Mitsubishi struggling to sell doomed plant due to union workers

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/10/03/mitsubishi-struggling-to-sell-doomed-plant-due-to-union-workers/

Chris Bruce

Mitsubishi is about to end vehicle production in the US, but the company is having serious problems finding a buyer for its Normal, IL, factory that currently assembles the Outlander Sport. A major sticking point, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, is the plant's workforce of over 900 United Auto Workers members. The automaker has been trying to find another company to take over the site for months and has set November as the point to stop manufacturing there.

The Normal, IL, factory is unique because it's the only plant in the country that's run by a Japanese automaker with a UAW-represented workforce, after starting as a joint venture with Chrysler. That makes Ford, General Motors, and FCA the preferred buyers because they could conceivably take over the union contract. However, the Blue Oval and the General likely aren't interested. According to plant officials speaking to The Wall Street Journal, FCA and some ​unnamed car companies are potential buyers, but there's absolutely nothing final, yet. Proponents argue that buying the location is cheaper than building a new one.

Making matters harder is that the UAW and Mitsubishi are currently negotiating a new union contract, and the factory's next owner might have to take over the deal, according to the WSJ. The workers were ready to vote whether to strike recently, but that was averted when an announcement on the local's webpage said a tentative agreement was expected Sunday. Of course, the Big Three have been experiencing their own, similar issues with crafting deals, too.

Related Video at link.

[olddots]

1. Wall Street blaming the union

When they should fucking blame themseves .

[kwassa]

2. so the anti-union Wall Street Journal sees the union as the problem?

I am deeply shocked.

[CBGLuthier]

3. Trouble selling the plant due to the greed of corporations.

Fuck their spin, I got my own.

[Monk06]

4. Sell it to VW and turn it into a green diesel recall center

[Travis_0004]

5. That makes no sense

There are thousands of VW dealerships close to customers. It doesnt make sense to ship cars hundreds of miles for a recall.

Plus an assembly worker is not a mechanic, and may or may not be qualified to perform the recall depending on what is involved.

[Monk06]

6. You;'re right it's non sense lol