LANSING, Mich. — The General Motors Lansing Delta Township assembly plant canceled Wednesday’s second shift and today’s first shift due to a parts shortage caused by the Canadian truck driver protest that is blocking Detroit’s Ambassador Bridge.
“We have 11 assembly plants, but we have hundreds of suppliers…. It impacts the communities because it's already shut down production and that will probably grow unless there's some solution or remedy to this problem,” said Glen Stevens, the executive director of MICHauto.
GM Spokesperson Dan Flores said they are working closely with suppliers "to mitigate issues that arise related to the border situation.” He confirmed that the plant canceled the shifts because of a parts shortage.
The protest is over COVID vaccine and quarantine mandates in Canada and it is blocking the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit. Truckers now need to cross the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, which causes major delays.
“These border crossings, if they're not open, and trucks are not moving freely, we're going to have more impact. As the days and hours go by,” Stevens said. “Truckers in that profession are absolutely on the front line to be able to get us things every day that we need to live.” He said, looking at the last couple of years, “we've had COVID. We've had labor shortages; we've had semiconductor problems. And when you layer on another problem where border crossings, and protests and blockades are inhibiting trade, it really compounds a situation that's already stressed.”
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki noted that the Ambassador Bridge "is Canada's busiest link to the United States and accounts for about 25 percent of trade between the two countries" and said the blockade "poses a risk to supply chains for the auto industry.”
Stevens said, there isn’t a clear resolution at this time; and that he expects more shift cancellations.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called on the Canadian government today to reopen the bridge.
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