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GM Makes Move To Protect Chevrolet Malibu Production

6K views 55 replies 37 participants last post by  cainsw 
#1 ·
Source: Automotive News Email

David Barkholz and Robert Sherefkin - Automotive News
May 5, 2008 - 2:00 pm ET

DETROIT -- General Motors isn't about to let a UAW strike today at a Kansas City, Kan., assembly plant interrupt production of its hot-selling Chevrolet Malibu sedan.

By the end of this week GM will be able to produce Malibu fenders at its stamping plant in Lansing, Mich., a Detroit-area UAW official said today. The fenders have been produced at the Fairfax assembly plant in Kansas.

That production shift will allow GM to continue building Malibu sedans at its secondary source for the cars, the Orion Township (Mich.) assembly plant, said Mike Dunn, chairman of UAW Local 5960 in Orion.

GM spokesman Chris Lee said today the move has been in the works for several weeks and wasn't planned as a response to strike threats at the Fairfax plant. GM made duplicate production dies for the fenders in Fairfax and shipped them to Lansing six weeks ago.

Dunn said GM has enough of the fenders in stock to continue Malibu production in Orion through the end of the week. By then, GM will be able to make the fenders in Lansing.

The Lansing stamping plant is one of only about a dozen GM plants with local UAW contracts. Another 60 plants are without agreements.
 
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#7 ·
No, Shipping fenders across country like that is Wasteful and ins't GMS. GM was going to do this even if UAW wasn't going to strike against Fairfax.
 
#6 ·
#8 ·
while this sounds awesome in theory, if it was a planned move from the start then it proves nothing, and it still means that there are other cars not being produced. not to mention that it drops build capacity which GM needs for the Malibu now since it's clearly a hot item. SUVs are going down, they need to build all the cars they can.
 
#11 ·
GM should start some public negotiations with the mexican plants for additional work, that will stiffle the strikers real quick.
 
#12 ·
It's always bash the unions on here and no one wants to think GM is trying to jerk anyone around? Why is there 70 something plants but only a dozen that have contracts? I have no problem with give backs to the company but come on guys. 50+ plants with no contract, some have been without one since Sept. I know most of you on here only want to think poor pitiful GM vs evil blood sucking UAW but I can tell you that most of you do not have a clue how dirty both GM and the UAW are. That is the problem with GM/UAW they're both more worried about sticking it to each other than they are worried about working their problems out.
 
#13 ·
The reason it is so hard to make plant deals is that work rules are a bitch to agree on. You should see some of the work rules they have now, laughable. Management may be dirty, but they typically are right overall, even if it means a few workers get screwed.

I get screwed at work everyday, that is why they pay me to show up. Work isn't suppose to be fun or easy.
 
#14 ·
Fairfax fools....They have great paying jobs and they walk off the job during a bad economy.

Dumb trying to deep six the best product your company has going........with the move to Orion the Fairfax folks have also assured themselves of no future overtime once back on line....as post strike capacity will be increased.
 
#16 ·
And people wonder why GM is building a new plant in Mexico?

This stuff just frustrates me. Here we have a hot car that is selling and the fools strike. Not to mention we're in a bad economy anymore. Yeah, what a smart move on their part.

Oh well. GM proved their little strike is not going to hurt them much. Too bad for the union. They best get use to it, because once the next-generation platforms roll around...GM will be able to shift production very quickly. Not just to other US plants either, but global plants.;)
 
#21 ·
Yessum Master! Can I get you some more lemonade?

While I believe in working hard for your money, I also believe in getting paid fairly for it. Sadly, the elite, "have" class in this country has so successfully brainwashed the "have-not" class, that CEOs and other executives sit in their mansions and listen to their laughs echo throughout each spacious room over how easy it is to manipulate. Meanwhile, the working class works hard, yet allows their pride and gullibility to over take any common sense.
 
#18 ·
GM finally has a vehicle that can compete with the Camry and Accord, it has shown the world this fine car, and this is what the UAW-Fairfax does. They have secured jobs for at least four years due to the product cycle under the national bargaining. What a bunch of asinine and sorry "workers". Up at Michigan State, an editorial I viewed pretty much summed it up IMO.

Link
 
#19 ·
Beautiful link there man.......this is my favorite paragraph....

Regarding the union “philosophy” that has become skewed and taken advantage of, one would think Lansing Delta Township’s UAW workers would understand the ramifications that their strike is causing. The country is in a recession, and this is how the workers act? Do they not realize that their overly bloated wages and benefits packages are not only unfair to others, but skew the economics of efficiency? They should be grateful they obtain their current wages, and realize that GM invested millions in a new facility that keeps their positions.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Now I'm not Anti-Union. However, What is this local UAW thinking.

Holding the Malibu Hostage to cut GM thoat, cuts your thoat FAR, FAR worst. GM's future and the future of your jobs depends on the Massive success of the Malibu. NO ONE WINS BY HOLDING THE MALIBU HOSTAGE!!! This is the wrong TIME, PLACE and VEHICLE for In-house fighting. We finally have an Import fighter that can get the job done, we need more on the streets not less.

THE MALIBU IS MISSON CRITICAL. SO CRITICAL, HOLDING IT HOSTAGE WILL CRITICALLY DAMAGE BOTH SIDES.
:rant::doh:
 
#25 ·
Good job, GM. Looks like union brothers are now starting to not all agree with strike action. Thank you, Orion. You are building a great car and GM's success with it will make your lives better.

BTW, just saw a black Malibu with the burgundy-black leather interior...Slightly tinted windows. That thing was hot, especially with the chrome. It was in one of the most expensive restaurant-bar areas in my city, beside BMWs, Mercedes, Porsche, and it was getting all the attention. No joke. The interior blew away most of the other, much more expensive machines. A very good car that GM can be proud of and one that will continue to sell well.
 
#33 ·
It's good that they are trying to keep up production but they must keep the quality up or the long term damage could be catistrophic. Customers will wait for a car if there are circumstances that GM cannot control. They may be unhappy about waiting but if the car they get after the waiting is a lemon you've lost them for good.
 
#38 ·
It's good that they are trying to keep up production but they must keep the quality up or the long term damage could be catistrophic. Customers will wait for a car if there are circumstances that GM cannot control. They may be unhappy about waiting but if the car they get after the waiting is a lemon you've lost them for good.
No, actually most probably will not. if they really want a Malibu or are very loyal GM buyers they will likely wait. If they shopped around and like the Malibu and got a good deal but they have to wait out a strike to take delivery of the car they want, but the Accord was pretty much just as nice and they can get the one they want wothout a delay, guess what they're buying? It is vital to keep the quality up though, I will agree there.
 
#36 ·
Skilled trade unions that ensure the quality and craftsmanship of their members and their work are great, unskilled unions, not so much. Though I have to give them credit, they are getting paid 6 figures to leave their job (buyouts), i don't get paid that much to work at a job. There is a huge shortage of carpenters, plumbers, auto mechanics, etc in this country, spend a few semesters in technical school and learn a trade if you're so dissatisfied by not getting a 10th 15 min smoke break or 5 weeks of vacation... And people wonder why factory jobs leave this country?
 
#37 ·
The two plants with General Motors' best selling products are on strike. This is no coincidence. It is disgusting that these two UAW locals are taking advantage of the popularity of the products they produce to not negotiate work rule changes that are necessary to be competitive with the transplants.
 
#41 ·
I'm a UAW member but I do not agree with everything they do or stand for but I know the Shreveport GM plant doesn't have a contract (since 9/07) because the GM management side does not want to sit down and talk. They keep blowing the uaw off. They are too worried about cutting jobs every 4-5 weeks. I can also tell you the Shreveport UAW gives GM everything they've asked for and always have. They've cut 200+ jobs on 3 different occasions over the last 5 months and every time they get the line back up and running good the powers that be want to cut another 200+ jobs and the UAW has never fought it.

Now that being said, I disagree with a lot of what the UAW does like in the above post about moving the filing cabinet. That's complete bull carp for the union to cry about that stuff but I know they sometimes do. Your UAW floor guys and GM management guys general work very well together(atleast in Shreveport), it is the guys on both sides thats a few steps up the ladder (UAW= puppets and the GM= puppets)that do nothing to benefit either GM or UAW but cause all the conflict and disruption. We need to worry about building more kick ass cars like the Malibu and less about getting over on each other.

FWIW, the Colorado/Canyon were just coming to market during our last contact and we worked almost a year without one and never considered a strike. No one wins with a strike.
 
#45 ·
The Shreveport workers would be crazy to strike!
That plants product is on life support as it is save for the H-3 !
But in light of $4 + a gallon gas they will die off too..........

GM would most likely shutter that plant anyhoo and either kill
the colorado/canyon/h-3 trucks or move their paultry demand
to another underused truck plant or kill them altogether !!!!!!!!!
 
#47 · (Edited)
You missed my whole point! We could have went on strike back in 03 when the Col/Can. was just coming out but what would that have solved? I don't really see S,port going down just because GM gets everything they ask for from the union in Shreveport and I have nothing to complain about either(except for the fact GM won't update the damn truck!). That the kind of things I'm worried about!

Going on strike doesn't solve anything. All you have to do is get two groups of smart people to sit down and work all the BS out but it's getting harder and harder to find those people on either side. I guess everyone is out for themselves these days!
 
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