[Opinion]

11/10/2004: Intervention Before Bankruptcy -- Force Financially Challenged Firms to Cap Legacy Costs (The Washington Post; subscription may be required)

Excerpt: There are lots of factors here, not the least of which is chronic global overcapacity in the auto industry. But any fair analysis immediately focuses on 'legacy costs,' the billions of dollars paid by these companies each year for the pensions and health care costs of retirees. Because of increased longevity and waves of successive layoffs, retirees from the Big Three now outnumber active workers by about 2 to 1.