ARLINGTON - The hurricane and the tropical storm are gone but the flooding they brought is still causing problems along the border. Now it's affecting us here in North Texas.
Some 22,000 semis loaded with supplies are stuck. It's because of flooding so severe, many of the roads to get here remain closed.
Included on those trucks are parts for many of the major automakers across the country.
In fact, Ohio, Missouri, Michigan, Canada, and the GM plant in Arlington have all had to stop production because they do not have the parts they need.
For workers, this is no big thing, according to the union president. They're getting some rest from working overtime.
Overtime this Saturday has been canceled.
According to their contract, if employees work less than a 40 hours a week, provisions kick in to get them up to about 85 percent of their pay. The plant has been running normally today.
Local company spokeswoman, Donna McLallen, says the intermittent shutdowns could affect dealer inventory. Demand for large GM SUVs is up, about 19 percent year to date, she said.
GM's capacity to produce these vehicles is less than it used to be, since it closed the only other plant making them.
E-mail: jdouglas@wfaa.com
GM Arlington produces about 1,000 units daily.
