Local autoworkers rallied at General Motor’s plant in Spring Hill on Monday to support a compromise on a massive energy bill that is before the Senate this week.
The issue stems from what’s known as CAFE standards, which stands for Corporate Average Fuel Economy. Under the proposed energy bill, both cars and trucks would be required to get 35 miles per gallon by 2020. The United Auto Workers Local 1853 joined GM officials at the plant Monday saying those changes cost too much money and move too fast. Instead, they want Tennessee Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker to support the amendment proposed by Michigan Democrat Carl Levin. It proposes a 36 miles per gallon standard for cars only, but extends the deadline to 2022.
Mike Herron, Chairman of the Local 1853, says two years will make a big difference at Spring Hill’s plant. He says workers are expecting to produce 300,000 plus products in the next two years – that’s a billion dollar investment from GM. If the CAFE standards pass without Levin’s amendment, Herron fears GM could shift that money elsewhere.
“It would cause GM potentially to rethink some of the capital they putting in these plants around the country. The American government doesn’t need that, the economy doesn’t need that, and certainly the American worker doesn’t need that.”
The amendment drops the standard for trucks to 30 miles per gallon by 2025.
Automakers were running advertisements protesting the change in CAFÉ standards; however, now they seem to be embracing the amendment as a workable alternative.
Nina Cardona contributed to this report.
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