General Motors says it is eliminating shifts at its Delta Township, Michigan, and Lordstown, Ohio, factories as a result of weak demand for new cars in North America. The eliminated shifts mean that about 2,000 workers will be affected. GM says it is also idling production at a further 10 plants across North America during the first or second quarter of 2009.
About 1,200 workers at the Delta Township plant will be laid off indefinitely. The plant produces the Lamdba-platfrom GM SUVs, including the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook. Workers will alternate shifts until April 6 when they will be laid off.
Another 800 workers at the Lordstown plant will lose their jobs, too. That plant, which builds the Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5, will be cut back to just one shift.
“We have hope things will turn and change,” UAW Local 1714 president Dave Green told the Detroit News. “This is no fault of our own. People are not purchasing cars right now.”
GM will temporarily idle production for additional weeks during the first and second quarters of this year at ten plants, including Spring Hill, Tennessee; Fairfax, Kansas; Arlington, Texas; Lansing/Grand River, Michigan; Orion Township, Michigan; Hamtramck, Michigan; Shreveport, Louisiana; Wilmington, Delware; Wentsville, Missouri; and Oshawa, Ontario.
01/26, 3:31 PM
posted by:
sequoiatrader
Crazy. Why would GM be idling production of unibody FWD crossovers and small fuel efficient cars when that is what Americans have always wanted to buy? Gas prices are going back up. I would have thought they would idle Tahoe/Yukon or Silverado/Sierra production.
01/26, 3:44 PM
posted by:
Zcarsales
I sincerely hope that the plant workers are happy with what the UAW is doing to them. Then again they should’ve known that this was coming for a long time.
01/26, 4:56 PM
posted by:
HoosierHero
An American Revolution.
01/26, 4:58 PM
posted by:
Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3
I do feel badly for the workers and their families.
01/26, 7:03 PM
posted by:
inline6
Folks, the bottom has dropped out of the market. It doesn’t matter that the Buick/GMC/Saturn Lambdas and the Cobalt/G5 are where buyers are looking. There are just plain fewer of them.
And rather than GM overburden its myriad dealers with extra vehicles they’ll take forever to sell, they have to cut production.
To note, the article DOESN’T say that either plant will be idled, or that the models are in jeopardy. It did say that GM is planning to idle 10 plants at some point in Q1. That could be 3 days, a week, or three weeks.
They’re simply trimming production to account for the lack of buyers. Makes total sense. Everyone else is doing it, too. Worldwide. Except maybe VW.
01/26, 7:40 PM
posted by:
Mutant@DCX
Hope is not a strategy Dave
01/26, 10:20 PM
posted by:
Borat
What strategy? Does GM knows a meaning of that word? They surely were confused during congressional hearings. I think they were confused beyond confused: I was delusional man demanding money for their million dollar salaries. I don’t know when they will start working for a buck a year: Yahoo financial still quotes 3+ mils for Wagoner over 1 mil for Putz and Fritz each.
01/27, 1:20 AM
posted by:
shane train
LLLL3- GM doesn’t seem to, they would have provided better for the Americans that they expect loyalty from. What a joke, they expect us to buy American, yet can’t keep Americans employed. You have dissapointed your nation GM.
01/27, 8:13 AM
posted by:
Need more oil for GM
You’re an embarrassment to your Country SHane, it is your duty and an American to support American jobs at GM. Maybe we need to take a few more taxes from you to pay for your treasonist acts?