The end if the line

[lugnuts]

interesting read about the how the NUMMI plant began and the problems with quality at GM plants and the struggle to improve plants for better quality.

The End Of The Line For GM-Toyota Joint Venture : NPR

[MOPARado]

Good article, thanks for posting the link!
Having worked briefly on an auto assembly line out of HS decades ago, i can personally vouch for those problems GM had at their Fremont Plant.

The line never, ever stopped except at quitting time. There were rare occassions when the assembly line transport mechanics broke down.
Sabbatage-yep,
high, drunk or hungover workers tolerated-yep,
high absenteeism-yep (especially on Mondays),
monotany-yep,
worker pride in their job-nope,
adversarial relationship between workers and management-yep and..
if defects couldn't be resolved on the spot 'someone would fix it later' was the philosophy.

[lugnuts]

it was definitely an eye opener reading it. it definitely explained a lot of what I have always thought but never heard it from those who worked at the plants...

[swarga]

The worst Toyota I ever owned was built in the NUMMI plant. It seems those UAW workers can bring down even the best companies. Toyota was smart to kick them to the curb.

How bad was it? Rick Madrid built Chevy trucks at the plant. "There was a lot of booze on the line," he said. "And as long you did your job they really didn't care."

Madrid said he drank when he was mounting tires. "I'd bring a thermos of screwdrivers with me."

And it wasn't just drinking and drugs, Madrid said. People would have sex at the plant, too. If you're wondering how people kept their jobs, here's why: Under the union contract workers practically had to commit fraud to get fired.