GM Canada To Close Windsor Transmission Plant In 2Q 2010

[paddyk]

General Motors will not reinvest in its Windsor Transmission plant or its workforce here, and will close the plant in 2010 putting 1,200 hourly employees out of work, the staff was told this morning.
Ken Bruner, plant chairman of CAW Local 1973, confirmed the bad news in a brief conversation in the middle of an emergency meeting at 10:30 a.m. Asked if the plant was closing, Bruner heaved a big sigh and said: "Yeah."


http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/st...c-ac9c946a04de

[paddyk]

TORONTO, May 12 /CNW/ - CAW President Buzz Hargrove will respond to this morning's announcement by General Motors on the fate of the Windsor Transmission plant and the 1,200 workers employed there.
GM announced last year that the new transmission would not be produced in the Windsor location. Since then, no product has been allocated to the Windsor plant. The CAW has been in negotiations with GM since Thursday. Press conference: Today at 12:30 p.m. Sheraton Centre, Conference Room B, Mezzanine (GM) level 123 Queen Street West Toronto Members of the media who are unable to attend, but still wish to participate can call: 1-800-588-4490 *Calls must be made from landlines only*

[K Dawg ONE]

Yup, just got confirmation of this this morning.
80% of our business is from the tranny plant and we just rec'd word from a couple of employees that they were all called in this morning and told they have 2 years left.
They are also going to be taking a look at a per person basis so some people may just get buyouts instead of getting another 2 years...
More doom and gloom for Windsor...

[spaz]

which transmission is built there?

[Whitesky]

Originally Posted by spaz

which transmission is built there?

Four speed Auto

[K-1]

Originally Posted by Whitesky

Four speed Auto

And the BAS hybrid trans. Maybe they'll have a 6-speed BAS by 2010?

[Sinner]

I think the fact that GM is planning on building the 4spd until the middle of 2010 is worse news than the 1200 people losing their jobs.

[montrealvue]

Very sad, but the writing has been on the wall for a long time. It goes without saying that the 4 speed auto was on its way out. The truth is none of the big 3 are going to keep production in North America in the long term so its no surprise.

[GMusa]

Originally Posted by Whitesky

Four speed Auto

4-Speed till 2010?!

Hopfully the vehicles getting that 4-Speed will atleast have an 6-speed option!

[GMsElite]

Originally Posted by Sinner

I think the fact that GM is planning on building the 4spd until the middle of 2010 is worse news than the 1200 people losing their jobs.

You cannot be serious.

[Uzzy]

Half of the plant went up for sale about 6 or 7 years ago. This is not a surprise to anyone here. It was mentioned in our staff meeting at work today and it was pretty much old news, the only difference now is it is confirmed. I hope GM has the capability to build the Camaro somewhere in the US, because if Buzz gets his way, the people in Oshawa that are supposed to put it together will be walking the picket line come launch time. GM is not in the buisiness of keeping old plants open for the sake of keeping old unnecessary plants open. If the unions don't realize this soon, GM won't be in business. The scary thing is the union would be fine with that, it seems to be their goal.

[Uzzy]

I was reading through some of the comments uder the article, and I couldn't help but highlight this one...

1200 wallets and purses have a choice too. GM could have given the Windsor plant a new tranny to build. They CHOSE not to. Now those 1200 soon-to-be let go souls ALSO have choices...and one of those choices might be to not buy another GM product the rest of their lives. That will be a choice OPEN TO THEM! Not only do EMPLOYERS and MANUFACTUERS have choices. The former employees do as well...with an important one...their money!

They just don't get it! This is the mentality in this town! I love this place, but maybe I do need to leave for a while. They're gonna make me crazy!

[gypsygirl5]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

I was reading through some of the comments uder the article, and I couldn't help but highlight this one...



They just don't get it! This is the mentality in this town! I love this place, but maybe I do need to leave for a while. They're gonna make me crazy!

Why? I have always been 100% loyal to GM and generally buy a new vehicle every couple years, as does my husband. I have over 25 years, so, chances are, some kind of package would be available to me should GM pull out of Oshawa completely. However, were I to be hung out to dry, it would be tempting to never buy another GM product again. I can certainly understand the emotions that led to that statement.

[dindak]

I suspect GM is trying to get more money from the government and/or use this closing as a bargaining chip with the CAW since talks are starting soon.

Typical cat and mouse game the companies play with the unions.

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by gypsygirl5

Why? I have always been 100% loyal to GM and generally buy a new vehicle every couple years, as does my husband. I have over 25 years, so, chances are, some kind of package would be available to me should GM pull out of Oshawa completely. However, were I to be hung out to dry, it would be tempting to never buy another GM product again. I can certainly understand the emotions that led to that statement.

The emotion yes, the statement that "GM could have given the Windsor plant a new tranny to build" is not. The descision was not one that GM arbitrarily made. You can be sure there is a spread sheet on someone's computer that lays it out clearly, it is not a viable option, financially. It makes much more sense to move it move it to St. Catherine's where engines are already built. They are consolodating, and trying to lean the comapny out. They can't lose many percentage points of market share and keep all of their plants open. Does not compute!