UAW wants new Camaro built in Oklahoma City
With the reintroduction of the Chevrolet Camaro all but certain, General Motors and the UAW are now trying to figure out where to build the beast. Officials from the union are making a pitch for the recently idled Oklahoma City plant, which assembled long-wheelbase versions of the Chevy TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy. By securing the Camaro, the plant would presumably also "win" the assembly of other Zeta-based vehicles.
We're not quite sure how this plays into the reports from last month that the CAW made significant concessions in an attempt secure the assembly of the Camaro, but it's possible - and we're only speculating here - that the OK City plant's previous RWD product may give it an advantage.
[Source: The Detroit News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Paul 8:39AM (4/19/2006)
i saw this car at the autoshow and its unbeliveable. I would drop the 40sumtin thousand for this baby LS2 400hp and its beautiful. I cant wait
Reply
DarkKnight67 8:52AM (4/19/2006)
That and the fact that GM just spent significant money to upgrade the plant and make repairs after the tornado hit a few years back. Unless the UAW screws it up, as they always do, there isn't any reason one plant can't be responsible for all Zeta products.
Reply
km 9:10AM (4/19/2006)
I dont care where they do it, they can build it in China if they want, just build it already!!!
Reply
Devin 9:11AM (4/19/2006)
GM should definetely build it in America, unless the UAW wants to be paid too much, and then go ahead and build it in Canada. This car needs to make a profit, and it wouldn't hurt GM to say that the new Camaro is 100% American (except for the parts from other countries).
Reply
Brent 9:17AM (4/19/2006)
If it is built in Canada, they could just change their slogan to
"A (North) American Revolution"
Reply
Puff Chippy 9:19AM (4/19/2006)
Yes, the Camaro should be built in America. What kind of twisted world do we live in where an Accord is built in America and the Camaro is built in Canada? This should be a no-brainer.
Reply
Son of Dat 9:20AM (4/19/2006)
Well the old one was built in Quebec - and I'm pretty sure the American public would not be too pleased about that - there is talk about building it there
Reply
RossL 9:29AM (4/19/2006)
>> it wouldn't hurt GM to say that the new Camaro is 100% American (except for the parts from other countries)
Whether consumers know it or not, the "American" auto industry is actually a North American industry. For manufacturing purposes, all of the majors treat the United States and Canada (and to some extent Mexico) as a single integrated market.
Leaving that aside, it wouldn't make any sense for GM to crow that vehicle X was 100% American, since that would just draw attention to the fact that every other vehicle was not.
If you want to know if your GM, Ford/Mazda or Chrysler product is assembled in the U.S., look for the UAW sticker that is often affixed to one of the rear windows. (To my knowledge, the CAW doesn't put similar stickers on Canadian-assembled vehicles.)
Reply
Mike 9:29AM (4/19/2006)
The last gen camaro & firebirds were also built in Canada guys (in Que)...
Oshawa plants have been at the top of the quality rankings for YEARS now. Plus building in Canada allows for much more profit since Canada has a gov't health plan that doesn't have to be covered by GM.
Reply
Udayan Tripathi 9:31AM (4/19/2006)
The stranglehold that UAW has on GM is appalling. Even while GM spirals uncontrollably towards bankruptcy UAW pushes for excessive pension rights etc... I think this Camaro should be built in Canada since CAW made concessions prior to these talks and it is slightly cheaper (which GM needs)
Reply
Optimus Prime 9:56AM (4/19/2006)
Haha, if it is built in USA i bet over 50% of the parts will be sourced overseas or from Mexico. After seeing how they destroyed the Saturn Aura concept when they brought it to production im gonna be cautious until i can actually buy this thing.
Reply
Ted 10:02AM (4/19/2006)
The new Camaro should be built in Canada like the old Camaros, but that doesn't mean OK City can't build other Zeta platform cars. (which, I think, is the real reason they want this.)
Reply
narcszm 10:25AM (4/19/2006)
Build it in Australia or China. F*ck the unions - they are cancerous to the automotive industry.
Reply
Ron 10:37AM (4/19/2006)
I say screw the UAW...
What happened to the days that the company got to decide where to build their product?
Screw that! Unions had their place once upon a time...
Unions are why car prices are out of control.
Why should an employee doing the same thing make a bunch more just because he has been doing it for 10 yrs, whether or not he does it any better or faster.
Pay and advancement based upon merit not seniority.
Reply
Corey W. 10:48AM (4/19/2006)
The term "Built in...." is worthless for most manufactures. For any business to stay competitive, they have to take advantage of the global market. Times are changing, all we can hope for is that American workers stay competitive. IMO, GM should build the car wherever they can get the greatest return on investment.
The days of "Buy American, Keep job here in The States" are over.... :-(
Reply
jamie 10:55AM (4/19/2006)
Only in Canada, eh?
Money talks and b.*. walks.
Oshawa has the advantage right now, and that is the way it should be. The old Quebec plant made the last generation of Camaros and Firebirds. Oshawa, Ontario can easily make the transition to Zeta platforms and is offering outstanding concessions courtesy of the CAW. Plus Canada has national health care which reduces GM's costs considerably. The dollar issue is currently neglible, so their are not many advatages there, but that can change again also.
So far the UAW is trying to act like it runs GM. Plain and simple, it doesn't. With strike talk on their lips there is no way GM should even consider OK City to introduce a new product.
Oshawa can be up and running in 18 months.
OK City would emerge from "plant idled" status only to sink into lay-offs resulting from possible (although highly unlikely) strike action against Delphi.
The other most obvious possibility is to upgrade Wilmington DE which could accomodate the Camaro tomorrow.
Now what's GM problem with getting the Camaro in the showrooms within 18 months? Every other auto manufacturer can do the job in 18 months. Why can't GM? I don't want to wait till 2010!
Reply
Richard Warren 12:59PM (4/19/2006)
Actually, it just needs to be made, and soon. The big questions is which plant can be set up the fastest and how soon can all the tooling be ready. GM needs this car in good quantities quick.
Reply
Alex Nunez 1:04PM (4/19/2006)
I don't care if they build the thing out of a chop shop in Queens, so long as it's built, period.
AT NYIAS last Wed, I was lucky enough to see them move it from it's display to the SEMA stand (where it was used in a press conf, along with the Challenger & GT500, later in the afternoon). The sound was pure evil, and it was funny watching it drive through the Mini display on the way to the SEMA area.
I have pics of this that I should post, but they're a little grainy because the lighting was sub-optimal.
Reply
Chris 1:26PM (4/19/2006)
Remember to do the OPPOSITE of whatever the UAW says! The UAW leadership's cognitive abilities are significantly impaired!
Reply
MikeW 1:45PM (4/19/2006)
Why bother with a V8 when GM can hacksaw 2 cylinders off the 7 liter Vette engine and make a 400V6 and make that standard.
That would be something.
Reply