Reax as General Motors plans to cut jobs, close plants and end Pontiac brand

(28 Apr 2009) AP Television Orion, Michigano - 27 April 2009 1. Pan of exterior of GM Orion Assembly Plant, traffic in foreground 2. Sign outside plant 3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jack King, 56-years-old, GM employee for 32-years: "It's the only thing I can hope for you know (that GM turns around). Been around for a lot of years, this is how we make our living." 4. Pan from sign to employees in vehicles leaving plant during shift change 5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Laura Andrews, 30-years-old, GM plant worker: "I'm devastated. I'm devastated. I have three kids at home. This has been our survival. This company, my dad worked for GM until the day he died. GM has put food on the table for me and many other families around the country, and it's really sad." AP Television Pontiac, Michigan - 27 April 2009 6. Wide of downtown street 7. Sign outside downtown business 8. Downtown street scene 9. 'For Sale' sign on downtown business 10. Exterior of cafe 11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tim McMahon, Business Owner: "I think people will still buy GM products, they'll just switch it and buy a different car, that's all. They do produce good vehicles. I've had several GM cars, had my ups and downs with them, but they're still good vehicles. I think they are very competitive right now." 12. Sign outside cafe STORYLINE: General Motors said on Monday it would phase out its Pontiac brand no later than next year. For Pontiac, the decision means the death of an 83-year-old brand known for its muscle cars including the Trans Am made famous in movies. At GM's Orion Assembly Plant in Orion, Michigan, employees leaving at shift change reacted to the latest announcement from their troubled employer. "I'm devastated. I have three kids at home. This has been our survival," said 30-year-old Laura Andrews. Workers at the plant make the Pontiac G6, one of the brand's most popular models. In nearby Pontiac, Michigan, the town which lent its name to the storied brand, locals are hoping for a turnaround. "I think people will still buy GM products, they'll just switch it and buy a different car, that's all," said Tim McMahon, who owns a cafe in downtown Pontiac. "They're still good vehicles. I think they are very competitive right now." The first Pontiac car was introduced in 1926 after GM acquired the Oakland Motor Car Co. of Pontiac, Mich., in 1909. Pontiac was meant to be a low-priced companion to GM's "Oakland" line, but Pontiacs proved more popular. By 1929, half a million Pontiacs were sold. Efforts in recent years to revive Pontiac as a performance-oriented brand failed to work. The company had said it wanted to keep Pontiac as a niche brand with one or two models, but is buckling under government pressure to consolidate its eight brands, several of which lose money. GM is set to become a leaner, government-owned company if the Obama administration goes along with the automaker's plan to slash jobs and close plants. GM laid out the proposal on Monday and General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson said the company would offer the Treasury Department more than 50 percent of its stock to absolve GM of 10 (b) billion US dollars in government loans. The century-old automaker, is saddled with more than 62 (b) billion US dollar in debt. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/3c378fd1bbb253d0bad93cb1a970fa41

Added 26 Aug 2026