General Motors is pushing hard to produce as many of its pickup trucks and full-sized SUVs as possible. Demand for these highly profitable models is strong, and more supply is needed following a production halt for GM’s U.S. factories in March following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the U.S. However, according to a new report from Detroit Free Press, concerns over COVID-19 case surges across the country have also resulted in worker absenteeism, prompting General Motors to shore up its workforce with employees laid off from other GM production facilities.
General Motor’s Fort Wayne Assembly facility in Indiana is one such example of this. The Fort Wayne facility produces the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, and employs roughly 4,100 workers. However, according to the new report, almost a quarter of the workers are out, hundreds of which cite COVID-19 concerns.
As a result, General Motors is struggling to meet its build targets at that facility, with the goal of producing 1,290 units daily.
“They’re at full schedule, but they have every single person on that assembly line, including management, and management is not supposed to be on the line,” said one person familiar with the production facility, who spoke to Detroit Free Press on the condition of anonymity. “It’s all hands on deck, just to build trucks.”
To address the issue, General Motors is coordinating with union leaders to bring in hundreds of GM workers laid off from other facilities, offering permanent transfer to assembly facilities focused on pickup truck and SUV production instead. For example, hundreds of workers are expected to be cut from the GM Spring Hill facility in Tennessee at the end of the month, while hundreds more were laid off from the Detroit-Hamtramck facility back in February.
The new transfers are expected to take effect early next month.
“We are operating our plants as efficiently as possible while accommodating team members who are not reporting to work due to concerns about COVID-19 in the community,” said GM spokesman David Barnas.
“We will follow the provisions of the national agreement,” Barnas added. “But we believe our staffing plans will allow us to continue supporting three production shifts at Fort Wayne, Flint and Arlington to meet strong customer and dealer demand for our pickup trucks and full-sized SUVs.”
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Comments
I think it’s high time they converted one of their car plants (e.g. Fairfax) to produce full size trucks/suvs. Remember, they were building trucks in Oshawa last year.
I’d love to see Oshawa open back up and get trucks. We’ve had a couple Oshawa built vehicles in the house including my 2019 LD old body Silverado and they’ve all been top notch. Two Impalas and a Camaro at one point too.
I’m sure the demand for the trucks will decline after they release the same interior for their 2021 Silverado’s. GM unfortunately will fall further behind Ford and Ram will most likely continue to creep up by staying innovative. Same old boring looking Silverado.
Fords are like Porsche have changed looks since the 70’s, every dealership is full of problem child’s when GM dealers don’t have enough work for technicians to make a living , drive thru garage area of both types!!
Meanwhile in Canada previous GM workers are trying to find jobs and sadly can’t put food on their table for their family. Maybe this is a lesson to be learned. Moving all of your manufacturing operations to the US is not always the best decision.
Oshawa
Management working how does this happen if management worked besides me I wouldn’t be working.
That foolish comment shows the real problem of the whole situation!
Hmmm and you closed the best producing Truck plant for what reason again? Moving from Oshawa Ontario was the worst mistake GM has ever made!
Your right if GM needs these trucks so bad why did they shut down the truck plant in Canada here maybe they should re think and maybe reopen it again before ford and ram take over their the market
Neither one makes their trucks in Canada, I know ford’s is in Dearborn Michigan and Kansas City, and Ram is in Sterling heights Michigan… I know ford maybe closing the Oakville plant where the Edge and Lincoln Nautilus is built
Ford is in Louisville as well
I have had a Sierra on order since January and I still can’t get a VIN number let alone a build date. I don’t care where you make the truck, if the UAW is your labor pool you’re in trouble.
The GM Gypsies are on the road again…
I OWN a double cab 19 silverado proudly made in the usa mainly there sold in the southern states many trucks are made in mexico even diesels Canada had a good run the mexico government stole there work from them You cant force people two work in any plant boxed in nothing gets done with a mask efeshintley with the masks
To fed up I also will order a 2021 Silverado st the end of this month. Me and my wife went to a chevy dealership in Birmingham to look at the options an the colors.we found out there’s no crew cabs out there that another dealership will transfer. So we decided to order a 21 we also found out that all the 20 trucks are all built meaning you cannot order anymore 2020 crew cabs the dealership said they can order the 2021 trucks at the beginning of August so we are just gonna half to wait to order the new crew cabs. I was also warned that it may be as late as October before the truck we built is delivered. It’s gonna take some time to get the
Lazy ass GM workers to start coming to work. They all want 200$ an hour an dare anybody to ask them to work plus full benefits and retirement. No wonder they are moving plants to Mexico those people will work for nothing and are delighted to have a job.
I don’t think any line worker is expecting $200hr.my father left making $48 hr at the Oshawa plant after 30yrs.
Also Have you considered looking for a Sierra?
Brandon, what’s your address?
Many of us would like to send you some crying towels.
Sure hate to hear a grown man whine like a sidewalk sissy!
Life is tough, pull up your big girl panties & get on with life!
Nah we never asked for $ 200.00 an hour , might want to research your info before posting , it was $ 300.00 per hour plus a new truck every 2nd year and a all expenses paid trip to the Caribbean each winter ! ( heavy dose of sarcasm 🙂
all the power to those workers. afraid? do not go to work, even most union workers would be out of a job. they will probably get unemployment plus sub pay to get them to almost as much as working if that is true nice gig if you have it.
And yet GM closed the award winning Oshawa truck plant with a trained workforce. I guess you can’t blame the customer for buying the competition especially when they’re putting out over 50k for a truck. I figured this closing would bite GM right in the ass at some point.
Bought a 2020 2500 HD duramax powered and i love it !
As for the lazy GM workers as you call them are working 3 shifts 6 days a week around the clock trying to fill orders and expanding the plant in Flint Michigan. You sound like a Republican with white privilege attitude. Must have alot of money with 44 million people not working.
I definitely don’t call working 6 days a week around the clock lazy and tell the truth some people can’t work the line and we do it year after year just like everything else this too shall pass Workin the automobile business is tricky it up rucci from your home your family your lifestyle to go to another plant to start all over again my hats off to the general motors total Floyd so I laid off and doing this
Good luck Brandon getting your 2021 in October. I ordered a 2020 Silverado 2500 Crew Cab with an 8ft bed the First week in February and the build date has been delayed 3 times. It is now Supposed to be built on July 22! Customer’s orders are definitely put at the end of the list, every time they delay the build it is exactly 1 month.
I am a proud American female UAW worker who works at the Flint Truck Assembly plant! I have 25 years seniority and I am NOT LAZY! I work in the body shop lifting over 3000 metal parts they are multiple feet in length and not by any means light! One of the better jobs FYI!!! Lazy, NO! We are on a mandatory 6 days a week. Luckily I am in a temp controlled building unlike the other 75% or more of our workforce! We are faced with wearing face masks for our protection while we work to care for our families!
I have earned a bachelor’s degree which took 9 years to complete while working full time! Family, yes, 4 children being raised at the same time! Ailments, yes, I have multiple work related injuries you would not know by looking at me. There are lazy people everywhere in every occupation! Most people do not want to work; correct me if I am wrong. Many that aren’t coming to work have work related issues and others have health issues just as the rest of people in the world who don’t work in a manufacturing plant whether it is UAW or not!
An FYI, a 40 hour week pay is not more than what the people on unemployment and the $600 stimulus are receiving up until end of July!
Once we ramped up to all shifts and 6 days a week, we don’t make a whole lot more after we pay taxes to support many people in the world who are perhaps lazy……..
After my 30 years and yes, an earned retirement, I hope to be marketable with my hard earned bachelor degree and hard earned knowledge from working in the industry for 30+ years; to get a job where I can help people at some capacity, in an environment…that has windows…..is clean….I can wear nice clothes….and not feel physically exhausted and sore each and every day!