We are now T-Minus one day before the contract between the United Auto Workers and the Big Three automakers comes to an end, and by now most of us watching these negotiations have come to the conclusion that workers will be picketing outside of the factories come Friday morning.
One of the questions we’ve been hearing is that if completed C8 Corvettes will be shipped from the Corvette assembly plant to dealers even with the strike underway. Unfortunately, that doesn’t appear likely to happen. It’s our understanding that Jack Cooper Transport, which is a Teamster Union shop, will not be crossing the UAW picket lines at any of the Big Three automakers it ships vehicles for.
Another issue facing Corvette owners will be the availability of replacement parts. Depending how long the strike lasts, Corvette dealerships may also run into a real problem of getting parts for repairs. We have heard that the Big Three automakers are prepared to have salaried employees switch to parts warehouse fulfillment jobs if the strike gets underway, but even without a strike there are just some parts for the Corvette that take a while to come in. Things like windshields, transmissions and other “must-repair” issues could be held up for quite some time, and Corvettes brought to dealerships for warranty work may require replacement parts that may be hard if not impossible to source. So unless your Corvette is dead in the water, you might want to wait before taking your car in for repairs.
Already there is a backlog of nearly completed Corvettes being held at that Corvette Assembly Plant. Friends of CorvetteBlogger recently captured these photos with a drone and we were surprised to see a number of cars being parked without transit covers at the very end of the large lot behind the plant, while several hundred Corvettes appear to be haphazardly parked in temporary holding lot:
On Tuesday I received an email from a Corvette Z06 buyer who told me his Corvette had been completed exactly five weeks ago but was still waiting for a part before it would be shipped. We have heard that there are some undisclosed parts shortages outside the usual constraints, and that many cars are waiting at the plant to be retrofitted with these parts once they arrive. This will also come to a halt during the strike.
And finally, any Corvettes that are headed over to the NCM for an R8C delivery will also stay at the assembly plant because they are shipped across the street using Jack Cooper transporters. These R8C Corvettes will be uncovered as well because they don’t utilize the transit covers while shipping the cars to the National Corvette Museum.
A report on the strike we saw suggested that GM would lose somewhere around $2.5 billion for each week the strike lasts, and the UAW can go about 11 weeks before depleting its $825 million strike fund. Let’s hope the two sides can find some common ground in the next 36 hours and get a deal done.
Related:
[VIDEO] New Drone Video Shows Tornado-Damaged Corvettes Waiting for the Crusher
[GALLERY] Flyover Gives Us a Different Perspective of the Corvette Assembly Plant
Corvette Assembly Plant’s Local UAW Votes Yes for Strike Authorization
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I am sadden about this in many ways. Yes do the auto workers deserve a raise, yes they do.GM made a very good offer in my opinion. Please know I am not bias and did take numerous college classes focusing on union and the rise of unions. They diffently served there purpose. Are they still needed, yes and no. More no. It cost our country a great deal to have them and yet there are some good things they do and don’t do. To ask for 46 percent raise and profit sharing is risiculas! Do they own the equipment the buildings and so on – NO. this will cripple our country as it will be passed down to consumers. Which the majority already have hard time living let alone buying car. Note what this will do to the suppliers of parts and there families. The ripple effect of everyone wanting that kind of money! It will price everyone out of purchasing a house car ect because everyone will be inflamed. Just another form of inflation. It’s also sad that some people that have a dream car whether that’s a corvette or suv they may not get it because of greed of the union. Yes they, made huge profits.,I see that changing and if the unions even got close to what they want we all will be buying Japanese and European cars. Good luck!
Based on the above commenter’s poor grammar and spelling it’s hard to believe he could even get into college. If this strike occurs and drags on it’s going to suck for all of Corvette Nation.
The UAW has stated the strike will not impact all plants, so I believe the author is incorrect in assuming any strike will result in union picketers at Bowling Green. I guess we will find out soon.
Will make quality Japanese cars more expensive as demand shifts.
If there is not a picket line at Bowling Green plant then everything should operate as normal. Not every manufacturer plant/location will be picketed
My C8 has been produced, VIN assigned, Priority 1 Current event code 3800 for over 5 weeks. Dealer hands tied, called Corvette concierge no help or new information. Jack Cooper is a poorly run Teamster company that keeps rising from the ashes and just recently purchased a rival carrier , if in fact there is a targeted strike not all plants will be shut down. So if the plant isn’t picketed that must mean workers will be on the line and cars will be hauled.
Nope. If there’s a UAW strike no UAW member will go to work. You’ll see tomorrow.
Our country has major problems from the top down and the union wants to cripple the auto industry? I’ve always hated the way unions tell companies how to run their business and what to pay the help. When’s payday and where’s the break room is all the average union worker cares about. I hope somehow these union cry-babies end up shooting themselves in the foot.
More GM bullshit. Then I see an ad on tv talking about what great place GM is to work for. Really??
Cars are shipping, assembly lines are moving… for now
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