After being shut down for the month of January, the Orion General Motors assembly plant will get back to work on Feb. 2–but not at full gear.
‘I’ll be glad when production starts and we get back to some kind of normalcy,? said Pat Sweeney, president of the United Auto Workers (UAW) 5960.
Earlier this week, GM announced that it would cut 2,000 jobs at plants in Michigan and Ohio. Production will halt at nine plants over the next six months, as well.
According to the GM spokeswoman, Becki Akers-Hopson, the Orion plant will take some down weeks between reopening next week and July.
They will still be operating two shifts when work at the plant resumes, she said. They dropped a third shift added in September 2008 soon after it started.
Sweeney said the plant will experience down weeks on March 30, April 6 and 13.
‘Adjusting our production helps us better match what we’re building with the demand in the marketplace,? Akers-Hopson said. ‘GM continually monitors what’s happening in the marketplace and will adjust the production schedules at all of its plants accordingly.?
Hourly workers will be on lay-off status, Akers-Hopson said, because the plant will not be building cars.
Workers in lay-off status collect benefits outlined in the national contract with the United Auto Workers.
The slowdown in production is due to a slump in auto sales overall.
In the United States, sales were down 35 percent in December 2008 compared to December 2007.
GM sales were down 31 percent in December 2008 compared to December 2007.
All other automakers were down as well: Toyota was down 37 percent; Ford by 32 percent, Chrysler 53 percent and Honda 34 percent.
So how have sales been of Malibus and G6s, the vehicles built at the Orion plant?
They’ve dropped with the rest, but Akers-Hopson remains optimistic.
‘For the Malibu and G6, sales have dropped from earlier last year, but the mid-size car market is still one of the largest vehicle segments in the marketplace and both the Malibu and G6 are holding their own in the segment,? she said. ‘G6 is getting a face-lift with some interior and exterior enhancements, and it’s still the number one selling vehicle for Pontiac. The Malibu is currently GM’s number one selling car at dealerships.?