Mexico City, Mexico — The US auto sector union, United Auto Workers (UAW), has criticized the $1 billion USD investment in Mexico that was announced last week by General Motors. The American union says the announcement is “a slap in the face” for workers and US taxpayers.
In a statement, UAW Vice President Terry Dittes said “at a time when General Motors is requesting a significant investment from the United States government in subsidies for electric vehicles, this is a slap in the face not just for UAW affiliates and their families, but also for American taxpayers and workers.”
GM said Thursday it will invest more than $ 1 billion in its Mexican facilities in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila to boost the production of electric vehicles.
According to GM, the investment “will allow the inauguration of a new paint plant with innovative technology that will start operations in June 2021” and will also include expansion in the assembly plants and global propulsion systems, which will turn the Ramos Arizpe complex into the GM North America’s fifth electric vehicle production center.
In his statement, Dittes considered that General Motors cars sold in the United States should be made by workers from that country and not from Mexico.
“Taxpayer money should not go to companies that use labor outside the United States while benefiting from subsidies from the US government,” argued the unionist.
“This is not the United States that we endorse. It is really inappropriate,” he added.
Democratic congresswoman Debbie Dingell, one of the Michigan representatives, also criticized GM’s decision to invest $1 billion in Mexico to produce electric vehicles destined for the United States.
“No US dollar should support our jobs being transferred to Mexico, especially when we have the workers and technology to locally produce the best vehicles of the future. GM needs to reaffirm its commitment to working American families,” the congresswoman said.
General Motors is accelerating its transformation to produce new electric models more quickly. The company has committed to launching by 2025.
