General Motors’ Fairfax assembly plant — one of two U.S. facilities that makes the popular Chevrolet Malibu – may be on strike, but the Detroit-based automaker is taking steps to ensure it can keep up on production. GM announced on Monday that it will move the Malibu’s fender production to the company’s Lancing, Michigan stamping plant. The fenders have been produced at the Fairfax plant.
The Lancing plant should be producing Malibu fenders by the end of the week. The Lansing plant is in close proximity to the Malibu’s second production facility — in Orion Township, Michigan — and the Lancing plant already has a local UAW contract in place so there is no threat of a strike.
According to Automotive News, the Orion plant makes 388 Malibus per day compared to Fairfax’s 574 daily Malibu production. However, it remains unclear if Orion will boost Malibu production as it also makes the popular Pontiac G6. Through the first four months of the year, GM has sold 59,133 Malibus and 57,143 G6s — both increases of over 22 percent when compared to the same period last year.
But despite how the situation looks, GM says the move was not due to the strike. Instead, the automaker said the move had been planned for weeks and Malibu stamping equipment was actually sent to Lancing six weeks ago.
While it’s difficult to say whether GM was fully aware the UAW would strike at its Fairfax plant, we think its a safe assumption to think GM’s move was at least influenced by the possibility.
05/06, 10:49 AM
posted by:
Need4SSpeed
Jeez it’s Lansing not “Lancing”. Nice spell check there.
05/06, 10:50 AM
posted by:
injunraiv
Wow. If the union members saw the machinery heading out the door, you’d have to wonder what they think they were going to gain by going on strike?
05/06, 11:13 AM
posted by:
oldraven
NICE!
05/06, 11:13 AM
posted by:
MercMark
At least all of our union and strike worries will be over, once all of our manufacturing is done by the benevolent chinese!
05/06, 11:22 AM
posted by:
injunraiv
^ Exactly. It seems unions have to figure out that labor needs to fit into the overall marketplace. Don’t get me wrong, I think unions are a necessary evil to protect the rights of the worker. But if they are this out of touch that they are actually forcing their members out of work, somethings wrong.
05/06, 11:26 AM
posted by:
xyunya
Machinery may not left the floor, but unions and thinking are not synonymous (at least based on posts here)
05/06, 11:50 AM
posted by:
jumpoffit
so what, let me get this clear
people are acutally buying this G6 ??
05/06, 11:50 AM
posted by:
jumpoffit
i meant wait
05/06, 11:52 AM
posted by:
RaineMan
Rental car agencies are buying the G6 in droves.
05/06, 12:02 PM
posted by:
Need4SSpeed
lol my girlfriend wants a G6 when her Liberty’s lease is up in June, lol that says it right there, very popular with the ladies.
05/06, 12:44 PM
posted by:
Get Real
Musical Chairs at the corporate level.
G6 is junk, G8 is awesome.
05/06, 2:10 PM
posted by:
droppedgmc02
My girlfriend’s sister has a 2006 GTP G6 and it’s i pretty neat car. Handles well stout engine. All in all its a nice package.
05/06, 3:24 PM
posted by:
HemiRoadRunner
Why exactly are these guys striking again? I know it’s for job security, but how does this solve the problem, and what did GM say about their jobs that made them strike? Or are they just typical lazy mofo’s taking advantage og GM while they’re selling good?
05/06, 4:48 PM
posted by:
carstuff
I know it’s for job security,
..
..
Who says it is for jpb security? They are on strike because the plant local wants jobs assigned by senority. GM wants it assigned by capability and how hard they work. Lots of plant hourly jobs take a little initiative and willingness to work. There are lots of workers there who only want to show up and do as little as possible. YOu get one of these high senority guys in a job such as off the line inspection and you have a guy who finds places to sleep or jsut work as slow as possible. NOthing GM can do about it.
05/06, 10:41 PM
posted by:
sprockkets
Weird. Thought they were importing all of them since they are just rebadged Opels. I mean, if they couldn’t make a decent vehicle themselves, how could they then proceed to manufacture it?
Eh, whatever. At least they are doing something about their lineup. Their slogan “Rethink American” is utter bull**** though.