General Motors could soon face a two-front attack as it begins implementing a massive restructuring designed to save the automaker $6 billion by 2020. The United Auto Workers union and Unifor presidents met last week to discuss a plethora of topics including issues both have with the automaker. Cooperation between the two took a step forward earlier this month when the UAW joined Unifor in calling for a boycott of Mexican-built GM vehicles. It appears further cooperation is possible in the future.Â
“We both understand that we have our problems with General Motors, that’s for sure,” Unifor President Jerry Dias, according to Automotive News. “We get that we’re better together. We’re a lot stronger together when we’re dealing with issues like General Motors.”
Both Unifor and the UAW have criticized GM for its decision to close five North American factories, lay off thousands, and discontinue several low-profit models like the Buick LaCrosse and Chevrolet Impala. However, Unifor has been more aggressive in its tactics. So far, Unifor has held sit-in protests, walked off the assembly line, blocked access to GM’s Canadian headquarters, and ran a commercial during Super Bowl LIII that caused GM to threaten a lawsuit against the union.
“Unifor and the UAW are and always have been committed to act in solidarity on behalf of our members and working families in Canada and the United States,” reads a joint statement from the two unions. “United we are stronger. And we remain united through our shared goals and heritage whether from this latest challenge with GM or in future challenges.”
Both unions want GM to reverse course on its restructuring and plan to close the five North American factories. However, while the UAW and Unifor continue to criticize the automaker, GM employees working at plants the company wants to close are already accepting new positions at other GM factories. GM even announced the addition of 1,000 new jobs at Flint Assembly.Â
Comments
GM is already smoldering, might as well let the place burn to the ground and close the factories early! Lop off an additional plant in the US and relocate its product to other plants. Reduce overcapacity and send a message in one.
In any case, I am peeved at GM and these tactics by the Unions just make me NOT want a Union built GM car even more! Too many well built, well designed and well assembled vehicles out there to put up with GM’s or the Union’s BS.
The problem with this whole scenario lies at the feet of Mary Barra and her incompetent management team. They signed a contract, spent $500 million to retool the Oshawa plant for what is turning out to be a 18 month project. Couple that with the fact that GM announces these cuts right after assigning the best product to their Mexican plants.
When a town like Oshawa looses a GM plant, their economic base is hammered and will never recover. The jobs that leave the US and Canada often time never come back no matter how good sales are.
Blazer is a turd; don’t know how you get that it is the “best product”! Over priced, under equipped, ugly as sin, and poorly named! Nomad, Monza, Venture, Avalanche, Tracker, heck even 1950’s Task Force would be more appropriate. For God’s sake though, couldn’t they pick just one design language for the entire vehicle? Sharp and bloated, swoopy and kinkled, technical and simple, aggressive and sedate, sporty and portly. Who is the target audience and are they on lithium?
Union strikes in today’s world aren’t going to build loyalty from a company or the buyers, just animosity and tension.
However, what is interesting, is why Hamtramck was closed when Orion was notorious for being a hostile factory with a militant union base back when the Bonneville, LeSabre, and Park Avenue were made there. What changed, and why didn’t they take out an older plant (two years), and renovate Hamtramck as the Darling of Detroit, with factory tours and attractions, boosting awareness and tourism in Detroit. Think Rouge Factory. GM could have easily turned it into a tourist trap smack off I-94 , I-75, and M-10 plus bought the adjacent Packard Plant and turned it into a GM “The Henry Ford” tourist trap! Would have paid for the upkeep on the Heritage Collection, boosted awareness of the plethora of electric vehicles from GM( yeah I couldn’t keep a straight face typing that), and revived a portion of Detroit that GM obliterated in the 80s to build the factory in the first place!
But hey, angering the world is a much better plan, and she said “no more crappy cars”….who knew she was just calling the sedan segment crappy? We shall see how this plays out…but if you are an enthusiast, sell your memorabilia while you can get something for it! Who needs a GM World’s Fair pin from the 40’s….cause GM has shown me the future and it sucks!