Comments on: NUMMI doesn’t do layoffs

By: Marty

Marty — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:04:50 +0000

As far as I’m concerned, NUMMI and the UAW could pay each worker whatever they want. If I cant afford the Toyota, I’ll buy a Honda or a used vehicle or just pedal my ass to work.

The BART negotiations are more crucial because 350,000 people have little choice but to pay what’s needed to sustain their exorbitant wages.

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:36:15 +0000

John, what you say is very true. Marty stated a while back that the American worker is in for a giant dose of reality. What you experienced in the airline industry will occur across other business segments in the near future.

Anyone from the BART unions listening?

By: John

John — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:03:04 +0000

The mere fact that Nummi has the highest costs in the entire automotive industry is staggering! I have been to this plant to learn ans see the Lean model in person. Lean and Continuous Improvement are supposed to reduce costs, NOT increase them. While I agree you cannot get people to participate in cost cutting when the ideas they propose might affect their job, but you cannot reward people with the money you are saving either. The benefits the plant worker receive are way outdated and need to be revised. Full medical & dental insurance has been done away with at most, if not all other companies in this day and age. There is not a single employee I know who has a no premium, no co-pay insurance program. Vacations and hourly pay need to be re-negotiated also. Thirty dollars an hour for assembly line work,while that may have been the rate in good times is unacceptable in this day and age. I don’t like to see anyone lose his or her job, but the fact of the matter is, start negotiating now and at least you will have a job. I speak from experience, no pay raises in seven years, two weeks of vacation gone, four holidays gone, pension gone and salary reduced by 30%. Medical and dental premiums up over 100%. Where you say, the airline industry.

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:39:57 +0000

General Motors may close some plants for nine weeks this summer (April 23)- Washington Post
General Motors might halt production at some of its U.S. factories for up to nine weeks this summer to combat slumping auto sales, according to people familiar with the plan.

By: Karma

Karma — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:50:07 +0000

This company is beyond layoffs. Those doors are closing. Say goodbye to the last plant in California. Thank the UAW for being greedy

By: NakedSnowman

NakedSnowman — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:51:47 +0000

The acutal wording is close. This is verbatim:

The Company will take affirmative measures before laying off any employees, including such measures as, the reduction of salaries of its officers and management, assigning previously subcontracted work to bargaining unit employees capable of performing this work, seeking voluntary layoffs, and other cost saving measures.

So to sum it up, layoffs are a LAST resort for the Company. So far we have talked about eliminating our 2nd shift, but also putting them to work in the plant somewhere else. We have added more days off including 3 full weeks of our usual 2 week Christmas shutdown, 3 additional days for Thanksgiving. Work is optional on those days.

By: Hershey

Hershey — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:32:51 +0000

Worble said: “It Is against the union contract for NUMMI to layoff employees.”

Actually, according to the current contract that ends on August 8, 2009: “…[NUMMI] agrees that it will not lay off employees unless it is compelled to do so by severe economic conditions that threaten the long-term financial viability of the Company.”

NUMMI has to take affirmative (i.e., cost-saving) measures first before laying off any union member, though. But the point is, there IS room in the contract for “layoffs”.

IMO they should just shut the plant down after the holidays and start over with a union-free workforce as in other Toyota plants.

By: worble

worble — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:30:48 +0000

It Is against the union contract for NUMMI to layoff employees.