In Case You Missed It ...
Nov 10, 2008 6:50 am US/Central
GM's Future Worries Local Plant Workers, Families
ARLINGTON (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Things for General Motors are not good right now, but jobs at Arlington's assembly plant are safe.
Local workers met over the weekend to talk about the automaker's financial problems.
On Friday, the company announced a third-quarter loss of $2.5 billion, noting it could run out of cash next year and announcing about 3,600 hourly employees could lose their jobs.
The Arlington plant will become the only one to assemble SUVs while GM continues their plan to close two others.
Local workers admit they are worried for their futures.
"They're worried about the future. Is our pension going to be there? (Is there) going to be money to pay for our benefits, payroll? We just told them do what you can to save, help the company save money,' " said Enrique Flores, president of UAW Local 27.
With so many questions, Sunday's monthly union meeting lasted longer than usual.
Cherie Short, who has worked as an assembly worker since 1999, stayed even longer to take advantage of the free lunch.
"I've just made allowances, been real careful and tried to save every penny and dime and not spend on unnecessary thing," she explained. "But I hope we weather this storm. We've weathered it before."
Others would feel the effects too. Analysts say for every assembly plant job, there are seven in related industries.
To keep GM rolling, union workers say the federal government needs to step in with money they will need for day-to-day operations.
"We need help. Everybody needs help," Short said.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
RAW VIDEO: 100-Mile Police Chase
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
