Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
GM Announces Jobs, Electric Vehicle After Trump Criticism
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
March 22, 2019

Share

ORION TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Less than a week after a series of critical tweets from the president over an Ohio plant closure, General Motors is announcing plans to add 400 jobs and build a new electric vehicle at a factory north of Detroit.

The company says it will spend $300 million at its plant in Orion Township, Michigan, to manufacture a Chevrolet vehicle based on the battery-powered Bolt.

The company also announced plans Friday to spend about another $1.4 billion at U.S. factories with 300 more jobs but did not release a time frame or details.

GM wouldn’t say when the new workers will start or when the new vehicle will go on sale, nor would it say if the workers will be new hires or come from a pool of laid-off workers from the planned closings of four U.S. factories by January.

The company also announced plans Friday to spend about another $1.4 billion at U.S. factories with 300 more jobs but did not release a time frame or details.

The moves come after last weekend’s string of venomous tweets by President Donald Trump condemning GM for shutting its small-car factory in Lordstown, Ohio, east of Cleveland. During the weekend, Trump demanded that GM reopen the plant or sell it, criticized the local union leader and expressed frustration with CEO Mary Barra.

GM spokesman Dan Flores would not answer questions about Trump but said the investment has been in the works for weeks. Indeed, GM has said it planned to build more vehicles off the underpinnings of the Bolt, which can go an estimated 238 miles on a single electric charge. The company has promised to introduce 20 new all-electric vehicles globally by 2023.

GM Has Said It Can Place About 2,700 of the Laid-off U.S. Workers

In November, GM announced plans to shut the four U.S. factories and one in Canada. About 3,300 workers in the U.S. would lose their jobs, as well as 2,600 in Canada. Another 8,000 white-collar workers were targeted for layoff. The company said the moves are necessary to stay financially healthy as GM faces large capital expenditures to shift to electric and autonomous vehicles.

GM has said it can place about 2,700 of the laid-off U.S. workers at other factories, but it’s unclear how many will uproot and take those positions. More than 1,100 have already transferred, and others are retiring.

Plants slated for closure include Lordstown; Detroit-Hamtramck, Michigan; Warren, Michigan; White Marsh, Maryland, near Baltimore and Oshawa, Ontario near Toronto. The factories largely make cars or components for them, and cars aren’t selling well these days with a dramatic consumer shift to trucks and SUVs. With the closures, GM is canceling multiple car models due to slumping sales, including the Chevrolet Volt plug-in gas-electric hybrid.

GM has said it can place about 2,700 of the laid-off U.S. workers at other factories, but it’s unclear how many will uproot and take those positions. More than 1,100 have already transferred, and others are retiring.

The United Auto Workers has sued GM over the closings, which still must be negotiated with the union.

Trump’s latest GM tweet on Monday said GM should: “Close a plant in China or Mexico, where you invested so heavily pre-Trump,” and “Bring jobs home!”

Ohio and the area around the Lordstown plant are important to Trump’s 2020 re-election bid. The state helped push him to victory in 2016, and Trump has focused on Lordstown, seldom mentioning the other U.S. factories that GM is slated to close.

Barra has said that she sees no further layoffs or plant closures through the end of 2020.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Texas Tech Ends Oklahoma’s 4-Year Run as WCWS Champ With Walk-Off Win

DON'T MISS

Versatile Jerar Encarnación Returns to Giants After March Surgery on His Broken Left Hand

DON'T MISS

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: James William Johnson

DON'T MISS

Jose Iglesias’ Sacrifice Fly in the 10th Lifts Padres Over Giants

DON'T MISS

Mets Beat Dodgers in 10 Innings Despite Ohtani’s 23rd Homer

DON'T MISS

Dutch Government Collapses After Far-Right Leader Wilders Quits Coalition

DON'T MISS

Gaza Ministry Says Israel Kills More Than 30 Aid Seekers, Israel Denies

DON'T MISS

Nonprofit Ship Sets Sail for Gaza After Drone Attack Setback

DON'T MISS

Wall Street Opens Mixed as Investors Await Trade Negotiations

DON'T MISS

Harvey Weinstein’s Sexual Assault Trial to Conclude With Closing Arguments

UP NEXT

Ex-State Department Official: Israeli Military Gets Preferential Treatment on Abuses

UP NEXT

Sacramento Prosecutor Sues California’s Capital City Over Failure to Clean Up Homeless Encampments

UP NEXT

Sacramento Prosecutor Sues California’s Capital City Over Failure to Clean Up Homeless Encampments

UP NEXT

Trump Arrives in Florida for History-Making Court Appearance in Secret Docs Case

UP NEXT

Trump Arrives in Florida for History-Making Court Appearance in Secret Docs Case

UP NEXT

Pence Testifies Before Election Probe Grand Jury

UP NEXT

House Republicans Pass US Debt Bill, Push Biden on Spending

UP NEXT

Mike Pence Wants Swift Execution of Mass Shooters to Combat Gun Violence

UP NEXT

As Defense Chief, Carter Opened Combat Jobs to Women, Ended Transgender Ban

UP NEXT

Israeli Forces Raid Gunmen’s Hideout in West Bank; 5 Palestinians Killed

Jose Iglesias’ Sacrifice Fly in the 10th Lifts Padres Over Giants

20 minutes ago

Mets Beat Dodgers in 10 Innings Despite Ohtani’s 23rd Homer

25 minutes ago

Dutch Government Collapses After Far-Right Leader Wilders Quits Coalition

34 minutes ago

Gaza Ministry Says Israel Kills More Than 30 Aid Seekers, Israel Denies

49 minutes ago

Nonprofit Ship Sets Sail for Gaza After Drone Attack Setback

1 hour ago

Wall Street Opens Mixed as Investors Await Trade Negotiations

1 hour ago

Harvey Weinstein’s Sexual Assault Trial to Conclude With Closing Arguments

1 hour ago

Israel Blocks Ramallah Meeting With Arab Ministers, Israeli Official Says

1 hour ago

‘King of the Hill’ Voice Actor Jonathan Joss Fatally Shot Outside His Texas Home

16 hours ago

Fresno County Crews Battle Active Wildfire in Yokuts Valley, Evacuation Warning Issued

16 hours ago

Texas Tech Ends Oklahoma’s 4-Year Run as WCWS Champ With Walk-Off Win

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma’s run of four straight Women’s College World Series titles ended when Lauren Allred’s walk-off sa...

12 seconds ago

12 seconds ago

Texas Tech Ends Oklahoma’s 4-Year Run as WCWS Champ With Walk-Off Win

9 minutes ago

Versatile Jerar Encarnación Returns to Giants After March Surgery on His Broken Left Hand

James William Johnson is Valley Crime Stoppers' Most Wanted Person of the Day for June 3, 2025. (Valley Crimes Stoppers)
9 minutes ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: James William Johnson

20 minutes ago

Jose Iglesias’ Sacrifice Fly in the 10th Lifts Padres Over Giants

25 minutes ago

Mets Beat Dodgers in 10 Innings Despite Ohtani’s 23rd Homer

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders speaks to the media following his decision to leave the governing coalition, in The Hague, Netherlands, June 3, 2025. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
34 minutes ago

Dutch Government Collapses After Far-Right Leader Wilders Quits Coalition

Palestinians inspect the damage at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, in Gaza City, June 1, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
49 minutes ago

Gaza Ministry Says Israel Kills More Than 30 Aid Seekers, Israel Denies

Photo of climate activist Greta Thunberg
1 hour ago

Nonprofit Ship Sets Sail for Gaza After Drone Attack Setback

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend