GM cuts ties with Toyota in U.S. joint-venture

[Coventina]

Source: Reuters

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp cut operational ties on Monday to a northern California auto plant it had operated in a joint-venture with Toyota Motor Corp for a quarter of a century.

The move deepens uncertainty over the future of the plant that employs over 5,000 workers and was once seen as a ground-breaking experiment in bringing production efficiencies pioneered in Japan to a U.S. workforce.

GM, which has been operating in a U.S. government-sponsored bankruptcy since the start of the month, said it was unable to reach an agreement with Toyota on a new production plan for the Fremont, California plant.

"After extensive analysis, GM and Toyota could not reach an agreement on a future product plan that made sense for all parties," GM said in a statement.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/ousivMolt/idUSTRE55T0Q420090630

[GRITtv]

1. New Report Out By Kate Bronfenbrenner on Opposition to Organizing

As unemployment continues to rise and workers struggle for a bit of parity, will the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) pass? Kate Bronfenbrenner of Cornell's Labor Education Research in a new report, No Holds Barred: The Intensification of Employer Opposition to Organizing, details the hurdles that workers face in trying to form unions and why EFCA would help.

You can see the full conversation here: http://lauraflanders.firedoglake.com/2009/06/30/what-efca-is-up-against/

[Puppyjive]

2. Oregon wood mill to shut/reopen non-union

Boise Cascade shut down one of it's wood mills in La Grande, OR citing market conditions. They also just bought a mill that had been closed and are reopening it non-union. The mill they bought is only about 75 miles from La Grande. The workers in La Grande were blackmailed by the company. They told them if they didn't take concessions, they would shut down and they did. Boise Cascade is owned by a bunch of lawyers. The company has lost site of the working man and it's all about bottom line. I can't wait till they open up non-union. I will be there with boycott signs. Boise Cascade use to be a decent company to work for. The company wanted the union to sacrifice even more than they already have. The benefits and pay are lousy, except of course, management gets pretty good perks. Now, when the scum plant opens up, the new workers are going to get raped without the protection of a union.

[high density]

3. If the Pontiac Vibe is going away then this seems like an appropriate move by GM

It's kind of funny that it came out a day or so ago after there were rumors of Toyota offering GM licensing for Prius technology.

[CatholicEdHead]

4. I like the Vibe

it is one of the best cars they make. I wish they would just rebrand it as a Chevy something.

I assume this plant also put out the Geo Prisms and Chevy Prisms?

[Romulox]

5. Today's Freep hints at trouble for NUMMI's 4600 UAW workers, who suddenly now work solely for Toyota

Without GM, there is major trouble ahead for Toyota's only UAW workers at California's NUMMI plant. Look for major concessions from NUMMI's workers.

http://www.freep.com/article/20090630/BUSINESS01/906300332/1014/Toyota+venture+left+out+of+new+GM

[WriteDown]

6. Surely Toyota will treat them far better than GM ever did....

I read it right here on the DU.

[Kolesar]

7. Mitsubishi cars are made at a UAW plant in Illinois

I think they call it "diamondstar", IIRC.