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GM to Idle 3 Plants in North America Due to Semiconductor Shortage by Jamie L. LaReau, Detroit Free Press
General Motors is idling three of its assembly plants in North America and running a fourth in South K orea at half capacity for one week as it struggles with the ongoing semiconductor shortage that has already impacted production at Ford Motor Co., Stellantis and others globally. On Feb. 8, GM will idle the following plants―which run two shifts― for a week: • Fairfax Assembly and Stamping Plant in K ansas City, K S: About 2,000 hourly workers build the Chev-
rolet Malibu sedan and Cadillac X T4 SUV • CAMI, Ingersoll, Ontario Canada: About 1,500 hourly workers build the Chevrolet Equinox SUV • San Luis Potosí , Mexico: GM builds Chevrolet Equinox and Trax and GMC Terrain SUVs Some related GM plants that supply engines and other parts to the plants to be idled may be minorly impacted. For example, the engine plant at GM’s Spring Hill Assembly complex will reduce a shift on one See Semiconductor Shortage, Page 18
States Revive Push for Virus Liability Protections for Employers by Chris Marr, Bloomberg Law
More than a dozen states at the start of the 2021 legislative season are renewing a push to shield businesses from lawsuits over customers’ or employees’ COVID-19 exposure. From Florida to Montana, state lawmakers have declared liability protections to be a top priority this year. Republican lawmakers are mostly leading the charge, but in a few cases they’re coordinating with Democratic legislators or governors. If these states enact liability shields, they would join more than a
dozen others that did so in 2020. These state laws broadly shield all or most types of businesses from coronavirus-related liability lawsuits, unless a plaintiff can show the company was grossly negligent or guilty of intentional misconduct. After a federal proposal championed by Senate Republicans failed to win approval, the attention is back on the states and expected to stay there, now that Democrats will control both chambers of Congress and the White House as of Jan. 20. “We do not anticipate liability See Virus Liability Protections, Page 24
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AUTOBODYNEWS.COM Vol. 12 / Issue 1 / March 2021
President Biden Signs Executive Order to Strengthen Buy American Act Provisions by Roger Abbott and Karl Means at Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
On Jan. 25, President Joe B id en issued an executive order on Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of America’s Workers. The order is part of his “Build Back Better Recovery Plan” to strengthen American manufacturing and has potentially far-reaching effect. The order will tighten the federal government’s requirements to buy American products, support American jobs and rationalize the enforcement of the country’s patchwork of
“Made in America” laws. Companies that supply goods and services to the federal government may no longer benefit from statutes like “Buy American.” The Jan. 25 order will tighten agencies’ purchasing by increasing domestic content requirements and close loopholes for determining country of origin under Made in America laws. Companies that benefit from domestic preferences now must re-examine whether they will continue to benefit under the proposed new regulations. Contractors and subcontracSee Buy American Act, Page 22
Schools and Scans Among Topics Addressed at CIC on upcoming meeting dates for any industry advisory committees for A new position statement related collision repair training programs at to what is―and isn’t―included in any .S. schools―particularly for vehicle scan charges, and a plea for any such program that is struggling information about any school’s colli- or in danger of being closed. sion repair training programs that is Arrants contends “the pipeline struggling, were among the topics at containing the future workforce is collapsing,” offering some indirect evidence of a not insignificant decline in the number of such programs. S/P2, he said, which offers online safety and pollution prevention training used by some automotive training programs, reported 22,735 collision repair students took the training in 2020, down nearly 37% ASA is drafting a position statement indicating that a from 2019. charge for a vehicle scan is distinct from charges for That decline can’t be other procedures such as researching diagnostic codes and system initializations blamed on the pandemic; the number of students in the first Collision ndustry Confer- automotive service or heavy-duty ence ( CIC) of 2021, held virtually truck training programs who took S/ P2 training rose by as much as 2% in online in January. G eorge A rrants of the ASE 2020 compared to the previous year. Education Foundation said his orArrants also said of the more ganization is seeking information See Schools and Scans, Page 26 by John Yoswick
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