Monday, August 03, 2009
Keep Toyota from closing NUMMI auto plant
Photos: Leticia Quesada, UAW Local 2244 |
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Toyota Motor Corp. has no problem with selling millions of vehicles in California. Indeed, the Golden State has been great to Toyota, accounting for a huge percentage of the automaker's overall North American sales.
Toyota is considering shutting the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) plant in Fremont, the last remaining West Coast auto assembly plant in the United States. At the same time, the company is ramping up production in Japan, including converting 900 temporary jobs to permanent status, something thousands of its U.S.-based workers still yearn to have.
Closing the NUMMI plant would not be received well by Californians who have given Toyota billions of dollars in auto sales. "We think California deserves better," said UAW President Ron Gettelfinger. "This is an efficient, award-winning, innovative plant with highly skilled, motivated workers. We hope Toyota will explore every opportunity to keep the plant open."
You can immediately help: Sign our petition to President Obama and Congress asking them to investigate and support ways to keep the NUMMI plant open.
The NUMMI plant regularly wins high praise for efficiency, productivity and quality from the automotive press and industry watchers. It has been highly competitive for 25 years. There's no reason to close it now.
With Toyota’s only unionized workforce among its North American operations, NUMMI began as a joint venture between Toyota and General Motors. GM's stake in the company was transferred to the Motor Liquidation Corp. when it emerged from bankruptcy last month. Some 4,500 UAW Local 2244 members and tens of thousands of supplier and support workers throughout California will lose their jobs if NUMMI closes. The impact on California's already struggling economy would be devastating.
"We’re going to fight for these workers, their community and the entire state of California," said UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles. "It was Californians who helped make Toyota's entry into the North American market a success. Closing its only unionized auto plant isn’t the way to go."
Our goal is simple: If you sell vehicles locally, they should be built locally by workers making decent wages and benefits. Will you sign our petition to President Obama and Congress asking them to investigate and support ways to keep the NUMMI plant open? Go here to take action.