Top U.S. Auto Executives Underpaid? Bob Lutz Seems to Think So

Bob Lutz sure loves himself some sound bites. In his latest spotlight capture, the GM exec stated that auto industry executives are currently underpaid. And not just underpaid, no, no–way, way, way underpaid.

How exactly do you run a company deep into the Earth below, get billions in public funding to bail your sorry hides out and then claim that you’re underpaid?

The statement comes amidst a review of top executives’ salaries by the Treasury Department.  Something tells me, the Treasury Department won’t see it exactly how Lutz does.

To be fair, Lutz went on to make a point about how it was going to be difficult to retain talent over time with the comparitively low pay structure of the industry. But, when there ain’t no money, there ain’t no pay–isn’t that a part of any business.

A more level-headed view by auto analyst Joe Phillippi is that the auto industry has not yet met the burden of turning around that would justify a boost in pay for executives. In other words, put the horse before the carriage, Lutz. Paying back the government before gorging yourselves on the spoils might also be a nice idea. [via Detroit News]