GM Hummer Deal Fails, Shreveport workers react

General Motors’ attempt to sell its Hummer brand to a Chinese "heavy equipment maker" fell through. GM and the Chinese company, ended talks today after it failed to get final approval from the Chinese government.


Nbc 6 reporter Karen Hopkins joins us live with how this will affect hundreds of workers in Shreveport.

Shreveport's United Auto Workers president Doug Ebey says a number of GM workers could get laid off in the coming weeks, but not due to the Hummer deal falling through.

Instead, because demand for Shreveport’s other brands, the GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado is down. Shreveport already stopped making Hummer in January.
About 970 people work at our plant.

GM told Nbc 6 its figuring out on a plan for workforce reduction. Ebey says he’s not sure how many people could lose their jobs or even when. "We've been trying to put pressure on GM and Detroit to tell us something, give us something definite to tell our people because people's lives are at stake here," Ebey says.

“We're somber anytime a place closes your heart goes out to family friends,” GM worker Jo Gates says.

Ebey says Shreveport workers can apply to transfer to other GM plants that are increasing production.

GM says it has no plans to bring a new brand to Shreveport. The company told Nbc 6 Shreveport’s plant is scheduled to close no later than June 2012.