I've always been for this.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Engine plant gives preferred parking to drivers of UAW-built vehicles
By Matt Glynn
NEWS BUSINESS REPORTER
If you park at General Motors’ Town of Tonawanda engine plant in something other than a GM, Ford or Chrysler vehicle, you will have a longer walk to the main entrance.
The GM plant’s leadership, at the suggestion of United Auto Workers Local 774, agreed to implement the parking restrictions in August. The rules have been enforced more vigorously lately, said Nina Price, a spokeswoman for the plant.
Orange signs on the property notify drivers of the rules. Vehicles that don’t meet the criteria are directed to a designated area farther from the front door.
The policy applies to vehicles driven by visitors and employees alike. Drivers are warned if their vehicles are found improperly parked, they will be towed at their expense.
GM does not have a companywide parking policy for its plants. The GM Components Holdings plant in Lockport, which GM recently reacquired from Delphi, does not have such restrictions, said Kimberly Carpenter, a spokeswoman for the site.
But a number of other GM plants around the country are using parking restrictions similar to those at GM’s Tonawanda plant, said Steve Finch, the plant’s manager. The plant and union leaders saw it as a way to promote GM vehicles, some of which are supplied with engines from the River Road site.
“Some plants have been doing it for years,” Finch said. “It’s an individual facility issue.”
The Tonawanda site at first considered giving preferential treatment just to GM vehicles. But the final version of the rules exempted Ford and Chrysler from the restrictions since UAW members build those vehicles, as well.
Finch said some workers affected by the rules were at first rankled by the change, but he says it has not been a big issue.
“There were a few employees who initially had some concerns because of the longer walk to work,” he said.
As for visitors to the plant who are affected, Finch said: “I think pretty much everybody’s understanding of what we’re doing.”
Parking restrictions for foreign nameplates are commonplace at UAW halls, as a sign of solidarity for products made by the union’s members.
Ford Motor Co.’s stamping plant in Hamburg also has parking restrictions that apply to vehicles driven by employees and visitors. The plant reserves the majority of its parking spots for GM, Ford and Chrysler vehicles, said Marcey Evans, a spokeswoman. Drivers of other makes are directed to a portion of a company parking lot designated for their use.
“That policy actually is in place in most of our other manufacturing facilities around the country as well,” Evans said.
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