Good News: Surging Cobalt Sales, Focus on Fuel Economy = 1400 New Jobs at Lordstown

[Ming]

Published:Tuesday, June 17, 2008
By Don Shilling



In May, the Lordstown-built Cobalt had its best sales month since June 2006.

LORDSTOWN — One area official called the addition of 1,400 jobs at the General Motors complex “the best news we’ve had in the Valley for at least 30 years.”

Tom Humphries, president of the Regional Chamber, said no industrial expansion in recent decades has been as large as GM’s Monday announcement that it is adding a midnight shift at Lordstown.
And GM is in a hurry.

Two weeks ago, GM said it was adding the shift in September but didn’t announce how many workers would be needed. On Monday, plant workers were told that a full shift — 1,400 workers — was being added to the assembly and fabrication plants, starting Aug. 4.

The date was moved up because of surging sales of the Chevrolet Cobalt, which is made at the plant, said Chris Lee, a GM spokesman in Detroit.
In May, the Cobalt had its best sales month since June 2006 with 26,702 units sold in the U.S.

“With gas prices, small cars will continue to sell well, and we’re reacting to that,” Lee said.

The additional workers will be a combination of new hires and transfers.

First priority is given to workers from other GM plants who have requested transfers. Also, workers from Delphi Corp. plants are being given the opportunity to move to GM plants because the automaker used to own Delphi. Both GM and Delphi are cutting production and have excess workers.

Lee said GM won’t know until mid-July how many new hires will be needed. Union officials at Lordstown have said new hires would come from a referral list that was created earlier this year. GM typically selects new hires from people who are recommended by current workers.

Lee said other hiring methods could be used beyond the referral list, but he didn’t have details. Bill Turner, work force administrator at Trumbull County One Stop, said GM hasn’t contacted the county-run job agency.

Leaders of United Auto Workers Local 1112 said in a flier to members that people from each department have been selected to determine how workers will be picked for the third shift.

The Lordstown complex now has about 3,400 hourly workers, though about 550 have accepted a recent buyout offer and are to leave the company July 1.

The new shift replaces a midnight shift that was cut in 2006 when about 1,600 Lordstown workers accepted a buyout offer. Instead of replacing those workers, the plant went to two shifts with frequent overtime.

A new labor contract provides that new hires who aren’t working directly on the assembly line be paid $14 an hour, about half the normal rate for production workers. This work includes material handling and janitorial jobs.

Workers in the second pay tier would move up to the first tier as senior workers retire. They would not have the pension and retirement health-care benefits that current workers have, however.

http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/jun/1...-3rd-gm-shift/

[jkennedy293]

Great news for Lordstown!!

[prototype66]

BEAUTIFUL!!!
That is great news for Lordstown!
Congrats to the people needing jobs.

[paul8488]

Well that's encouraging! Lets hope the XFE really catches on... I'd love to see the Cobalt up at 40,000 units per month!

[jbernie]

Very good to hear that they are hiring, hopefully the continual increase of sales for the Cobalt will mean GM can invest more money into the car to make it more desirable etc.

[WishIhadatruck]

Originally Posted by paul8488

Well that's encouraging! Lets hope the XFE really catches on... I'd love to see the Cobalt up at 40,000 units per month!

This is great news. Have the fuel economy numbers with the new 2.2 VVT motor been released yet? They are supposed to be and should be better than the current '08 models. That will only help, I'm sure lots of people are looking at the EPA estimates on the window sticker now more than ever.

[K-1]

Originally Posted by WishIhadatruck

This is great news. Have the fuel economy numbers with the new 2.2 VVT motor been released yet? They are supposed to be and should be better than the current '08 models. That will only help, I'm sure lots of people are looking at the EPA estimates on the window sticker now more than ever.

The Cobalt XFE is 24/36, I believe.

[CamaroCrazy]

Originally Posted by K-1

The Cobalt XFE is 24/36, I believe.

With the manual, yes. What about the 2009 with the automatic? According to GMI's 2009 Chevy lineup thread (Meet Your 2009 Chevrolet Car Lineup) the Cobalt with the 2.2 is supposed to get 155hp and 35+mpg with the auto. That's great news if true. Any official word yet?

[CrunkedRL]

+1 For the hometeam I know alot of people back home in Youngstown that will be happy with this news.

[I-Love-Pontiac]

Fantastic. Just imagine if the Cobalt was actually a good car.

[63GrandSport001]

Originally Posted by I-Love-Pontiac

Fantastic. Just imagine if the Cobalt was actually a good car.

Thats what I say lol

[PA Dweller]

Originally Posted by CamaroCrazy

With the manual, yes. What about the 2009 with the automatic? According to GMI's 2009 Chevy lineup thread (Meet Your 2009 Chevrolet Car Lineup) the Cobalt with the 2.2 is supposed to get 155hp and 35+mpg with the auto. That's great news if true. Any official word yet?

Really? That will really help the sales of the Cobalt if true. The XFE is great but it can only be had with a manual.

[pinch a loaf]

Originally Posted by PA Dweller

Really? That will really help the sales of the Cobalt if true. The XFE is great but it can only be had with a manual.

Excellent news!! And a manual is the only way to drive that car!

[Rocket 88]

Originally Posted by K-1

The Cobalt XFE is 24/36, I believe.

Per Chevrolet.com the Colbat 2.2 with manual is 25/36 mpg.

It will be great when the automatics are closer to this next year. Right now they are significantly less efficient rated at 22/31 (4 speed).

[gardnet1]

Let's fire up those carpools from Moraine! They all need new jobs. Too bad for them, that the UAW will shun them like lepers.