Anyone work for NUMMI?

[fRESH88]

FREMONT — Toyota Motor Corp. has decided it will dissolve its stake in the NUMMI auto factory it operated here with General Motors Corp., leaving union officials at the plant dismayed and disappointed.

The Japanese car maker will begin negotiations next week about the liquidation of the venture and the timing of a shutdown of the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. factory in Fremont, according to at least three published reports.

"People are worried about their jobs," said Sergio Santos, president of United Auto Workers Local 2244, which represents UAW members at NUMMI. "Nobody can afford to lose their job fight now."

About 4,700 people work at the NUMMI plant. GM and Toyota resurrected the plant after GM had permanently closed it in 1982.

"I'm very disappointed," said Matt Wales, a office staffer for the UAW in Fremont. "We are still hopeful. But it looks like me and 4,500 other people are going have to look for a job."

The NUMMI venture began production in December 1984 when a Chevrolet Nova rolled off the assembly line.

"There is a likelihood we would not buy the rest of it," said Yoshimi Inaba, recently appointed CEO of Toyota Motors North America, said Thursday in Michigan. "I don't want to use the word liquidate, but we are looking at the viability of NUMMI, so we may have to make a painful decision."

Toyota spokesman Mike Goss would not confirm that Toyota has decided to exit the venture. Goss said

Toyota will begin negotiations with GM about the plant. Toyota is conducting an "extensive review" of its production needs, Goss said.

NUMMI makes the Pontiac Vibe station wagon, Toyota Corolla compact car, and Tacoma pickup truck.

Prospects for NUMMI darkened in recent weeks, starting in mid-June when GM first said it would cease making the Pontiac brand. GM subsequently announced, as part of the conclusion of GM's bankruptcy filing, that it was pulling out of the NUMMI joint venture.

That prompted Toyota to reveal that it was considering pulling out of the joint venture as well. Like other auto makers, Toyota has suffered a nose-dive in its North American vehicle sales. The retail plunge has forced Toyota into an exhaustive review of all of its manufacturing options in the United States market.

Toyota had previously said it would make a decision on the NUMMI factory by the end of July.

California lawmakers, once they had received reports that the plant could close, scurried to craft legislation to create financial incentives for Toyota to keep NUMMI operating.

California is deemed to be a high-cost state for manufacturing. During the 12 months that ended in June, California lost 124,600 manufacturing jobs. The East Bay lost 5,600 manufacturing jobs during the same one-year period.

The Associated Press and the Detroit Free Press contributed to this report.

shit is about to get worse out here. My pops been workin there for 22 years and might be moving out of cali. just seein who else its affectin

 

[tweeze]

i had a interview 2 times at that bitch but i fucked up twice like a asshole

dam that shit is like a mini city in that fuckin place
what the fuck are they doing this for?

 

[f31roger]

yeah, GM pulled out of the plant and Toyota is still tryna figure out what to do...

they gettin hit hard.

 

[saladbowlking]

TIMES ARE TOUGH FIGHT NOW......

 

[pAc0]

my father-in-law works there......he's been working there for 15+ years.

 

[f31roger]

honestly, I think anything related to automotive manufacturing is gonna get hit hard. except the expensive/luxury cars... I think Porche did good.

I think automotive repair is gonna still be a good industry... just the fact that not to many people are gonna buy cars and will spend money fixing their current ride.

I work at Kaiser in Hayward and they seen the effect of people losing benefits.

 

[smeezy]

Not good. NUMMI is the largest employer in Fremont, not to mention hella companies depend on their existence. Local suppliers, retailers, hospitals etc will go out of business, a disastrous domino effect will arise with NUMMI gone. There are rumors that Toyota is doing this so they can shutdown the union and comeback to Fremont without them.

 

[510PLAYA]

Yea i been there 10 years so far . We workin thru Oct as off now. No decision has been made. Toyota will close plant if they dont get what they want. The latest rumor is after OCT the will fire everybody for 90 day and bring evertbody back without the Union or the Nummi name. Its just a weird situation that can play out in like 10 different ways. Not too mention like 3 months ago they ran 3 different Hybrids thru the complete system on a sunday with the project team that nobody was suppose to know about, but word got out. The ball is in Toyota hands and they will play hardball. But if they do close we should get a nice serverence package tho

 

[510hustlin510]

Damn thats all bad UNION BUSTING.............. Corporations dont want the working man to have a decent wage, benefits or a say in what goes on in the work place.... Thats fucked.............. Every thing in life going up and the middle class wage just keeps going down......... Fuck toyota thats fucked what there doing to these workers and there families...............

 

[f31roger]

Damn thats all bad UNION BUSTING.............. Corporations dont want the working man to have a decent wage, benefits or a say in what goes on in the work place.... Thats fucked.............. Every thing in life going up and the middle class wage just keeps going down......... Fuck toyota thats fucked what there doing to these workers and there families...............

sometimes the Unions are greedy too. Personally, I think the Unions should not be asking too much.. bekuz the auto industry aint doing good either.

If they bring everyone back w/o the union,... thats a 50/50 in my book. It can be good that you got a job.. but it can be bad that you are not protected.

How I look at it right now, keep the people working no matter what.

My personal view on this goes back to when Nurses Union wanted to go on strike. They were asking for raises (and they deserve it) but it was when the economy was taking a hit and nurses make 60 bucks an hour.. so too me.. that was being greedy. again, just my opinion.

 

[vinylfiend]

What you do at kaiser Hayward? I work on call there sometimes..