Freightliner moving truck production to Mexico, raising fears of more layoffs

[Craftsman]

Hundreds of people have been laid off from Daimler Trucks North America’s Components and Logistics plant in Gastonia and its Freightliner Truck Manufacturing Plant in Mount Holly since 2007, as demand for its vehicles fell to lows not seen for decades.

As of mid-November, about 627 people were working at the Gastonia plant compared to 1,126 in March 2007. In Mount Holly, 128 workers remain from a work force of 1,499 in March 2007, according to officials with the United Auto Workers.

Daimler Trucks North America estimates that 54 percent of its truck production will take place in Mexico by 2011, up from 30 percent last year, according to a company newsletter e-mailed to The Gaston Gazette.

The newsletter dated October 2009 highlights the company’s Continuous Cost Improvement or “CCI” program. Given the expected shift in DTNA’s production footprint, the CCI Mexico Sourcing Team is tasked with relocating or developing suppliers near plants in Saltillo and Santiago, Mexico, the newsletter states. The overall goal is to reduce the cost of materials and logistics by $2,000 per truck.

http://www.gastongazette.com/news/people-40987-laid-america.htmlc

[Craftsman]

1. More jobs lost to NAFTA

But the dems in congress and the President will do nothing for American working families.

[Union Yes]

2. More union jobs gone..

Cryin shame what NAFTA has done to America.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7214185&mesg_id=7214185

knr

[Craftsman]

3. And a Dem controlled congress will not touch it.

I come from a olld line blue coll?ar union family and this is a hot button issue with me. If the dems aren't going to look out for the working families why should we vote for them

[corpseratemedia]

4. now when I hear a pol use the world "global" when referring in a positive sense to the economy

i cringe because it translates for me = nafta stays, american jobs must continue to be eliminated, american lives need to be destroyed




and i wonder what our REAL unemployment stats are thanks to nafta

[endless october]

5. it's time for a serious movement against outsourcing.

America can't thrive if we don't produce things here.

http://workrags.com/images/Buy%20usa%20union.bmp