By Skyler Swisher; The Daily Herald ~ Aug 22, 2010

The United Auto Workers is rallying its Spring Hill members to protest a plan by General Motors to invest nearly $500 million into a plant in Mexico.

An article appearing in this month’s chairman report proclaims “GM turns their back on American workers!” and urges autoworkers to contact elected officials about the south-of-the-border investment.

The article, written by UAW Region 8 Director Gary Casteel, references the billions of dollars in loans given to the automaker by the U.S. federal government.

“America did not invest in GM so that they could build their products in Mexico,” Casteel writes. “This is a slap in the face to all workers, citizens and Congressional members.”

Earlier this month, Grace Lieblein, chief executive of GM de Mexico, said the investment at the Ramos Arizpe factory will allow the plant to manufacture a new line of engines and a new vehicle that has not been named.

The investment is expected to create 390 jobs and save about 400 jobs at the plant, according to a report by Dow Jones Newswire. Assembly of the new vehicle is expected to begin in late 2011.

GM has invested $4.1 billion in Mexico over the past four years, according to the report.

In 2007, GM shifted production of the Saturn Vue from the Spring Hill plant to the Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico.

With the loss of the Vue, the Spring Hill plant received a $690 million investment to ready it to produce the Chevrolet Traverse.

Production of the Chevrolet Traverse was shifted to Michigan in November, but engines and other components are still being manufactured in Spring Hill.

Story created Aug 22, 2010 - 16:08:16 EDT.