GM extends operation at Detroit-Hamtramck plant until at least January 2020

DETROIT – General Motors is extending operation at its Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant until at least January 2020.

The plant on the border of Detroit and Hamtramck was scheduled to stop making vehicles as of June 1. But the company now says production of the Chevrolet Impala and Cadillac CT6 will continue into January of 2020. The company says the plant will stay open as it produces a high-performance version of the CT6 and vehicles with its "Super Cruise" advanced driver assist system.

The Detroit-Hamtramck plant, two other assembly plants and two propulsion plants were set to be idled in 2019 as part of a restructuring to cut costs and reduce underused plants, according to the automaker's announcement in November. In all, GM is shedding about 6,000 factory jobs and another 8,000 salaried positions.

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Technically, the company can't close the plants without negotiating with the United Auto Workers union, and many workers are hoping their factories can be saved in contract talks that start this summer. But GM says it has too much capacity to build cars as the U.S. market has shifted dramatically to SUVs and trucks.

Union leaders welcomed the extension for the Detroit plant and promised to fight the other closures.

Here is a state from the United Auto Workers on Friday:

"For the UAW brothers and sisters at Hamtramck, today is a sense of relief for their families and the community. The UAW welcomes today’s announcement that Hamtramck production will continue. 

For those UAW brothers and sisters at GM Warren Transmission Operations, GM Lordstown Assembly and in the GM GPS Baltimore plant in Maryland, let me reiterate that the UAW will leave no stone unturned in seeking to keep your plants open and we hope today’s news brings a measure of hope as we continue that important work.

On behalf of UAW members at Hamtramck and throughout the UAW, we want to thank the tens of thousands of people who have supported our members in these trying weeks. And we ask your continued support for workers in our three other facilities as we strive to find a solution to continued production in those locations. Again, we commend GM for today’s decision and we reiterate the importance of a collective bargaining process in times like these."