California’s last remaining auto plant
For UAW Local 2244 member Leticia Quesada, having a union job is everything. “Some people think wed be fine without a union,” said Quesada, seen standing in the union hall across the street from the New United Motors Manufacturing Inc. plant in Fremont. “They never worked in a plant without one.” (Dave Getzschman / For The Times)
Members of UAW Local 2244 have made signs they plan on using in a rally to pressure Toyota to keep the factory open. It’s widely believed that the Japanese automaker will close the plant, called Nummi for short. (Dave Getzschman / For The Times)
Leticia Quesada has been down this road before -- she worked at the plant when it was solely operated by GM in the early 1980s and closed in 1982. “There was a lot of divorce, people losing houses, even a couple of suicides, she recalled. Its very scary when youve had that security blanket for so long to have it pulled from you. (Dave Getzschman / For The Times)
At a recent meeting, UAW Local 2244 President Sergio Santos reminded his 3,600 union members that their current contract would soon expire and that he was doing all he could to hammer out a new one. “Nothing has been decided yet,” he said, urging everyone to write to their representatives in Washington and Sacramento on behalf of the factory. “We need all the help we can get.” (Dave Getzschman / For The Times)
With the auto industry struggling through its worst year in three decades, analysts believe the Fremont factory -- California’s last remaining auto factory -- will be closed. That would deal a devastating blow to the 3,600 union workers that work at Nummi. (Dave Getzschman / For The Times)
