NUMMI's Closure Could Kill 50,000 Jobs

With a final decision to be announced by Toyota expected to be announced by the end of the month, reports concerning both the New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (NUMMI) plant in Fremont, California and the employees working at the facility keep coming. This time, it concerns the job loss that may occur in case the Japanese manufacturer decides to close the plant.

According to "Friends of NUMMI", which is a group of families, workers, suppliers and local businesses that will be affected by the closure, Toyota's decision to shut down the facility could affect no less than 50,000 jobs throughout the state of California, including suppliers and local businesses. The plant employs 4,600 people, so all of them will have to leave the plant in the eventuality of a closure.

"In addition, the closure will lead to substantial losses in local and state revenues and employment taxes; it will increase property foreclosures which will lead to a drop in attendance in local schools due to affected families requiring relocation, and significantly increase the unemployment claims - significant concerns that California's struggling economy can't afford," Friends of NUMMI wrote in a release.

As a result, the aforementioned group is requesting Toyota and California officials to do anything that's possible to continue operations at the Fremont plant as it is clear that such a decision would affect not only the workers, but also California's economy.

An earlier report that surfaced last week indicated that Toyota has already decided to shut down the NUMMI plant and halt operations in March next year, with production to be transferred to other plants. However, the Japanese manufacturer hasn't confirmed the report and a final decision is expected to be revealed by the end of the month.