Final days of Norwood production

[Warren Seale]

I found this video showing the happenings at the Norwood factory the day before it closed down in August of 87.  It was recorded by one of the employees.  It's a very informal amateur recording that is not of the best quality.  But, if you can tolerate the crappy quality, it does show the human side of car production.  It focuses on the workers everday life at the factory. 

One highlight of the video is at the 46:00 time stamp.  It's one of those WTF moments on the line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFYyPwYLkPY

[kentucky yeti]

That was interesting to watch.  The end of an era, for sure.

[langss]

Thanks for that. Interesting to say the least. I have a Relative that worked at Van Nuys. I don't know how GM took care of the workers at Norwood, but they must have learned the lessons because the guy was way to young to be retiring, and he got enough money to not have to go out and get another job.

[N PRGRES]

Sadly they made their own demise.  My father worked at a GM plant and most the people were lazy and could care less about quality or following any rules.  Foremen used to actually condemn my father who is a worker.  GM at this time built garbage.  Keep in mind I am not praising GM for shipping the jobs overseas or other corporate BS by any means, but it's not like they produced a high quality product

[Warren Seale]

Thanks for that. Interesting to say the least. I have a Relative that worked at Van Nuys. I don't know how GM took care of the workers at Norwood, but they must have learned the lessons because the guy was way to young to be retiring, and he got enough money to not have to go out and get another job.

According to the news clip at the end of the video, the workers got 90% of their pay for 1 year after the closing.

[FormTA]

A company I worked for for 25 years went out of business. It is very emotional in ways tough to convey to someone that hasn't happened to. I totally could feel some of their pain, anxiety and frustration through that video

[N PRGRES]

A company I worked for for 25 years went out of business. It is very emotional in ways tough to convey to someone that hasn't happened to. I totally could feel some of their pain, anxiety and frustration through that video

Sadly I have had to close 3 plants back in 2008-2010, its not easy.

[langss]

Sadly they made their own demise.  My father worked at a GM plant and most the people were lazy and could care less about quality or following any rules.  Foremen used to actually condemn my father who is a worker.  GM at this time built garbage.  Keep in mind I am not praising GM for shipping the jobs overseas or other corporate BS by any means, but it's not like they produced a high quality product

Its funny that you say that, because it is Oh So True. I have an 84 Z-28. I call it The Damage Magnet. It must have been a Monday or a Friday car because is a real piece of work If the Lemon Law had been a thing it would be gone. But I really like the car so its still with me. By contrast, in 91 I bought my wife a used 86 Trans Am. This car was definitely a Wednesday car. When it was crashed it had over 240,000 miles on it. It was my daily driver. The Transmission went 135,000 before it started to leak and other than Fuel Injectors and a Maf, it ran like a Swiss watch. The 92 Camaro I replaced it with is almost that good, but previous owners tampered with it a lot so the Jury Is Still Out on that. But overall the workmanship on all three is nothing to write home about, so I'm sure it is really true that it mattered a lot what day of the week the car was produced.   

[5th T/A]

Enjoyable video, thanks for sharing this glimpse back into a different time. Yeah, build quality in the 70’s and 80’s was poor. Probably as much by design and cost constraints  as assembly line workers. In a way we can thank Toyota, Honda and Datsun for raising the bar.

[Warren Seale]

Sadly they made their own demise.  My father worked at a GM plant and most the people were lazy and could care less about quality or following any rules.  Foremen used to actually condemn my father who is a worker.  GM at this time built garbage.  Keep in mind I am not praising GM for shipping the jobs overseas or other corporate BS by any means, but it's not like they produced a high quality product

Its funny that you say that, because it is Oh So True. I have an 84 Z-28. I call it The Damage Magnet. It must have been a Monday or a Friday car because is a real piece of work If the Lemon Law had been a thing it would be gone. But I really like the car so its still with me. By contrast, in 91 I bought my wife a used 86 Trans Am. This car was definitely a Wednesday car. When it was crashed it had over 240,000 miles on it. It was my daily driver. The Transmission went 135,000 before it started to leak and other than Fuel Injectors and a Maf, it ran like a Swiss watch. The 92 Camaro I replaced it with is almost that good, but previous owners tampered with it a lot so the Jury Is Still Out on that. But overall the workmanship on all three is nothing to write home about, so I'm sure it is really true that it mattered a lot what day of the week the car was produced.   

Maybe the day of the week had nothing to do with the quality.  Both the 91 and 92 were Canadian built ???!!!

[N PRGRES]

Enjoyable video, thanks for sharing this glimpse back into a different time. Yeah, build quality in the 70’s and 80’s was poor. Probably as much by design and cost constraints  as assembly line workers. In a way we can thank Toyota, Honda and Datsun for raising the bar.

Ironically the cars were generally reliable, even the POS 1980 chevette we had never broke.  The finish was horrible and after 8 years the seat rusted through the floor.

[scarebird]

Maybe the day of the week had nothing to do with the quality.  Both the 91 and 92 were Canadian built ???!!!

F bodys were assembled those years in Van Nuys, California.  The 4th Gens were assembled in Ste. Therese, QC.

[tajoe]

The demise of American cars had more to do with the union, and politics. The unions over-inflated workers salaries, and allowed them to sit on their dupas W/O producing. And with government mandates, and restrictions, it's no wonder the imports flourished. We now have a chance to reverse this....if even allowed to happen. Time will tell.

[N PRGRES]

The demise of American cars had more to do with the union, and politics. The unions over-inflated workers salaries, and allowed them to sit on their dupas W/O producing. And with government mandates, and restrictions, it's no wonder the imports flourished. We now have a chance to reverse this....if even allowed to happen. Time will tell.

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[scarebird]

The demise of American cars had more to do with the union, and politics...

ah, the tired old blame the unions nonsense.   

When you speed up the line, quality suffers - especially with hard, repetitive work in a noisy, dangerous enviroment.

The C suites made a complete stuff-up of offering small cars.  They had excellent options in Europe to sell here, but rarely did ie. Mk II Escort.  Upper management made the choice to keep offering larger and larger cars until the oil embargo in 1973 threw that business model into a tailspin.

Corporate arrogance and ego caused this.

[N PRGRES]

The demise of American cars had more to do with the union, and politics...

ah, the tired old blame the unions nonsense.   

When you speed up the line, quality suffers - especially with hard, repetitive work in a noisy, dangerous enviroment.

The C suites made a complete stuff-up of offering small cars.  They had excellent options in Europe to sell here, but rarely did ie. Mk II Escort.  Upper management made the choice to keep offering larger and larger cars until the oil embargo in 1973 threw that business model into a tailspin.

Corporate arrogance and ego caused this.

Having worked in union and non union shops, there is plenty of blame in all cases. I have had awesome union workers and bad non union, however the UAW workers were by far the worst most entitled lazy workers I have ever seen. The workers actually ever harassed my father because he actually worked. I think there is a place for unions, in fact I am suggesting to my neighbor to start a union in his shop because his management is so bad, but they also can be just as bad as the “C Suite” that they love to blame so much. Look up “New Departure” plant in Sandusky OH, it was the union there being so bad, it actually resulted in the plant being shut down.

[scarebird]

...I have had awesome union workers and bad non union, however the UAW workers were by far the worst most entitled lazy workers I have ever seen...

IAM says hold my picket sign.

I have worked union and not:  fair wages? health care? pension? vacation pay?

Think nothing of the kind if not union.

[N PRGRES]

...I have had awesome union workers and bad non union, however the UAW workers were by far the worst most entitled lazy workers I have ever seen...

IAM says hold my picket sign.

I have worked union and not:  fair wages? health care? pension? vacation pay?

Think nothing of the kind if not union.

I never said the union hasn't made contributions to better work life, and I am not going to argue about it online.  I can only share my experiences.

[scarebird]

I never said the union hasn't made contributions to better work life, and I am not going to argue about it online.  I can only share my experiences.

I am glad to hear that.  There are a few people in my orbit who won't admit this.  But given where they get their "info" this is not surprising at all.