Gm Rayong Plant Reopens After Strike

[sbk]

GMTH reopens Rayong plant

By The Nation

General Motors Thailand (GMTH) Co Ltd resumes the operation of its Rayong plant today, after reaching an agreement with the workers' union to implement various forward-looking initiatives and co-operative actions, working toward a common goal, which is to build quality cars and trucks and ensure that customers get them on time.

"I would like to thank everyone - from representatives of the Workers Union of GM (WUGM) to the management of GM Thailand (GMTH) for their tireless efforts and co-operation in working to resolve the issues. I would especially like to commend the WUGM for conducting themselves in a peaceful and orderly way throughout the process," said Steve Carlisle, president of GM Thailand/ASEAN.

GMTH and WUGM have achieved amicable solutions resulting in an agreement that is mutually beneficial with the shared objective of ensuring continued growth and sustainability of GM and the Chevrolet brand in Thailand and around the region. The agreement accords employees an opportunity to benefit directly from that success.

In the statement, the company did not reveal details of the mutually-agreed initiatives.

A company's spokesperson said both sides had agreed to meet half way after the 10-day strike.

"We are monitoring the situation very closely [for damage] and are coming up with ways to minimise losses and disruptions for our suppliers, dealers and, most importantly, our customers," the spokesperson said.

The workers stopped working on October 5 in order to push for higher salaries in the form of incentives and more freedom for the union to organise protests.

In June, the Thai unit of United States' General Motors forecast production from the plant to slump 62 per cent this year to 40,000 vehicles from 104,000 last year due to the global economic downturn. Nearly 800 workers were laid off in February.

At full capacity, the plant can manufacture 150,000 vehicles per year, but it is only targeting 50,000 vehicles this year.

-- The Nation 2009/10/14