Manufacturing

2009-06-09 -- Edward E. Whitacre, Jr., former chairman and CEO of AT&T Inc., will become chairman of the New GM when the company is launched later this summer, GM's interim Chairman Kent Kresa announced today. Kresa will continue to serve as interim chairman until the launch.

Whitacre and Kresa, along with current board members Philip A. Laskawy, Kathryn V. Marinello, Erroll B. Davis, Jr., E. Neville Isdell and President and Chief Executive Officer Frederick A. Henderson, will serve as the nucleus of the New GM board, providing management oversight and a continuing commitment to transparency and world-class standards of corporate governance.    » read more »

At hearing requested by Dorgan, questions raised about how dealers and consumers will be impacted

June 3, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) questioned the President and CEO of both Chrysler and General Motors about the effects of their dealership closings in North Dakota and their plans to ensure dealerships and consumers are treated fairly.

James Press, President of Chrysler, and Fritz Henderson, CEO of General Motors, both testified at the hearing, along with John McEleney, Chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association.    » read more »

Legislation Would Provide Critical Information for Drafting of Climate Change Bill that Promotes Competitiveness of Ohio Manufacturing

June 4, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today joined Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) to introduce legislation to examine how forthcoming clean energy legislation can create jobs and increase competiveness for manufacturing companies in Ohio.

“Done right, clean energy legislation can improve U.S. manufacturing competiveness and keep jobs in Ohio,” Brown said. “We need to ensure that we have the right data so that climate change legislation addresses the needs of manufacturers. Together, we can establish Ohio as the Silicon Valley of clean energy manufacturing.”    » read more »

June 3, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. -- In response to recent news reports of General Motors following Chrysler into bankruptcy, Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) today called on the heads of the American automobile companies to ease the transition for the nearly 2,000 small dealerships across the country who face imminent closure.

In a Senate Commerce Committee hearing examining the domestic auto dealership closures today, Senator Snowe highlighted the burden on the national network of dealerships to quickly liquidate inventory in order to receive assistance and called on the automakers to provide more clarity to the closure process.    » read more »

Senator questions Chrysler, GM execs on bankruptcy settlement, including rumored bonuses and insurance at hearing today

June 3, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – As endless questions remain in the wake of dealership closures by Chrysler and General Motors (GM), today U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill urged Chrysler and GM executives to be more accountable to local dealers and consumers in a hearing held by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

Recently, dealerships across the country, including a number in Missouri, that sell Chrysler and GM vehicles learned their contracts will soon be terminated as part of bankruptcy settlements.    » read more »

June 3, 2009 -- Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand sent a letter to Fritz Henderson, Chairman of General Motors, late yesterday on behalf of Tonawanda employees, who are expected to lose their jobs due to the company’s decision to shift more engine production to Mexico.

On Monday, GM announced that they will be eliminating 271 jobs at the Tonawanda Engine Plant in Western New York, a large portion of which will be moving to Mexico. Senator Gillibrand’s letter urged GM to apply for trade adjustment assistance (TAA) benefits for their former employees.    » read more »

Senator Announces $20 Million in New Funds to Support Ohio Auto Communities through National Emergency Grant and Dislocated Workers through Trade Adjustment Assistance

June 3, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced $1,657,746 has been added to Ohio’s national emergency grant (NEG) for auto communities. These new funds, which come from the Department of Labor (DOL), will assist approximately 700 workers affected by layoffs at the Chrysler Twinsburg Stamping Plant. Brown also announced today the release of $19.1 million for trade adjustment assistance for Ohio workers who lost jobs due to trade-related issues.    » read more »

June 2, 2009 -- BISMARCK, N.D. -- North Dakota Governor John Hoeven has called on President Barack Obama to stop the forced closing of General Motors dealerships in rural areas. The company has announced it will close 1,100 dealerships nationwide. Although it has not so far released a list of closings, some North Dakota dealerships have received notification of GM’s intention to close their operations. The U.S. government now holds a 60 percent equity share in the business.    » read more »

June 2, 2009 -- DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Chet Culver issued the following statement today after John Deere announced plans to lay off nearly 700 employees in the coming months at their facility in Ottumwa.

STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR CULVER

“Today we received the disappointing news that hundreds of employees at the John Deere facility in Ottumwa will lose their jobs. This is just one more sign that the global economic challenge continues to affect Iowans.

"I have been in contact with officials from Iowa Workforce Development, and as a result of the Deere's announcement, a Rapid Response Team has been dispatched to the plant tomorrow to work with those employees who have been affected, and determine what steps they can take to get back to work.    » read more »

June 2, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard today asked the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to give the U.S. tire industry a “fighting chance” to survive the waves of low-priced and unfairly traded imports of consumer tires flooding the domestic market from China.

Gerard and other USW officers on the trade petition that seeks to stem those imports and rebuild the domestic industry. Members of Congress also testified and dozens of tire workers from affected plants sat in the hearing room.

Senators Robert Casey and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and other Democratic lawmakers argued before the commission that the case is a chance for President Barack Obama to chart a new course for U.S. trade policy.    » read more »

06/02/2009 -- WASHINGTON -- United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., today welcomed General Motors' announcement that its tentative sale of HUMMER will continue the assembly of the H3 and H3T at the Shreveport plant through at least 2010. As part of the proposed transaction, HUMMER will continue to contract vehicle manufacturing and business services with GM.    » read more »

Letter conveys concerns of Wisconsin auto dealers

6/2/09 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl sent the following letter to Chairman John Rockefeller (D-WV), and Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Kohl urges tough questioning of James Press, President of Chrysler and Fritz Henderson, CEO of GM who are scheduled to testify at the Commerce Committee hearing tomorrow discussing the GM and Chrysler dealership closures nationwide.

June 2, 2009

Dear Chairman Rockefeller and Ranking Member Hutchison:    » read more »

Senator Seeks Relief for Companies Affected by Chinese Tire Imports

June 2, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today testified before the International Trade Commission (ITC) on behalf of workers at Denman Tire Company in Leavittsburg and Cooper Tire in Findlay. Brown petitioned the ITC for relief from excessive imports of passenger car and light truck tires from China that have had an adverse impact on Ohio companies and workers. A copy of Brown’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, can be found below.

I appear before you today in support of the workers in my state and around the country whose jobs have been lost or are on the line due to a surge in imports of passenger and light truck tires made in China.    » read more »

Industrial Machinery Company To Invest in Growth and Global Expansion of Premium Off-Road Vehicle Brand; Deal is Expected to Secure Over 3,000 US Jobs

DETROIT and SICHUAN, June 2, 2009 - Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd (Tengzhong) and General Motors Corp. today confirmed details of their proposed transaction, pursuant to which, Tengzhong, a major industrial machinery group, will acquire the rights to the premium off-road HUMMER brand, along with a senior management and operational team.    » read more »

Ford Fusion, Ford Flex and hybrids sets sales records; Ford sales totaled 155,954, up 20 percent versus April, and the highest sales for any month since July 2008

DEARBORN, Mich., June 2, 2009 – New products helped Ford Motor Company achieve its highest market share in three years, even as Ford decreased incentive spending in May. Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sales totaled 155,954, up 20 percent versus April and the highest sales for any month since July 2008.

Sales of the Ford Fusion were 19,786, Ford Flex sales were 4,305 and sales of the company's hybrid vehicles totaled 3,906 – setting three new sales records. In addition, Lincoln's new sedans, the MKZ and MKS, helped the luxury brand post a 2 percent sales increase.    » read more »