GM Pink Slips for Windsor Workers
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Senior Member
Joined: 08-20-2006
Posts: 21,640
From: Hillsdale, Michigan
GM Pink Slips for Windsor Workers
Union officials say 375 pink slips to be handed out next week in Windsor
The Canadian Press
March 30, 2007
We were supposed to have it last year but sales picked up and it was cancelled. We hope that'll happen this time. (CP) - Union officials say General Motors of Canada will be handing out indefinite layoff notices to 375 workers at its transmission plant in southwestern Ontario next week.
The layoffs, to affect 288 production workers and 87 skilled trades at the Windsor plant, are set to take effect on July 2.
Bill Reeves, president of CAW Local 1973, said Friday the layoff notices are very troubling but held out the possibility they will be cancelled if sales pick up or new work is allocated to the plant, which employs about 1,300 people.
"Last year the same thing happened," Reeves told Windsor radio station CKLW. "We were supposed to have it last year but sales picked up and it was cancelled. We hope that'll happen this time."
The Windsor transmission plant produces about 4,000 transmissions a day for models of the Chevrolet Cobalt and Malibu, Pontiac Pursuit, Saturn Vu and Aura and others for export to China.
General Motors Corp., the Canadian company's U.S. parent, is undergoing a massive restructuring of its North American operations that includes more than 34,000 blue-collar workers taking buyouts or early retirement offers.
Troy Clarke, president of GM's North American operations, said last November that the company was "only beginning" a transformation that started in 2005.
Still the world's biggest automaker, General Motors has seen its share of the U.S. market eroded over the past decades from 50 per cent to about 25 per cent, with Asian-based automakers such as Japan's Toyota and Honda making major gains during the same period.
The Canadian Press
March 30, 2007
We were supposed to have it last year but sales picked up and it was cancelled. We hope that'll happen this time. (CP) - Union officials say General Motors of Canada will be handing out indefinite layoff notices to 375 workers at its transmission plant in southwestern Ontario next week.
The layoffs, to affect 288 production workers and 87 skilled trades at the Windsor plant, are set to take effect on July 2.
Bill Reeves, president of CAW Local 1973, said Friday the layoff notices are very troubling but held out the possibility they will be cancelled if sales pick up or new work is allocated to the plant, which employs about 1,300 people.
"Last year the same thing happened," Reeves told Windsor radio station CKLW. "We were supposed to have it last year but sales picked up and it was cancelled. We hope that'll happen this time."
The Windsor transmission plant produces about 4,000 transmissions a day for models of the Chevrolet Cobalt and Malibu, Pontiac Pursuit, Saturn Vu and Aura and others for export to China.
General Motors Corp., the Canadian company's U.S. parent, is undergoing a massive restructuring of its North American operations that includes more than 34,000 blue-collar workers taking buyouts or early retirement offers.
Troy Clarke, president of GM's North American operations, said last November that the company was "only beginning" a transformation that started in 2005.
Still the world's biggest automaker, General Motors has seen its share of the U.S. market eroded over the past decades from 50 per cent to about 25 per cent, with Asian-based automakers such as Japan's Toyota and Honda making major gains during the same period.
Banned
Joined: 10-14-2005
Posts: 9,121
From: Rochester,N.Y.
This is the cause and effect of peoples "perceived quality" of Japanese vehicles and them supporting foreign companies. 
Go ahead, keep supporting and buying Japanese vehicles and blame it all on GM and unions. 
Go ahead, keep supporting and buying Japanese vehicles and blame it all on GM and unions.
Banned
Joined: 10-14-2005
Posts: 9,121
From: Rochester,N.Y.
I read this part different than you. 
"The Windsor transmission plant produces about 4,000 transmissions a day for models of the Chevrolet Cobalt and Malibu, Pontiac Pursuit, Saturn Vu and Aura and others for export to China."
I took it as they make transmission for those vehicles and other transmissions for export to China; Not that they are all exported to China. If I reread it I can kind of see how it could come off the other way too. Maybe someone who knows more about the various GM divisions and plant break down can shed some light.
Member
Joined: 06-24-2006
Posts: 80
From: US
captain's right, the article should have said "Chevrolet Cobalt and Malibu, Pontiac Pursuit, Saturn Vue and Aura, for the North American market, and others for export to China". I don't think any of those vehicles are currently exported to China (Saturn is NA only, and the Cobalt/Malibu aren't global Chevys), but it's very likely that some transmissions are exported to China from Windsor.
Member
Joined: 06-24-2006
Posts: 80
From: US
Yep, and the Chevys do not include the Malibu or Cobalt (most Chevys sold outside the US/Canada are GM Daewoo products, and China is no exception). And since the current VUE and Aura aren't shared with Opel, those vehicles aren't being exported there either.
Senior Member
Joined: 06-27-2006
Posts: 732
From: Kingsville On
Let me add a little more info on the Windsor plant I work there and have 28 years.Two months ago they had an all employee meeting and told us we were going down to 3,000-3,300 units a day Jan./Feb 2008.Then 6 weeks ago they told us they were going to lay off 350 for 4 weeks.I told everybody this is just a big test to see if the plant could turn out 3,000 a day.During the 4 week layoff they removed the midnight shift and one assembly line.And went through the rest off the departments and reajusted the head count.The plant ran 3,000 a day every day.Some departments still built more sub assemblies then they could use and they started sending workers home early.Well the bean counters loved that one,we all came back to full production on Monday.All supervirors were called into a meeting Friday at 1:00 pm and layoff info was presented to the workers at 2:00 pm have a good weekend.
About the China deal just last year we started to ship 70,000 transmissions a Year.This year by Jan. they had cut 60,000 units for the China build.Other than those units all transmissions we build go to the U.S. or to Mexico for the HHR.Now a little history on the plant not 100% on the dates but built around 1942 started first with 6 cyl. engines then the first transmission late 60`s was the TH 350 which ran till 1979.Building was totaly redone for the start of the 125c in 1981-1993.Then a very slow change over half the workers were laid off 3-5 years.Got every one back und up to full production spring of 1997 building the 4T40-E and 4T45-E front wheel drive.
A little info on the work force we have not hired here since 1983 so the lowest senority worker has 24 years.There is only one 6 speed trany left up for grabs as this one we build now is done by 2010.If we do not get the new 6 speed we are all done.If we do there will be 500 people less to build it as they plan to outsource the current subassemblies.What this means is that this first round of laid off workers are short 3-4 years short of a full pension.The worst part is any worker under 55 and there are a lot in this group WILL NOT receive a dime of there pension to the age of 65.To add a little more fuel to the fire laying them off on July 2 the fist day of summer shutdown.What that means is they use the total vacation pay and any extra paid time off left divide it by 40 hours and you can`t start unemployment insurance till it`s all used up.If you don`t quilify for unemployment you don`t get a sub check from G.M.
Byouts are not working at this plant there are only around 80 workers that were hired in the 70`s the rest of the plant are from the 80`s and have 24-27 years and most are to young.Windsor is starting to look like the Canadian version of Flint MI.Windsor now has the highest unemployment rate in Canada BUT the casino will soon be the tallest building in the city.Ford and Chrysler this year in Windsor are reducing 3,000 workers.The tool and die shops are starting to close and just this week 2 went up under action.
Now I need a cold beer.
Mike
About the China deal just last year we started to ship 70,000 transmissions a Year.This year by Jan. they had cut 60,000 units for the China build.Other than those units all transmissions we build go to the U.S. or to Mexico for the HHR.Now a little history on the plant not 100% on the dates but built around 1942 started first with 6 cyl. engines then the first transmission late 60`s was the TH 350 which ran till 1979.Building was totaly redone for the start of the 125c in 1981-1993.Then a very slow change over half the workers were laid off 3-5 years.Got every one back und up to full production spring of 1997 building the 4T40-E and 4T45-E front wheel drive.
A little info on the work force we have not hired here since 1983 so the lowest senority worker has 24 years.There is only one 6 speed trany left up for grabs as this one we build now is done by 2010.If we do not get the new 6 speed we are all done.If we do there will be 500 people less to build it as they plan to outsource the current subassemblies.What this means is that this first round of laid off workers are short 3-4 years short of a full pension.The worst part is any worker under 55 and there are a lot in this group WILL NOT receive a dime of there pension to the age of 65.To add a little more fuel to the fire laying them off on July 2 the fist day of summer shutdown.What that means is they use the total vacation pay and any extra paid time off left divide it by 40 hours and you can`t start unemployment insurance till it`s all used up.If you don`t quilify for unemployment you don`t get a sub check from G.M.
Byouts are not working at this plant there are only around 80 workers that were hired in the 70`s the rest of the plant are from the 80`s and have 24-27 years and most are to young.Windsor is starting to look like the Canadian version of Flint MI.Windsor now has the highest unemployment rate in Canada BUT the casino will soon be the tallest building in the city.Ford and Chrysler this year in Windsor are reducing 3,000 workers.The tool and die shops are starting to close and just this week 2 went up under action.
Now I need a cold beer.
Mike
