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GM adds 1,200 jobs at Detroit-Hamtramck plant

General Motors is making a big move at its Hamtramck, MI, factory, announcing it will add a second shift and hire over 1,200 workers within the next several months. It's expected that by early 2016, the factory will employ over 2,800 workers to build the Chevrolet Volt, Impala, Malibu, Cadillac ELR, and by early next year, the new CT6. According to GM Hamtramck spokesperson Courtney Zemke, 40 of the 1,200 positions are for salaried employees, while the remainder will be hourly positions. As for where these employees will go, positions are being made available across the factory, so GM isn't focusing on any particular area for its new hires. It's a similar story behind the hiring surge itself. GM said in its press release that the "second shift is necessary to meet forecasted market demand," a position Zemke reiterated. It's a matter of demand across the plant's portfolio, rather than any one particular product seriously outstripping supply. Naturally, the United Auto Workers is happy with the move. "The workforce at Detroit-Hamtramck is second to none," UAW Local 22 Shop Chairman Don LaForest said in the attached release. "We appreciate the opportunity to expand our UAW-GM family." Hiring is going on now, with the second shift slated to get underway in early 2016. GM's Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly to Add Second Shift and More Than 1,200 Jobs Plant will nearly double its workforce by early 2016 2015-10-22 DETROIT – General Motors is nearly doubling its workforce at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly by adding a second shift and more than 1,200 hourly and salaried jobs. The addition of a second shift will increase the plant's workforce to approximately 2,800 people when hiring is completed. The second shift is necessary to meet forecasted market demand for the five cars produced at Detroit-Hamtramck. "This is the result of the award-winning vehicles Detroit-Hamtramck produces and the confidence GM has in our team to build world-class quality for our customers," said Plant Manager Gary West. Second shift hiring is underway, and the shift is scheduled to begin operations in early 2016. "The workforce at Detroit-Hamtramck is second to none," said UAW Local 22 Shop Chairman Don LaForest. "We appreciate the opportunity to expand our UAW-GM family." The 4.1 million-square-foot Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly opened in 1985. GM has invested $1 billion in the plant over the last six years, making it one of the company's most-agile manufacturing facilities in North America.

GM announces 3 new recalls affecting 1.7M vehicles in North America [w/video]

Still embroiled in the ongoing ignition switch recall, General Motors announced today three more discrete recalls, affecting a grand total of 1,546,900 vehicles in the US. The Detroit News reports that some 1.7 million vehicles are affected overall in North America. The first and largest of the trio of new recalls concerns some 1.18-million Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia crossovers from the 2008-2013 model years, Chevrolet Traverse from 2009-2013 (pictured above) and Saturn Outlook vehicles from 2008-2010. All of the crossover utilities may have an issue with the wiring harness for their seat-mounted side airbags. Apparently, the vehicles are equipped with a Service Air Bag warning light that, if ignored, "will eventually result in the non-deployment of the side impact restraints." Those restraints include the side airbags, a front-center airbag if the vehicle is so equipped and seatbelt pretensioners. Dealers of affected vehicles will be instructed to remove driver and passenger side airbag wiring harness connectors, and then "splice and solder the wires together." The second recall affects 303,000 Chevrolet Express (pictured right) and GMC Savana vans from model years 2009-2014, and with gross vehicle weights under 10,000 pounds. Said vehicles do not comply with a head impact requirement for unrestrained occupants, and will need a reworking of the instrument panel material to be sent back on the road. It doesn't sound as though there's a quick fix for this one, as the GM press release states: "Unsold vehicles have been placed on a stop delivery until development of the solution has been completed and parts are available." Finally, the third recall affects 63,900 Cadillac XTS luxury sedans from model years 2013 and 2014. A brake booster pump may be susceptible to corrosion by way of the relay, potentially causing and electrical short, overheating, melting of plastic components and even engine fires. GM says it is aware of two engine fires in unsold XTS models and two cases of melted parts. Repairs for the issues affecting the XTS have not not mentioned by GM in the release. The Detroit News is also reporting that along with news of the triple-recall, GM is taking a $300-million credit to help pay for the repair costs, and to deal with the ongoing costs associated with the ignition switch recall. In an attempt to explain just what GM has been doing in the face of these very serious issues, newly minted CEO Mary Barra has addressed the issues in a new video.

2016 Chevy Camaro coming on May 16

We officially have a date for the arrival of the sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro. Fans of Chevy's Mustang fighter should look forward to May 16, and if they're in the Detroit area, they'll want to make their way down to Belle Isle, home of the Chevy Indy Dual in Detroit. We still don't have a great deal of information on the new Camaro, aside from what's been gleaned in spy shots and the like, although Chevy's press release was accompanied by the image shown above. That, friends, looks a lot like the Camaro's badge of old. Its presence here could be an indication that an old logo is set to return to production. That's because what Chevy is planning could best be described as a jamboree, or Camaro-palooza, if you prefer, rather than a typical unveiling. Chevy is inviting up to 1,000 Camaro fans to descend on Belle Isle for a day-long event that will offer up a lot more than their first look at the sixth-generation muscle car. Fans can hot lap the Belle Isle circuit from the passenger's seat of a new Z/28, check out a Camaro "museum," featuring "the most significant vehicles from the brand's history," and chat with some of the Camaro's designers and engineers. "This will be an event Camaro fans will not want to miss," Camaro marketing manager Todd Christensen said in a statement. "This is only the sixth time we have introduced an all-new Camaro. We wanted to share the moment with the customers and fans who have helped make Camaro both America's favorite performance car for the past five years, and a cultural icon since 1967." We'll almost certainly be on hand for the debut (and you'll absolutely be able to get all the details here). And as we said, if you happen to be in the Detroit area in mid May, you can register to attend the unveiling. All you need to do is head over to Chevy's dedicated website for the sixth-generation Camaro and sign up for the big event, on Saturday, May 16. Scroll down for the full press release. 2016 Camaro Drops Cover on May 16 in Detroit DETROIT – Chevrolet is inviting fans to see the all-new 2016 Camaro on Saturday, May 16, in Detroit. The sixth-generation Camaro will cap a day-long celebration on Belle Isle, the 982-acre island park that is home to the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix May 29-31. "This will be an event Camaro fans will not want to miss," said Todd Christensen, Camaro marketing manager. "This is only the sixth time we have introduced an all-new Camaro.