Like an empty Pontiac G6 sitting on a lonely road with no where to go, gas tank almost empty, Orion’s GM plant is ‘idling.?
The plant was officially placed on standby status as a result of iconic carmaker General Motor’s historic bankruptcy announcement June 1.
Workers at the Orion Assembly Plant commiserate with employees from two other Oakland County facilities: Pontiac’s soon-to-be-shuttered truck assembly plant and the stamping plant, which was idled.
According to Becki Akers-Hopson, communications manager for GM, Orion’s plant will stop producing Malibus and G6s by this September or sooner.
‘GM is taking aggressive action to optimize its manufacturing operations resulting in the reduction of 14 plants over the next three years. In the case of Orion, GM’s decision to discontinue the Pontiac brand also results in the discontinuation of Pontiac G6 production at Orion during the third quarter of this year,? Akers-Hopson said.
Malibus will continue to be built at a plant in Fairfax, Kansas.
So, what about Orion?
‘The plant will remain in consideration to build a small car in the future,? Akers-Hopson said. ‘That is why the plant will be considered to be on standby capacity. That is the difference between our closed plants which will not be considered for future products.?
The plant’s nearly 3,000 employees are now subject to national union agreements, according to Akers-Hopson.
‘Employees at Orion and other facilities identified as standby capacity will be treated per the UAW-GM national agreement which provides a comprehensive plan and provisions for employees affected by the product changes. These plans will be communicated to employees,? she said.
Township Supervisor Matt Gibb got word the plant was going to be idled the night before.
Orion is one of three American plants idled by GM that may get the nod to build a smaller-sized car.
The other two are in Wisconsin and Tennessee.
‘I hate to use the word ‘competition,? but it is somewhat competitive in the sense of what the state, the county and Orion can offer GM,? Gibb said.
Gibb’s understanding is that the decision will be made in the first 30 days of the bankruptcy, but said that has not been confirmed yet.
Chris Lee, a spokesman for GM, couldn’t put a date on when the decision would be made.
Lee said the Orion plant wasn’t shutdown, and was instead idled ‘by virture of it’s location.? The plant is situated in an area with a large base of suppliers and a highly-trained workforce, according to Lee.
Gibb said the water tower that is still in the works on the plant’s site and the many tax abatements Orion’s offered GM throughout the years gives the township an advantage over the plants in other states.
‘It’s been a strange day talking to the White House and eight bazillion press people,? he added.
In the meantime, officials want to do everything they can to show how committed Orion is to getting passed rough patches, GM or no GM.
They’ve started a new Web site, advantageorion.com, which is intended to showcase Orion as a great place to live, work and do business.
There will also be an Advantage Orion Town Hall Meeting, ‘Call to Arms? on June 4 at 8 a.m at the library.
‘In speaking with GM, I think they’ve been impressed with our oblivious attitude to the reality that the facility might shutdown. That we are just assuming that it will continue, and if it doesn’t, we have a back-up plan,? Gibb said.
U.S. Represenative Mike Rogers (R) sympathized with affected amployees and hinted at government-led solutions.
‘For the GM workers who have lost their jobs, especially in communities like Lake Orion, there is much more that must be done,? he said. ‘The best way to help idled workers is to put them back to work. That is why Congress must immediately pass a ‘cash for clunkers? bill to spur new auto sales.?