GM Ohio plant workers leave hostile past behind

[Guest Josh]

LORDSTOWN, Ohio -- They were the bad boys General Motors Corp. could hardly handle -- a United Auto Workers local where members had little sympathy for the automaker during recessions and industry downturns and no use for rules foisted on them from Detroit.

Workers sparred with management from the moment GM opened the sprawling Lordstown manufacturing complex in 1966. In 1972, as GM was preparing to speed up production of the Chevrolet Vega, workers sabotaged the small cars and eventually walked out.

But the wildcatters of decades past are slowly and reluctantly becoming less contrary as GM copes with its worst financial crisis in at least a decade. They've agreed to new work rules and some even say they will give ground on hard-won benefits, if necessary.

"The bottom line here is most everybody in our plant here realizes GM needs to make a profit to survive," said UAW Local 1714 President Jim Kaster, which represents about 1,500 workers at the complex's metal and stamping facility.

Tensions remain. But the changing attitudes in Lordstown reflect a growing realization that GM is in trouble and workers must be part of the fix. GM says it needs help from the UAW, which represents 6,500 workers at this former cauldron of distrust and bastion of eastern Ohio independence.

Lordstown assembles the Chevrolet Cobalt and is expected to begin building the Saturn Ion in 2007.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0.../C01-285986.htm

[Kennyboy]

Wow, I guess everything is changing........

[cavalier36]

my dad must have been one of those " bad boys" he worked at Lordstown from 1968 to 2001.. I worked there as a contract employee from 02-03..

[daves87rs]

Ha! If they thought L-town was bad, I'd hate to think how long those same people would survive at D-ham... :rolleyes:

[cjtmet]

From the article.

GM needs to get the Bush administration and ask them for help before they ask us for help,

The union is kidding it self if it thinks that the Bush administration will do something that
a. Helps unions - how many of them would have voted for Bush in the first place.
b. Takes on more financial responsibilities for the federal government. They are running a hugh deficit and trying to dump social security.

[Robert Hall]

From the article.
The union is kidding it self if it thinks that the Bush administration will do something that
a. Helps unions - how many of them would have voted for Bush in the first place.
b. Takes on more financial responsibilities for the federal government.  They are running a hugh deficit and trying to dump social security.

[post="1353"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Yeah, helping GM doesn't help the war president....Dubya is all war, all the time... fiscal irresponsibility and no strategy for the country's future or foreign policy... Edited August 21, 2005 by moltar

[Pontiac_Man]

I'm just surprised they are moving production of the Saturn Ion.

[Robert Hall]

I'm just surprised they are moving production of the Saturn Ion.

[post="1878"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

i suppose since the next Ion won't have the plastic body parts, they can build it on the same line as the Cobalt (are the G4 and Pursuit are also assembled in Lordstown and exported to Mexico and Canada ?)... I wonder what will become of the Tennessee plant. Edited August 22, 2005 by moltar