GM-Moraine recall to be handled on rotating shifts basis
Thursday, May 15, 2008
MORAINE — Although first-shift production workers have been recalled to the local General Motors Corp. plant, the far-away strike that shut down the plant in the first place continues.
First-shift GM-Moraine workers are being recalled Monday, May 19, until further notice, a plant spokeswoman said Wednesday.
Extras
A union officer said the recall will be arranged on a rotating basis for the plant's two shifts.
John Harlow, shop chairman for the International Union of Electronic Workers-Communication Workers of America Local 798 — which represents more than 2,000 workers at the GM-Moraine plant — said first shift will work for the first three weeks.
If the United Auto Workers strike against American Axle & Manufacturing continues after the third week, then second-shift workers will be recalled to work for another three weeks, while the first-shift crew returns to layoff status, Harlow said.
He said union and management agreed on the arrangement Wednesday afternoon.
"You got second-shift people who have as much, if not more, seniority as the people (on first shift)," Harlow said.
By this time next week, the plant should have 1,300 to 1,500 employees working, including salaried employees, said plant spokeswoman Jessica Peck.
The plant has seen production halted since second shift March 3, less than a week after more than 3,600 UAW members struck several American Axleplants in Michigan and New York, cutting off key supplies to the local GM plant. The UAW strike has also affected production at the GM-Isuzu DMAX truck engine plant on Dryden Road and some 30 other GM plants nationally.
Peck could not say how axles became available for production.
"The parts became available, and therefore we're more than happy to make the vehicles," Peck said.
The UAW strike is in its 80th day. This week, American Axle released a statement saying talks have "stalled" since Sunday over the issues of health care benefits and supplemental unemployment benefits.
GM Moraine
Products: Chevrolet TrailBlazer and TrailBlazer SS, GMC Envoy and Envoy Denali, Saab 9-7X, Isuzu Ascender.
Employees: 2,300 hourly, 200 salaried.
Size: 4.4 million square feet of buildings on 202 acres.
Source: GM
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2390 or tgnau@daytondailynews.com
