WSJ - GM Plant In New Jersey Produces Its Last Automobile

[Klaus]

GM Plant In New Jersey Produces Its Last Automobile


DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
April 21, 2005 2:18 a.m.

LINDEN, N.J. (AP)--Possibly the last automobile manufactured in the state of New Jersey rolled off the assembly line at a General Motors Corp. (GM ) plant to little fanfare, a quiet but momentous end to an industry that once employed thousands of workers and helped fuel the state's economic engine.

After operating for 68 years, during which it produced nearly 9 million vehicles and manufactured fighter planes during World War II, the General Motors plant in Linden produced its final sport utility vehicle, a white Chevy Blazer, Wednesday morning.

The GM plant and the Ford Motor Co. (F) plant in nearby Edison, which closed its doors in late February, were the last two auto assembly lines in New Jersey. The GM plant will sit idle until 2007, when union contracts expire. There are no plans to produce any new vehicles at the plant.

At a barbecue set up in a parking lot across from the plant Wednesday, about three dozen workers flipped burgers, drank beer and soft drinks and swapped stories. Most of the latter revolved around a common theme: Leaving co-workers was akin to leaving family.

"This closing is not easy, even though we saw it coming," said Faye Reck, 52, of Edison, who worked at the plant for more than 26 years. "It's like you're losing your family. You spent most of your life with these people. We're like brothers and sisters."

Declining sales of the Blazer and GMC Jimmy led the company to end production of the two SUVs that had been assembled at the plant since 1993. The plant had cut back from two shifts to one in 2002, causing about 1,000 layoffs. The 1,000 remaining workers learned last year that the plant would be ending production in early 2005.

In its heyday, the plant produced Buicks, Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs. During World War II, it was re-engineered to produce Grumman Wildcat fighter planes before resuming automobile production in 1946. In 1971, it became the first plant outside of Detroit to produce Cadillacs, according to a company release.

Ford operated several plants in New Jersey at various times in the last century, and there were more than 13,000 jobs in auto manufacturing in New Jersey as recently as 1990, said James W. Hughes, dean of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.

That number fell to 7,600 in 2004, and most of those jobs were based at the Ford and GM plants, Hughes said. He wasn't optimistic about the auto industry returning to the state.

"For American auto manufacturers, this is it in New Jersey," said Hughes. "There's an outside chance that at some point an overseas manufacturer could set up a facility in non-unionized south Jersey. But we'd be in such fierce competition with other states that could open it up in terms of subsidies."

Many working in Linden were hired in the mid-1970s when the plant went to two shifts. Those with 30 years of employment by the time the contract ends in 2007 will qualify for full retirement benefits.

"Most of us are kind of OK, because we're going to have that 30 years in 2007," said 48-year-old Abdellah Sudan of Elizabeth, a 28-year GM veteran who said he earned a nursing certificate and a bus and limo driver's license in preparation for life after GM .

"You prepare yourself for what we all knew was going to be inevitable," Sudan said. "Some of us went out there and got plugged in and got involved in other things, to prepare for this day."

The day held more than a little emotion for UAW Local 595 President Guy Messina, who spent 37 years at GM and was there to see the last auto roll off the line.

"As I was going through there I realized I was talking to some of the sons of guys that I hired," he said. "And it dawned on me that 68 years of manufacturing automobiles and airplanes is all gone. That's when it really hit home.

"So I dealt with it by going out and buying a Blazer. And I'll keep it forever."

[Klaus]

GM Plant In New Jersey Produces Its Last Automobile


DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
April 21, 2005 2:18 a.m.

LINDEN, N.J. (AP)--Possibly the last automobile manufactured in the state of New Jersey rolled off the assembly line at a General Motors Corp. (GM ) plant to little fanfare, a quiet but momentous end to an industry that once employed thousands of workers and helped fuel the state's economic engine.

After operating for 68 years, during which it produced nearly 9 million vehicles and manufactured fighter planes during World War II, the General Motors plant in Linden produced its final sport utility vehicle, a white Chevy Blazer, Wednesday morning.

The GM plant and the Ford Motor Co. (F) plant in nearby Edison, which closed its doors in late February, were the last two auto assembly lines in New Jersey. The GM plant will sit idle until 2007, when union contracts expire. There are no plans to produce any new vehicles at the plant.

At a barbecue set up in a parking lot across from the plant Wednesday, about three dozen workers flipped burgers, drank beer and soft drinks and swapped stories. Most of the latter revolved around a common theme: Leaving co-workers was akin to leaving family.

"This closing is not easy, even though we saw it coming," said Faye Reck, 52, of Edison, who worked at the plant for more than 26 years. "It's like you're losing your family. You spent most of your life with these people. We're like brothers and sisters."

Declining sales of the Blazer and GMC Jimmy led the company to end production of the two SUVs that had been assembled at the plant since 1993. The plant had cut back from two shifts to one in 2002, causing about 1,000 layoffs. The 1,000 remaining workers learned last year that the plant would be ending production in early 2005.

In its heyday, the plant produced Buicks, Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs. During World War II, it was re-engineered to produce Grumman Wildcat fighter planes before resuming automobile production in 1946. In 1971, it became the first plant outside of Detroit to produce Cadillacs, according to a company release.

Ford operated several plants in New Jersey at various times in the last century, and there were more than 13,000 jobs in auto manufacturing in New Jersey as recently as 1990, said James W. Hughes, dean of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.

That number fell to 7,600 in 2004, and most of those jobs were based at the Ford and GM plants, Hughes said. He wasn't optimistic about the auto industry returning to the state.

"For American auto manufacturers, this is it in New Jersey," said Hughes. "There's an outside chance that at some point an overseas manufacturer could set up a facility in non-unionized south Jersey. But we'd be in such fierce competition with other states that could open it up in terms of subsidies."

Many working in Linden were hired in the mid-1970s when the plant went to two shifts. Those with 30 years of employment by the time the contract ends in 2007 will qualify for full retirement benefits.

"Most of us are kind of OK, because we're going to have that 30 years in 2007," said 48-year-old Abdellah Sudan of Elizabeth, a 28-year GM veteran who said he earned a nursing certificate and a bus and limo driver's license in preparation for life after GM .

"You prepare yourself for what we all knew was going to be inevitable," Sudan said. "Some of us went out there and got plugged in and got involved in other things, to prepare for this day."

The day held more than a little emotion for UAW Local 595 President Guy Messina, who spent 37 years at GM and was there to see the last auto roll off the line.

"As I was going through there I realized I was talking to some of the sons of guys that I hired," he said. "And it dawned on me that 68 years of manufacturing automobiles and airplanes is all gone. That's when it really hit home.

"So I dealt with it by going out and buying a Blazer. And I'll keep it forever."