Comments on: Protest outside Toyota dealership on Shattuck Ave

By: Mother Muckraker

Mother Muckraker — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:29:14 +0000

GM has nothing to do with Toyota closing the plant. When the Vibe was produced at NUMMI, it only accounted for 10-15% of production. The Vibe is just a Toyota Matrix rebadged as a GM car. Now, with GM out, it’s all Toyotas and NUMMI is working overtime making Corollas and Tacomas to meet demand.

The NUMMI Blue Ribbon Commission report proves the 4 main reasons given by Toyota for closing NUMMI as false:
http://treasurer.ca.gov/nummi/report.pdf

The real reason for the closing of NUMMI is that Toyota wants to shut down their only union plant. That way, they won’t have to peg their wages at their other plants to NUMMI. With NUMMI’s UAW represented workforce out of the way, Toyota will be free to lower wages at their other plants.

By: rachael

rachael — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:59:43 +0000

i empathize with anyone who’s lost their job, but as a full-time cyclist i could care less about toyota or any auto manufacturer. they’ve done this country more harm than good and i’m glad to see them go.

i cycle past these protesters daily and ignore them. again, on a human level i do care about those who lost their income.

By: fakeis

fakeis — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:55:38 +0000

Whoa, GM pulled out of NUMMI first. NUMMI’s whole point was to have GM and UAW learn how to make cars efficiently in the Toyota Way. What need does Toyota have to keep an UAW factory in CA? Did GM pay $250M to the workers for relocation? No. Toyota doesn’t do business for charity. These workers are pointing their guns at the wrong company.

No wonder Toyota is letting go of NUMMI. They would probably have kept it if the workers had a little more sense.

By: James

James — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:07:34 +0000

Toyota’s Matrix and Pontiac Vibe were recalled and manufactured at NUMMI. get the facts right Cradock, oh, and what about Toyota being able to increase productivity by 40% after Toyota took over full operations. I don’t blame Toyota for leaving a UAW controlled facility.

UAW was a good idea, now they are to greedy, they wouldn’t back down to help american companies compete. They’ve driven production to other countries, right now when need to be producing more. They had a chance, they blew it. Good going UAW.

By: Reason

Reason — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:49:31 +0000

If you’re going to protest a car company’s role in the shut-down of NUMMI, you should be standing in front of GM dealerships. It’s GM that walked away from the partnership, leaving Toyota holding the bag. Toyota walking away from the plant was inevitable after that.

Why does the article fail to even mention GM’s role in the closure?

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:53:39 +0000

The UAW is wholly responsible for the collapse of the automotive industry in this country. Let’s not forget the BILLIONS upon BILLIONS of dollars your children will be paying to overcome the greed and poor quality products produced by this union. GMs bankrupcy and pull out of NUMMI is responsible for this plant closure. GM could not wait to get out of NUMMI. Toyota would not close a plant that is profitable. You name me one company that would build products in a plant that was not turning a profit and I will show you a company who’s days are numbered. It is the only Toyota plant on the west coast and it is no longer viable. The job losses in California is something nobody wants, but it is certainly disingenuous for the UAW to throw stones.Perhaps when you pay the government back the billions given to you I will listen, until then the voice of the UAW rings hollow.

By: Hokachi

Hokachi — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:43:03 +0000

As a Toyota fans for about 20 years, I agree that recent Toyota decision isn’t fair to the people. But if you look to their point of views Toyota has already lost its reputation so even if the plant stay its just q matter of time when Toyota going to close the plant. And true some people still believe in Toyota like me but majority aren’t in favor of Toyota. And I already see that happening when people started suing and giving Toyota a hassle. So it almost like Toyota shaving in people face saying that the people started the mess and they going finish it by closing the plant and moving it back to Japan and Canada… but Toyota is not the only major corporation that has move overseas.