My understanding is that the companies like Toyota offer competitive medical and retirement packages as everyone else. What they don't do is offer to make those medical benefits free for life, even after retirement.
*That* is what is killing the big 3. They made promised back during the heyday of unions and strikes that is now coming back to haunt them. Read a while ago that for each car GM ships, something on the order of $1200 (may be more, but I don't want to exaggerate a number I read several years ago) of that car goes to pay for retiree benefits.