GM strike hasn’t hurt area auto dealers — yet

Area General Motors dealers say their inventories are fine for now and are hoping for a short strike.

“A short-term strike shouldn’t hurt us,” said Greg Greenwood, who has 400 new cars at Greenwood Chevrolet and Hummer in Austintown and Hubbard Chevrolet.

Chris Sammartino, general manager of Sweeney Buick Pontiac GMC and Sweeney Chevrolet, said 800 new cars are on the lots at the Boardman dealerships. He’s optimistic about the strike ending soon because the United Auto Workers and GM were back at the bargaining table Tuesday, the second day of the strike.

“If it lasts longer than 45 to 60 days, that could cause us concern, but we’re hoping it will be a matter of days or weeks,” he said.

Barry Gonis, general manager of Spitzer Chevrolet in North Jackson, said he has a 60-day inventory on normal sales volumes but business appears to be slow so he can probably go longer.

CSM Worldwide, a Detroit consultant that makes auto industry forecasts, said Tuesday that it expects the strike to last less than one week.

For more on this story, see The Vindicator or www.vindy.com Wednesday.