Many of our Maryland readers, just the same as millions of other Americans, drive a General Motors vehicle. While this brand has been popular among consumers for many years, its reputation has taken a hit as of late due to a delayed recall that led to multiple car accidents.
According to GM Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra, 15 employees have been let go by the company and five others have been disciplined for their role in the recall debacle.
Some of these employees were let go due to incompetence or misconduct on the job, while others found themselves on the outside looking in because they were aware of the issue but did not take the appropriate steps towards getting it fixed.
Reading a report by former federal prosecutor Anton Valukas, who headed up the probe, Barra said, “It represents a fundamental failure to meet the basic needs of these customers. We simply didn’t do our jobs. We failed these customers.”
At this time, GM believes that 13 people have died as a direct result of the delayed recall. However, there are others, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as the families of those who were killed in the car accidents, who believe that the number would be much higher if all victims were included.
While GM may now be taking responsibility for its actions, it does not change the fact that many people were killed and injured due to a delayed recall. The dismissal of these employees is another step in the right direction, but GM still has many challenges ahead, including lawsuits filed by the victims’ families.
Source: CNN, “Barra: GM axes 15 over botched recall” Chris Isidore, Jun. 05, 2014