Teamsters, UAW To Protest Japanese Embassy Over Toyota

Jake Tapper has "danger to America" in quotes but with no link via Twitter. Funny that this item doesn't mention how much the UAW profited from a government bailout. Granted, Toyota is facing major recall problems. Is it possible that their reasoning is, they can maintain better quality control and reduce costs by building cars back in Japan, then shipping them here?

More pointedly, do Gettelfinger and Hoffa amount to government thugs the way things stand today? I thought we the people basically employ the UAW workers, now and not GM?

Teamsters general president James P. Hoffa and United Auto Workers (UAW) vice president Bob King, representing UAW president Ron Gettelfinger and UAW vice president Jimmy Settles, will lead a delegation of labor representatives, environmental advocates and consumer protection advocates in a protest outside the Embassy of Japan in Washington on January 28 at 11:15 a.m.

The delegation will also deliver a letter from Settles and Hoffa to Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. In the letter, which will be made available on January 28, the union representatives will express concern that Toyota's plan to abandon workers and communities will impact America's perception of Japan, and calls on the Japanese government to meet with them and with Toyota management.

After receiving millions in the taxpayer-funded Cash for Clunkers bailout, Toyota plans to close its New United Motors Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) assembly plant in Fremont, Calif., which will mean a loss of 5,400 direct jobs and up to 50,000 jobs at suppliers and other supporting businesses. This would be the biggest factory layoff in California since the beginning of the recession. Toyota is also endangering 5,000 middle-class jobs in the carhaul industry.

Environmental advocates at the event will express their disappointment that Toyota, a company that markets itself as a leader in emissions reduction, will greatly expand its carbon footprint by shipping vehicles once made at NUMMI back to the U.S. from Japanese plants.

Toyota's management decisions come at a time of much concern about the company, which had more recalls than any other auto maker in 2009 and has just halted production and sales of eight models until its spontaneous acceleration problem is resolved.

Comments

[John]

So basically, the UAW plans to protest against Toyota for planning to shut an assembly plant that was a joint operation until June of last year, when the heavily UAW-controlled Government Motors pulled out of their joint operating agreement with Toyota at the plant, after it had been operated by the two companies for the previous 25 years. Why doesn't the UAW just go protest itself for allowing GM to pull out of the deal in the first place?

[mojo]

Welcome to the modern world of institutionalized conflicts of interest.

And check out Ford, having the temerity to show a profit without prior authorization! Who do they think they are?

[Mark]

I'm beginning to think that the Toyota recall and suspension of production is more political than based on safety concerns.

[Gary Ogletree]

Toyota is sure to be very embarrassed. There is a fierce competition in Japan to win the annual quality award and this recall is a killer to company pride.

[Bill Johnson]

ummm, and who was it Toyota was 'united' with in creating NUMMI? Oh, yeah, General Motors. So Toyota decided to drop the entire plant (GM sold out a while ago) and the unions are moaning? I guess it was the only toyota plant with union workers.

Too damn bad. My heart bleeds purple peanut butter for them. To the accompaniment of the world's smallest violin playing 'Ain't That a Shame'.