General Motors Fort Wayne Extended Plant Shutdown?

Reports are coming in that General Motors will shut down much longer than the normal two weeks for its workers. GM's April 23, 2008 news release gives three reasons for the extended temporary layoff:

There are three primary reasons for this scheduled downtime:

1. Dealer vehicle inventories are at high levels, given the current depressed market.
2. The shutdown will allow GM the opportunity to bring production in line with current market demand.
3. The downtime actions also consider the possible production implications of the complicated and difficult negotiations with Delphi and its debtor in possession lenders.

Fort Wayne is on pins and needles waiting to find out if its plant will be among the plants shut down for the nine weeks. According to Fort Wayne LOCAL2209.ORG WEBSITE, "GM has 47 U.S. manufacturing facilities and employs about 55,000 UAW workers."

GM shutting down will have a ripple effect on suppliers in Fort Wayne and surrounding areas. Unemployment is already at record numbers, the shut down will only increases the unemployment numbers. But even more disturbing for the workers of Fort Wayne, GM will be announcing some closing of its plants. Will Fort Wayne be among those closings?


According to GM website:

Ft. Wayne(Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra) (LD Reg and Ext)

Retime down week from 4/27 to 5/4
Add down weeks 5/11, 5/18, 5/25, 6/01, 6/08, 6/15, 6/22, 7/6 and 7/13





It's going to be a long hot summer.