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ARE LOCAL JOBS SAFE?
Rep. Rob Wittman visits GM Powertrain in Spotsylvania
Date published: 10/17/2008
By KELLY HANNON Inside the General Motors Powertrain plant on Tidewater Trail, a sign hangs from the ceiling: "Support Your Job, Buy GM." Yesterday, the 125 employees who work at the Spotsylvania County plant sought support from another source: First District Rep. Rob Wittman. During a question-and-answer session with employees, Wittman, a Republican from Westmoreland County, was asked how he would keep manufacturing jobs and GM, in Virginia. The plant's workforce has shrunk in recent years, as GM offered incentives for employees to retire. The plant used to be a 24-hour, three-shift operation. Today there is one shift. Wittman said he's committed to sustaining the manufacturing sector of the U.S. workforce. "While creating a service economy is fine, if we don't have a backbone of manufacturing in this nation we aren't going to be able to survive in the long term as being the top economy in the world," he said. Wittman is running for re-election in November. His opponent is Democrat Bill Day, a Fauquier County businessman. Wittman's visit came during a difficult week for GM. Yesterday, company officials announced 1,600 workers at factories in Detroit, Pontiac, Mich., and Wilmington, Del., will be laid off indefinitely over the next few months as the company tries to control its inventory amid a worsening U.S. sales slump. On Monday, GM announced it would close a metal stamping plant in Michigan by the end of 2009. That plant employs more than 1,300 hourly workers. GM, Chrysler, and Ford will receive a $25 billion federal loan to develop alternative fuel technologies. Wittman voted for the low-interest loan, part of a continuing resolution, in September. GM invited Wittman to tour the plant and to meet workers. GM's Powertrain plant is part of the company's effort to boost fuel efficiency. The plant produces thousands of torque converter clutches a day, in 4-speed and 6-speed. The 6-speed clutches have greater fuel economy than 4-speeds. GM invested $3.1 million in the Spotsylvania plant so it could create single-plate and dual-plate 6-speed clutches. Lois Doles, president of United Auto Workers Local 2123, said the 4-speed clutches will be phased out, and the plant is hoping to get more 6-speed clutch orders.
Date published: 10/17/2008
I am so glad that the Republicans
(posted by
UsefulIdiot
, Oct. 17, 2008 11:15 pm)
finally ended our long national nightmare of peace and prosperity that we suffered under during the Clinton years.
Bring employement to Westmoreland Co
(posted by
Beacher
, Oct. 17, 2008 1:19 pm)
Hey Mr Wittman how about bring some employement to your home town? We need it. College graduates are leaving this area due to the lack of employement.
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