However, the main line at Navistar’s Springfield plant also produces non GM medium-duty commercial trucks. That line started building those trucks again on Monday, said Chris Blizard, president of UAW Local 402. His union represents assembly production workers at Navistar’s Springfield plant.
The plant’s line two, which makes cutaway vans for GM will remain down until the United Auto Workers union and officials at GM reach an agreement. The strike that involves a little under 50,000 people at GM facilities across the country has led to a shortage in parts for some companies that build GM vehicles.
Blizard said he was surprised how quickly the strike had affected production at Navistar’s Springfield plant. All the workers he represents are Navistar employees and are not participating in the strike called by the chapters of the UAW that represent GM workers.
The decision by Navistar to shut down production at its Springfield plant for two weeks impacted approximately 1,400 workers. Blizard said around two-thirds of those workers returned to work on Monday.
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