GM Detroit-Hamtramck Workers Blindsided By Closure News
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General Motors’ Monday announcement of possible plant closures, layoffs, and discontinued models reached affected employees as everyone else in the world learned about the developments, taking many aback. The Detroit Free Press spoke with Detroit-Hamtramck workers about the news, and line worker Dnitra Landon was vocal about her shock.
Except Detroit-Hamtramck and those other four facilities may not close at all. At least not yet, as General Motors cannot contractually shut down plants on its own. Instead, it must negotiate the proposed closures with the United Auto Workers union. Even GM’s own statement is worded in a specific way. The automaker said it would idle the plants and they would be “unallocated” in 2019. This is a negotiating tool for the automaker, signaling to the union what it would like to do. The contract between the two expires in September 2019.
Landon said hearing of the closing without any warning was a “slap in the face.” According to Landon, union representatives at the plant quashed layoff rumors just two weeks ago, and now GM is proposing to close the plant by the end of 2019. Landon added she hadn’t heard anything from the UAW.
“Now you’re closing? Really? And you didn’t give no warning? None. That’s not fair,” Landon added to the interview. “GM is a big entity—I understand that it’s business, but there’s a way to go about doing something for the people who come to work every day and help you make the numbers that you make.”
While sedan sales in the U.S. are declining, SUV, crossover, and truck sales are skyrocketing. The Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Cruze, Cadillac CT6, and others are just not selling as consumers flock to larger crossovers, SUVs, and pickup trucks thanks to an abundance of available credit, low gas prices, increased fuel efficiency, and extended loan terms.
The lack of traditional car sales makes producing such vehicles for a profit difficult. GM’s decision to shift production away from unprofitable models is a preemptive move to better prepare itself for a potential slowdown while positioning itself to pursue technological innovation in the automotive space—electrification and autonomous vehicles.
GM can do what it wants, but not telling employees before making Monday’s news public is a low blow to its employees. Not only are Detroit-Hamtramck workers upset, but so are politicians.
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What’s more important in a Trump world? Stock price and Management Bonuses, or a few thousand families? This is the answer with more to come. Remember how corporate tax cuts were going to result in more jobs? Corporate tax cuts just result in larger budget deficits.
Workers are dispensable assets. It’s all about the bottom line.
So GM should just keep building lame duck cars at a loss till they need another bail out or lose everyone’s job?
No, they should build vehicles that people want to buy and convert the plants to build them. GM will not go bankrupt running a plant or two at a loss. If Machete Mary weren’t so ignorant, she would have consolidated Cruze and Impala into Hamtramck, build small CUVs such as the Trax in Lordstown and keep building pickups at Oshawa. Instead she is running the company from a position of fear and is handing off 250K units of production a year to the competition.
America and Americans betrayed. Had nothing to do with Trump. Everything to do with big time Dems,their hatred of America, and Americans being hoodwinked by politicians and so-called American industry. I will keep my cars (2015 ATS, 2017 Ford Fusion Sport, 2002 Z06) until they fall apart.
The mandatory negotiation before closing a plant expires when the contract expires. GM can call the shots. GM under Mary is as high handed and mean spirited as GM 50 years ago. I have been a GM defender all my life, and owned dozens of GM cars. But no more.
I don’t understand Cadillac’s (GM) mentality. I just got a new 2019 CT6, It is probably one of the nicest cars that I have ever driven. Why are they killing there “Flagship”?
Because they hav3 a similar size CT5 coming and a true flagship coming that will be a littler larger.
The CT6 was a plan that was abandoned a while ago as it just never fit.
Nice car but it was a car built between two different leaders with different visions.
The flagship is essentially killed since GM no longer has a place to build the Omega platform if Det-Ham closes.
The CT6 was a “Tweener” car for Cadillac. It was to be slotted between the BMW 5 and 7 Series and the Mercedes E and S series. I do not know if the CT5 will be larger or smaller than the current CTS, but I do know that it will not be as large as the CT6 so if luxury buyers want a true flagship luxury sedan, they will have to go elsewhere.
But, but Trump promised that manufacturers would be tripping over each other bringing back production back to the US. And now ALL of them, including BMW and MB are moving production to Mexico, Asia and even Europe.
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/usmca-will-add-to-costs-could-eliminate-jobs-automakers-1.1169054
Well it takes time to undue all the BS from the last admin.
That is what you do you just blame everything on the last president that is how it works you your delusional world.
C’mon, in terms of BS, there’s nothing like the present and the group of incompetents in the WH regardless of your political orientation.
The Republicans are the one who have outsourced everything to China and Mexico. Their short-term policies guaranteed their large bonuses at the end of the year.
Now China is challenging the US militarily and economically.
Corporations are too often cold hearted insensitive machines. On Monday they will say that you’re doing a great job. On Friday they fire you. It’s a painful occurrence that needs better solutions.
Corporations aren’t people. They owe you nothing and you owe them nothing. They pay you for your days work and that’s it.
This particular corporation owes us money.
Can you explain that comment magirus?
The tax funded bailout. It wasn’t paid back in full. It should have been.
The Ontario and Canadian governments sunk 10.8 B into GM and they still closed Oshawa. Total waste of money which has evaporated with jobs transferred mostly to Mexico.
The workers close to retirement age should thank their lucky stars. How many of you have ever lost a job ever. I’m sure you have a big bank account and all the nice things. Time to play golf and enjoy your life.
Your dead wrong. The Surpreme court ruled that Corporations are people in the Americans for Prosperity case
That was a narrow ruling that addressed political contributions as a freedom of speech issue. Other issues have yet to be adjudicated.
Yes lets close up a plant that never should have been built in the first place destroying an entire town and displacing people out of there homes only to kill it off in the end anyways. Typical and predictable GM dysfunction.