Toyota is considering shutting down its only union shop in the United States — the New United Motors Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) factory in Fremont, California, where 4,700 members of UAW Local 2244 build Corolla sedans and Tacoma light trucks:
Japan-based Toyota insisted it still hasn’t made a final decision about closing the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. plant, a 50-50 joint venture of General Motors and Toyota that began production 25 years ago. Toyota hopes to decide by the end of August.
The news is another setback for workers at the plant, whose paychecks have been on the line ever since the bankruptcy of General Motors started concerns about NUMMI’s future. “People are worried about their jobs,” said Sergio Santos, president of United Auto Workers Local 2244, which represents UAW members at the factory. “Nobody can afford to lose their job right now.”
Closing NUMMI would be a huge blow to California’s already-struggling economy — not to mention the lives of thousands of working men and women. And it’s completely preventable.
The United Auto Workers are fighting for a simple principle: if you sell vehicles locally, they should be built locally by workers making decent wages and benefits. You can support them by signing their petition to Congress.