VW GTI was all "fly by wire". Enough to drive one crazy till you got used to it. And the way they programmed it was if the brake and the gas were pressed at the same time a fuel cutoff kicked in. No more power braking.
I've had mine for 5 years and love it, if it dies before I do, I'll buy another because it is an excellent vehicle.
Anyone interested in this I’d advise to Google “Unions Pressure Toyota” and look at the timeline relative to this news commotion.
I agree they are great cars....everyone that has them loves them.....
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