Continental Closing Alabama Plant To Send Work To Mexico After UAW Refuses To Re-Open Contract

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/11875

By Doug Cunningham

Because UAW members wouldn’t re-open their contracts and give the company as much as $60 million a year, Continental AG is closing its Huntsville, Alabama automotive components plant. The plant will close by the end of 2010. So far the UAW isn’t commenting publicly about the plant closing. More than 1200 workers will lose their jobs. Continental is shipping the work to Mexico, where desperate workers are more easily exploited for the lowest wages and benefits.

[jody]

1. NAFTA made such things much easier and key players in both parties supported NAFTA. n/t

[jody]

2. Related DU thread "Improving economy not likely to lower jobless rate"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4045647

[Duckhunter935]

3. I thought a contract was a contract

Seemed to work for wall street

[Craftsman]

4. It is that way on Wall Street, they have the money to buy it that way.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. Keeping the plant open may not be in the contract

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. More complete coverage here

http://www.autonews.com/article/20090901/ANA02/908319987