GM Lordstown to run 10-hour shifts, 4 days

[2648562]

GM Lordstown to run 10-hour shifts, 4 days
By LARRY RINGLER
POSTED: July 18, 2009

LORDSTOWN - The General Motors Corp. Lordstown Complex will switch to a four-day, 10-hour work schedule starting Aug. 10, a week after production resumes, plant officials announced Friday...

Graham noted the schedule will be a little tougher because of the extra two hours in the plant, but he added workers will get three days off on the four-day week and two days off on a five-day week. He said workers might be called in for a fifth day if the plant runs overtime.

Complex spokesman Tom Mock said saving on utilities is the main reason for the four-day shifts. He added that officials are looking at options to boost production later in the year.

"Dealers say they need our cars. That's the first good economic news we've gotten this year," he said.

Except for general assembly production workers, the complex still is set to resume production Aug. 3 on a normal eight-hour, five-day schedule, plant officials said.

General assembly workers won't return until Aug. 5 to allow time for Chevrolet Cobalt small cars to work their way from the Metal Center fabricating plant through the paint shop and chassis to the assembly area, Graham said...

Graham said the union hopes the complex can return to two shifts by year's end, partly because training will begin for the Chevrolet Cruze car the plant is scheduled to launch in April but also because Cobalt sales may start to rebound.

The supply of unsold Cobalts stood about 90 units at the daily sales rate; the number was 190 at the end of March, triggering the June 1 shutdown. It was Lordstown's first total production halt for economic reasons since the assembly plant opened in April 1966, according to union leaders.


http://www.salemnews.net/page/conten....html?nav=5007

[tom3]

Cruze LS with auto trans is expected to MSRP right at $20k or so, compared to the competition that is well established and highly rated (Civic) that might be a hard sell. We'll see...........

[Bvonscott]

Can we confirm that it will be out in APRIL 2010? I know the plant wont need as much changover to make the Cruze, but I wonder if thats a little too early of a projection?

Cruze pricing isnt set yet but I'd expect it to be around $1000 more at each price point over the Cobalt, with a higher overall MSRP on the top trim. GM has proven lately that they can build a much better replacement and keep it the same cost or less in some cases versus the outgoing model, ala the Equinox for instance.

[Joe in T.O.]

Has all the tooling been done for the Cruze already?

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by tom3

Cruze LS with auto trans is expected to MSRP right at $20k or so, compared to the competition that is well established and highly rated (Civic) that might be a hard sell. We'll see...........

Where the hell did you hear that? I heard Cruze LS starting at $17k.

[dindak]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Where the hell did you hear that? I heard Cruze LS starting at $17k.

Yep.. that's what I heard also.

['Vette Dude]

They shut down for retooling. They have one line retooled now as far as I know. I just heard this a few days ago in my local paper.

[tom3]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Where the hell did you hear that? I heard Cruze LS starting at $17k.

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Where the hell did you hear that? I heard Cruze LS starting at $17k.

Remember this thread when the actual pricing comes out. I'd bet I'll be real close at $20K for the LS model with an auto tranny. And here's a copy/paste article from a magazine:

Remember when we told you that GM plans to make more money off of its small cars by upping its prices? Well, as far as the Cruze is concerned, not only do they plan to charging substantially more than the outgoing Cobalt, they might demand more cash than a comparably equipped Corolla, Civic, or Focus. According to GM, that's because it needs to make more per car than Honda or Toyota.

With the average Civic rolling away for $19,184, GM doesn't have a lot of room to play before hitting the $20,000 ceiling. And if GM was to get an average price of $19,500 for the Cruze, that would be a $3,000 premium over the current (average) price for the Cobalt. That still gives no indication of how much money GM would actually be making on the car, though.

Design honcho Ed Welburn feels the car's styling and interior will justify the extra dosh, and said he believes "we have some very unique content and materials that are in the vehicle." Conviction is a good start, and if they can back it up the verdict might go their way. For that, we have to wait for the jury of consumers to decide

[JBsZ06]

I saw the cruze at the NY autoshow and at least on the show stand Wellburn is right....

The new Cruze is a winner. Not sure about a surcharge over the segment leaders but equal pricing? Yes... I believe if the vehicle is equal it should demand equal pricing..

The civic is a dam good looking vehicle too...so no holds barred..

this will be a death match of the econo boxes! LOL

good to hear 10 hour days with four working days offered up..

If it were me? i'd rather work four 10 hour days than 5 8 hour days without a doubt..

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by tom3

Remember this thread when the actual pricing comes out. I'd bet I'll be real close at $20K for the LS model with an auto tranny. And here's a copy/paste article from a magazine:

Remember when we told you that GM plans to make more money off of its small cars by upping its prices? Well, as far as the Cruze is concerned, not only do they plan to charging substantially more than the outgoing Cobalt, they might demand more cash than a comparably equipped Corolla, Civic, or Focus. According to GM, that's because it needs to make more per car than Honda or Toyota.

With the average Civic rolling away for $19,184, GM doesn't have a lot of room to play before hitting the $20,000 ceiling. And if GM was to get an average price of $19,500 for the Cruze, that would be a $3,000 premium over the current (average) price for the Cobalt. That still gives no indication of how much money GM would actually be making on the car, though.

Design honcho Ed Welburn feels the car's styling and interior will justify the extra dosh, and said he believes "we have some very unique content and materials that are in the vehicle." Conviction is a good start, and if they can back it up the verdict might go their way. For that, we have to wait for the jury of consumers to decide

$17k is already $2k over the current Cobalt LS. I can see it at maybe $18k, but unless the Malibu gets a substantial price increase for 2011, they wouldn't price a compact car at a thousand less than a midsize.

[mortal kombat 4]

They are not only going to be running 10 hour shift but this is how its planed 8/3-8/7. They will work 8 hour days 8/10-8/13 10 hour days after that its full blast overtime 11 to 12 hour shift 5 days a week remember they only have one shift and it looks like they are going to work like crazy for awhile i guess the economy has turned around and gm has the money for overtime now. I also hear possible 6th day at 8 hours.

[big swede]

Originally Posted by mortal kombat 4

after that its full blast overtime 11 to 12 hour shift 5 days a week remember ... I also hear possible 6th day at 8 hours.

That's awesome. I always hoped the crew would be dog tired while putting the car together that I will be dropping good coin on.

[JerroldAshley]

Hi,
The Lordstown car assembly plant will switch to four 10-hour workdays next month.The switch from a five-day workweek will save the plant money because less money will be spent on utilities if production is down for three days a week instead of two, said Tom Mock, a General Motors spokesman.

[mortal kombat 4]

Tom mock is one of the biggest jokes in the plant they lead him around on a leash along with the alcoholic plant manager. They have aready stated to the workers you will be there 11 to 12 hours a day working 2 out of every 3 -5 day weeks and possible 6th day at 8 hours so there is no savings as they state. The reson for all this overtime is a fleet order of 10,000 cars which gm stated in the past they were not going to sell the cars as fleet cars because it destroys resale value but when ur hungry i guess you do what you have to.