Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupes, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing, Chevrolet
No camera phones allowed! GM plant electrician fired for Camaro pics
click above to view high-res gallery of the pics in question
Whenever you walk into an automaker's factory or engineering facility, there are signs prominently displayed letting everyone know that cameras and camera phones are prohibited. Unfortunately for an electrician at the General Motors Assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario where the Camaro is due to begin production late this year he ignored the warning. Worse yet, he took some shots inside the body shop where pilot production units were making their way down the line and then showed them to his kids. The youngsters evidently extracted said photos and shared them with the world.
The electrician with 28 years of seniority has apparently now learned that those signs were not an empty threat. Even though there is nothing particularly secret about how car bodies are welded together or about how the new Camaro looks, GM and other manufacturers are serious about those policies. This employee who apparently just wanted show off a bit for his kids is now unemployed. Was it worth it? If you're going to whip out the camera phone, you might want to be a little more discreet about how you share the pics.
Gallery: 2010 Camaro in Production
[Source: LeftLane News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
inteller 8:51AM (6/01/2008)
did he have to forfeit his retirement too? Hopefully his kids won't mind taking care of him
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scharon71 9:03PM (6/02/2008)
I don't think it is a big deal, the car was in the movie Transformers already and will be just another GM piece of crap
Flashpoint 9:17AM (6/01/2008)
I don't have the slightest bit of pity for him. People who do things like this put the institution they work under in jeopardy.
GM is making the best cars they've ever made and they can't risk secrets being leaked to the Chinese.
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chengdude 9:32AM (6/01/2008)
Um, a lot of GM's growth and profits these days come from their operations in China and the Buicks assembled there (hint: not built by the UAW) are consistently among the best scoring in internal quality control ratings.
GM has already taught "the Chinese" everything they need to know. Welcome to China's century; it's their turn now.
Flashpoint 11:07AM (6/01/2008)
China's turn to make crappy cars with designs they STEAL FROM GERMANS - just like the Japanese.
PJ 1:28PM (6/01/2008)
Re: the Japanese
Some of their most unoriginal moments include reviving the pure, back-to-basics roadster (1990), creating the fuel-efficient SUV segment (1996), and introducing viable gas-electric hybrids to the USDM (1999).
Thieving bastards (rolls eyes)...
butterchicken 2:06PM (6/01/2008)
@ PJ
the fuel-efficient SUV segment was started by Kia...
why not the LS2LS7? 3:07PM (6/01/2008)
the fuel-efficient SUV is an oxymoron.
Step 1: convince buyers they need to buy a jacked up AWD vehicle with no interior space instead of a wagon or minivan.
Step 2: create slightly less jacked up AWD vehicle still with no interior space that gets marginally better mpg but still far worse than a wagon
Step 3: declare victory.
PJ 5:04PM (6/01/2008)
I agree with the sentiment regarding cute-'utes, but as regards Japanese innovation, their popularization of one of the most-successful vehicle segments merits recognition.
(I personally discount the Sportage because it only beat the RAV to market by 1 year, and also because it royally sucked).
I'd also argue that, as far as phony off-road marketing goes, the Big Three had done all the "convincing" buyers needed by the time the RAV, CR-V, and Forester were released.
Daniel 4:42PM (6/01/2008)
I like cars too.
carlbolt 9:25PM (6/01/2008)
Yes, Chinese can steal the fifty years old push rod engine technology, the forever four-speed transmission technology, the over-one-inch-gap body technology, the leaf spring live axle technology, the Cadilac fake wood trim technology and so much more...
wilsonce01 9:18AM (6/01/2008)
Someone with 28 years of seniority should know better.
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James T 9:40AM (6/01/2008)
Those kids are going to get the beating of their lifetime.
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conor 9:45AM (6/01/2008)
they just wanted to show there kids....
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Don 9:48AM (6/01/2008)
Oh, boo hoo! See the sign on the wall? Yes? Then don't take photos.
Derek 10:50AM (6/01/2008)
That's a mature response.
Slug Plisken 1:05PM (6/01/2008)
"When Children Post"
A new reality tv show starring Conor McKidie. Experience the bad spelling, enjoy the third-grade insults, see the revealing and homosexual Freudian slips, and oh yeah, get the car knowledge only found in kids still in high school.
Coming soon!
doug 10:00AM (6/01/2008)
On any other car I could understand. But the Camaro has had a very public and well documented development. Bb Lutz even has even ordered the prototypes to be tested without camo. So what's the big deal here?
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ASEVENSEE4 10:17AM (6/01/2008)
I think it's more of a, you broke the rules set out by your superiors, you can't follow instruction, you're fired.
Shipey 2:33PM (6/01/2008)
Just because the Camaro isn't a tightly guarded secret doesn't mean nothing else in those photos is.
The automakers don't want to give away any technology they've paid to develop... in their cars OR their factories.