Rally to support NUMMI this Thursday

[IMakeVibes]

If you're in the area and feel its a worthy cause, feel free to stop by.http://www.bizjournals.com/san....htmlTuesday, August 18, 2009, 12:21pm PDTRally to support NUMMI set for ThursdaySan Francisco Business Times - by David Goll On the heels of unofficial reports printed in a Japanese newspaper last week that Toyota Motor Corp. will close Fremont’s NUMMI plant next year, a rally to promote its continued operation has been scheduled for Aug. 20.Leaders from the local labor and business communities, as well as local and state politicians, are expected to attend the event from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the United Auto Workers Local 2244 office at 45201 Fremont Blvd., across the street from the New United Motor Manufacturing plant.Sharon Cornu, executive officer of the Alameda County Labor Council, said the rally will be long to let workers from both the first and second shifts at NUMMI attend at least part of the event.The plant employs 4,700 union workers.Toyota officials have yet to reveal their plans for NUMMI. Officials of General Motors Corp. said earlier this summer they planned to drop out of their partnership with Toyota as part of their bankruptcy reorganization.Started in 1984, NUMMI became the first and only joint operation of American and Japanese car manufacturers.In recent years, the plant has manufactured Pontiac Vibe vehicles, along with Toyota Corolla cars and Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks.Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal

[lovemyraffe]

I would be there if it was a bit closer.

[scherry2]

I will be there in spirit. we at local 2209 are praying for ya.

[ned23]

I'm hoping a new electric car start-up buys the plant someday.

[IMakeVibes]

Quote, originally posted by ned23 »I'm hoping a new electric car start-up buys the plant someday. As in Tesla? They're not interested. They don't need nearly that much space. They currently need about 500,000 sq ft for their new vhicle, we have over 5 million sq ft.

[vibolista]

If Tesla had any kind of vision, and started to produce good looking, practical, and realistically priced cars for the masses, they would be able to use up that 500,000 sq. feet right away, and maybe even more.Everyone hopes that NUMMI continues at full production.

[MSAGRO]

Tesla makes 2 out of 3 of those: Good looking, efficient. But not reasonably priced:

[vibolista]

They could do so much more.

[IMakeVibes]

So this seemed to go well yesterday. Lots of local and state politicians on hand. A lot of media to cover it and police shut down part of the busy road that separates the union hall and plant. Whether this draws the attention of whoever they are attempting to get to notice it, I have no idea. I almost think it could backfire though and have the opposite effect of what they are attempting. It was all sponsored by the UAW, paid for with our dues of course. It wasn't just for union members. They invited management, contractors, suppliers, the public, and a lot of these people did show up. But everything has the UAW name on it, its sponsored by them, backed by them, on the union hall property. And most know Toyota doesn't want a unionized plant in the US. Anyway, I'm not going to start that debate on here. http://www.bizjournals.com/sac...tableFriday, August 21, 2009, 1:05pm PDTWorkers, pols rally at Calif. Toyota plantSacramento Business Journal - by David Goll Silicon Valley/San Jose Business JournalA parade of labor, business and political leaders told hundreds of auto workers under a hot sun Thursday afternoon in Fremont that they will promote legislation on the state level that will result in an offer Toyota Motor Corp. can’t afford to refuse.Several bills are being pushed in the California Legislature would give a sales-tax break to Toyota on new equipment, a reduction in energy costs and establish a policy among state government agencies to give purchase preference to vehicles built at the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. plant.Officials of the Japanese auto manufacturing behemoth are considering closing the 25-year-old NUMMI plant after its partner there, General Motors Corp., announced earlier this summer it’s pulling out. With the last Pontiac Vibe from GM having been built at the plant this week, NUMMI still produces the Toyota Corolla cars and Tacoma trucks.A Japanese newspaper said Toyota will close the plant in March but NUMMI officials distributed flyers this week to employees saying no final decisions have been made.On Thursday, a raucous, vocal crowd of NUMMI workers wearing special T-shirts and carrying placards with such messages as “Vehicles Sold Here Should Be Built Here” filled the parking lot at the United Auto Workers local 2244 office across Fremont Boulevard from the NUMMI plant. California is one of Toyota’s largest markets, including the biggest one for its hybrid Prius vehicle.“We are sending a message today that California will keep this plant,” John Garamendi, the state’s lieutenant governor, thundered into the microphone to the loud approval of the crowd. “We are sending a message to Toyota, to Sacramento and to Washington, D.C., that NUMMI workers want to stay working on these production lines. The hardest workers in the world are in California.”In a far softer voice, Fremont Mayor Bob Wasserman offered his support for NUMMI.“I can’t give you good news myself, that will have to come from across the Pacific,” Wasserman said. “Fremont has had a long relationship with NUMMI, which produces the best cars in the world. People from the city, county, state and federal government are putting together an incentive package that will be very attractive to Toyota.”Even San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed showed up in full voice for the rally.“This is an issue that goes beyond Fremont,” Reed told the crowd. “This is the most productive automobile plant in the world and its future affects everyone throughout Silicon Valley.”

[bikeman1]

To I Make Vibes:I find this thread extremely powerful. Enthusiast boards are populated by people who are (by definition) extremely enthusiastic about the cars they own. The cars we own and drive are the cars you built. Our bond is worth appreciating.Our family has owned 3 vibes -- still have two of them. The only reason we sold Alpha Vibe (with profound misgivings!!!) and bought the third was that we wanted to extend the lineage as long as we could. And we couldn't maintain 3 cars (we certainly talked about it).As soon as we identified our relationship with the Vibe, we said, many times, "the people who built this car really knew what they were doing!". It still stuns us that GM has cast the model aside. Or that our dealer's service manager would say things like "its really just a Toyota" (meant in a non-complimentary tone).We bought three of these cars because they were made in America and because they were beautiful as well as practical machines!I keep on hoping that we'll all wake up from this like a bad dream and find out that NUMMI will not only be recognized for what it accomplished and but used as a model for economic collaboration. The best thing about the Vibe (and there were lots) was that it was MADE IN AMERICA!Bully to your lieutenant governor and to the kids and people who have come out. You have friends. Hang tough. If there is anything we can do, tell us.ANYONE ELSE FEEL THIS WAY??

[Houston]

Quote, originally posted by bikeman1 »To I Make Vibes:I find this thread extremely powerful. Enthusiast boards are populated by people who are (by definition) extremely enthusiastic about the cars they own. The cars we own and drive are the cars you built. Our bond is worth appreciating.Our family has owned 3 vibes -- still have two of them. The only reason we sold Alpha Vibe (with profound misgivings!!!) and bought the third was that we wanted to extend the lineage as long as we could. And we couldn't maintain 3 cars (we certainly talked about it).As soon as we identified our relationship with the Vibe, we said, many times, "the people who built this car really knew what they were doing!". It still stuns us that GM has cast the model aside. Or that our dealer's service manager would say things like "its really just a Toyota" (meant in a non-complimentary tone).We bought three of these cars because they were made in America and because they were beautiful as well as practical machines!I keep on hoping that we'll all wake up from this like a bad dream and find out that NUMMI will not only be recognized for what it accomplished and but used as a model for economic collaboration. The best thing about the Vibe (and there were lots) was that it was MADE IN AMERICA!Bully to your lieutenant governor and to the kids and people who have come out. You have friends. Hang tough. If there is anything we can do, tell us.ANYONE ELSE FEEL THIS WAY??I certainly do.

[stans39]

I hope every thing works out well for these hard working Americans. Everyone knows we have too few manufacturing jobs in this country. We can't afford to lose any more. Too bad GM stopped making the vibe, a great lttle vehicle. Good luck to all the workers.

[Banjovibe]

I join the chorus of supporters. I know Toyota will have to seriously consider keeping the plant open. GM should reconsider it's decision to quit on the Vibe. I'm a new owner of my 1st one. Everyone I show mine to loves the car. Most had never heard of it. Why GM didn't promote this car is beyond me. Maybe things would have turned out differently with some meaningful marketing support.