General Motors will extend its holiday shutdown at as many as 10 factories in an attempt to conserve cash amid uncertainty over a make or break government bailout. Workers at several plants were told Friday morning the shutdown will be extended until January 20th.
Dave Green, president of a United Auto Workers local in Lordstown, Ohio, told the Associated Press workers got news of the shutdown today at the massive complex, which produces Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5.
The last scheduled workday there will be December 23rd, but activities are expected to slowly wind down well before that.
Other plants affected include the Orion Township, Michigan facility, which builds the Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6, and the Fairfax, Kansas plant, which also builds the Malibu and also assembles the Saturn Aura. The Wentzville, Missouri assembly plant, which builds full-size vans, was also part of the announcement.
In Canada, the Oshawa car assembly plant will also see an extended shutdown. It currently builds the Chevrolet Impala and Buick LaCrosse. It is expected to begin production of the new Camaro in February.
GM will also permanently close the Oshawa truck assembly plant in May 2009, about two months sooner than originally planned.
11/21, 2:09 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Happy Holiday!
11/21, 2:43 PM
posted by:
procrastinate now
At least they’ll have paychecks going into the Holidays. Not that there will be much to celebrate given all the uncertainty. But, the alternative would be much worse.
11/21, 2:46 PM
posted by:
Borat
It’s a beautiful life! If GM pays for UAW members after official plant shutdown, it means they will get payed for each hour on vacation! I think it is fitting: if they are well compensated to produce crap that they produce, it is cheaper for GM not to produce crap and still pay
Does anyone remember Sopranos episode when mobsters were sitting on construction site in Newark in order to get payed? UAW guys can sit on beach in Florida and get the same benefits. Life replicating art!
11/21, 2:48 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
Note to UAW leadership: Merry Christmas you thugs.
11/21, 2:51 PM
posted by:
Commodore
Extend shutdown to Obama inaguration? not surprising. Just make sure not to pay the employees anything so that you can make the unions hurt
or do whatever it takes to destroy the UAW
11/21, 3:07 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
I knew there was something about that date. Is this so the non-denominational types can pay homage to their savior?
11/21, 3:14 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
… problem is Obama has two children meaning there’s already been a second coming.
11/21, 3:19 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Naw, Johnny. Those kids are being raised in government housing so chances are they’ll end up as unwed pregnant druggie mom loser drop-outs like all the other presidential punk offspring.
11/21, 5:51 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
WOW, “need more oil” has had something to say all day to day, so what happen here?
11/21, 6:21 PM
posted by:
andy
i wish my work gave me that long off… **ckin hate that place
but really, not the kind of thing you want to hear right around the busiest shopping time of the year
11/21, 6:40 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
LMAO, Johnny! Hey, Johnny, what should you do when you’re walking through the jungle and you come across an elephant?
11/21, 8:18 PM
posted by:
Get Real
After 30+ years of “quality” cars customers have walked away for good.
Now finally executives in ties and UAW workers will join together at the unemployment line.
11/21, 9:23 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
I don’t know, beatus, pray that it doesn’t swallow?
11/21, 11:18 PM
posted by:
planet_drive
GM is dead, so if Ford and Chrysler. You can only build garbage for so long untill the public finally says “ENOUGH!!” I put over 350k on a 450ho modified 2 litre Subaru WRX and its still running strong. There is no way any domestic car can achieve such power with that much reliability from a 4cyl motor. Thats why Japanese cars are respected all over the world and American cars are laughed at. The Brits call them Yank Tanks, The Germans call them Slow Death Traps. The Japanese call them Shameful Displays of Engineering.
11/22, 12:40 AM
posted by:
DrFill
Obama’s inauguration on the 20th is not a coincidence
DrFill