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New company energizes Valley UAW leaders
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Jim Graham, President of UAW Local 1112
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GM Lordstown prepares for the Cruze.
YOUNGSTOWN — Labor leaders at the Lordstown General Motors complex are upbeat about the “new GM,” and say the complex is one of the leaders of the new company.
“I am very encouraged by the announcement of the new GM, and absolutely delighted we got through this thing [the bankruptcy] so fast. We know we are spearheading GM in the future. The Chevrolet Cruze is a big, big part of GM, and our people are up to the challenge,” said Jim Graham, president of United Autoworkers Local 1112, which represents union employees who work at the assembly plant.
Not only will Lordstown GM be one of the leaders of the new GM, it will be one of the most flexible facilities in the company, said David Green, president of UAW Local 1714, which represents hourly workers at the fabrication plant.
“We will be able to quickly adapt the line to customer demand, something we previously were not able to do,” Green said.
Graham said there is no doubt in his mind regarding the high quality of the Cruze and its fuel economy — it will get 40-42 mph — and the price will be “more than competitive.”
“We know the car will sell because it’s an exciting vehicle,” he said. “All we were looking for was a level playing field, and now we have it. We are looking forward to the future. I am very, very confident in the future of the Lordstown GM plant.”
“I think the membership recognizes that we are on a path now, with a lot of the uncertainty of the bankruptcy behind us,” Green said.
“There is a lot of negativity out there about GM getting money from the government. But, what’s done is done. We need to move on and get GM profitable. Workers need to focus on building quality vehicles,” he said.
The new GM bodes well for the future of the Lordstown complex. But, it is all based on the economy. Green said he hopes people will have jobs that will enable them to buy new cars.
alcorn@vindy.com
SEE ALSO: GM zooms out of bankruptcy.