Around 15,000 jobs will be lost after the company closes down some of their Ohio factories. The decision was made so that they could focus on more modern technologies, such as electrification. GM Chief Executive Mary Barra spoke recently about their decision.
“This industry is changing very rapidly. These are things we are doing to strengthen our core business.”
The plants planned for closure include the Lordstown small-car factory near Youngstown, Ohio; the Detroit-Hamtramck complex in Detroit; and the Oshawa, Ontario, assembly complex near Toronto.
The vehicle models that will cease production include the Chevrolet Cruze, the Chevrolet Volt hybrid, the Cadillac CT6, and the Buick LaCrosse. They will also stop producing the Cruze compact in America, but it will continue in Mexico.
Products are no longer assigned to GM's Baltimore, Maryland, and Warren plants, which produce powertrain components. This has led many to fear that a closure will follow there not long after.
Being the expert on automobile management he is, President Trump spoke out about this decision, berating the company for it. He demanded that they figure out a new vehicle they can build in Ohio after Barra cut production at one of the factories there.
“I have no doubt that in the not too distant future, they’ll put something else. They better put something else in.”
Political advisers have long remarked on the significance of Ohio in elections. Ohio’s demographics, including it's rural to urban ratio, is very close to the national average. This made it a common indicator that if you win Ohio in an election, you would win in the end.
Our sympathies to those working at the aforementioned locations. This is the side effect of progress.
