Only in California: UAW reportedly fighting to save Toyota plant
New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc, better known as NUMMI, has been operating in Fremont, California since 1984. The plant started as a joint venture between General Motors and Toyota. The idea was that Toyota could cut out the expense of boating cars all the way across the Pacific and The General could learn about Japanese managerial techniques and lean manufacturing processes. And this is how the world got the gift of the Geo Prizm. Last month, GM pulled out of NUMMI, leaving it all to Toyota. And now Toyota's not so sure it wants the plant.
Enter the United Auto Workers. NUMMI is unique in that it's the only Toyota manufacturing facility in the U.S. where the workers are unionized. It's also the only auto plant in California with some 4,500 union jobs. This prompted the UAW to send an email to its members, asking them to contact members of Congress so as to keep the plant (and jobs) alive. Quote the email, "We believe that Toyotas sold in the United States should be made in the United States. California is by far Toyota's single biggest market for car sales in the United States." The ironic part is that many Toyotas sold here are made here, but the jobs (typically in Southern states) are certainly not unionized. Much to the UAW's chagrin.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req. | Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Aki 2:04PM (7/28/2009)
Translation: UAW wants a foothold in Toyota. Since the parasite has been killing its original host (GM), they want to switch to a new body they can leech off of.
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ronEbear 2:10PM (7/28/2009)
Exactly.
pmalik 2:11PM (7/28/2009)
Ding!
Toyota is actually profitable (what a coincidence), so why not try to get some influence there also. I very much doubt this will lead anywhere.
James 2:14PM (7/28/2009)
Bye NUMMI
Brian 2:17PM (7/28/2009)
pmalik, Toyota is not profitable.
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/08/toyota-hammered-with-7-7b-loss-in-q1/
They managed this without the help of Unions.
Tool 3:10PM (7/28/2009)
What is the "value add" that the UAW brings to the picture? Not clear to me.
Even if Toyota wanted to continue at NUMMI, with the high labor costs, restrictive labor rules and attitude of mediocrity, why would Toyota want to deal with the UAW? They have plenty of N.A. plants with great employees already.
Joe Btfsplk 3:54PM (7/28/2009)
NUMMI.....you will be missed. Rest in peace.
Randy 11:07PM (7/28/2009)
"leech"
perfect word for this story
tankd0g 12:59AM (7/29/2009)
Brian, I think you are confused as to what the word profitable means. That means a company that has profits, unlike certain bankrupt entities I won't mention.
billywayne 7:28AM (7/30/2009)
Its easy to blame the worker or worker organization, you act like their other plants the workers are completly happy and everything Toyota does is gold. They are union in their own country, they are union in most countrys, most workers choose options most choose ability to keep a check and balance on their employer.
Workers in the south are not used to good paying jobs in factories so southern workers are willing to role the dice with their life how long they can last in a southern plant and the poor working conditions for the money, most dont last, most have mutiple surguries, most do not retire!!! Yes Toyota has good workers, good workers that are being used up and thrown away but lets do not forget about their second class workers that they use and abuse doing the same job Toyota workers that are paid lots more
Any body can become number one that uses slave labor in its plants, no retired workers at the volume of their compeditor, goverment tax breaks, and a greed never seen before. Why do you think Japan has UNIONS?
Richard S. 2:25PM (7/28/2009)
The UAW does not get it. It is not a matter of Made in USA or Made in Japan. It is a matter of the UAW and its stranglehold in operations versus not having unions. Toyota can easily transfer production to another assembly plant in the U.S., but one which does not have a union plus non of California expensive regulations.
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alex 5:40PM (7/28/2009)
The UAW "doesn't get it" because they're opposed to 4500 of their members getting laid off? I think maybe you don't get it.... and by "it" i mean the point of a union!
Richard S. 5:57PM (7/28/2009)
Has the UAW considered concessions to Toyota such as wage reductions, relaxing work rules? Have they lobbied their County and State Government to give Toyota tax abatements, reduction on utilities and possible temporary relaxation of onerous regulations to help Toyota get through this slowdown?
Patrick 2:12PM (7/28/2009)
I live in the Bay Area and know several people that work or have worked at NUMMI. It's sad that it is closing but I can't blame Toyota. This is their opportunity to cancel their UAW contracts and to get rid of the high costs of doing business in California. Maybe the Oakland A's will move there?
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13enS 3:27PM (7/28/2009)
I thought the local news was saying it would be converted into a mall. (Like we need another....) It is in a good location, close to the 880 there, for whomever moves in.
Jeff Banks 2:13PM (7/28/2009)
Sad...NUMMI plant makes the Tacoma. Whatever your views on Toyota, they make a damn good light truck. My friend has three...reliable as a rock. Also, California's economy is already on a downward spiral, it will be sad to see a lot of good US manufacturing jobs lost.
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cdwrx 2:18PM (7/28/2009)
If only there was a Bay Area car company that could manufacture there. Hmmm...
Jruhi4 2:33PM (7/28/2009)
While I sympathize with your sentiments, closing NUMMI won't affect Toyota's lineup one iota. Other plants within the NAFTA region already build the NUMMI Toyotas (Tacoma in Mexico and Corolla in Canada) and will surely take up the slack from NUMMI's closure (if it finally happens).
Dustin 2:13PM (7/28/2009)
What's the point of an acronym if it's always accompanied immediately by the series of words it's abbreviating?
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Sandeep 2:17PM (7/28/2009)
If I recall correctly, AP style dictates that you spell it out the first time and indicate the acronym that is to be used throughout the rest of the piece.
Not to mention he still saves a ton of unnecessary words by subsequently using NUMMI.