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Based on what we've seen so far, were
Chrysler to move
Jeep Wrangler production out of Toledo, the effect would be devastating to the city's morale, which has never been quite the same after it was forced to become part of Ohio following the Toledo War.
The latest push by the former chunk of Michigan has seen 100 members of the UAW rally ahead of a city council meeting,
Automotive News reports. The members, from the Toledo factory's Local 12, are
pushing for the city to approve a land purchase of 28 acres, valued at some $738,000. If the go-ahead is given, the deal would grant the factory room to expand ahead of
a rumored switch to an aluminum construction for the next-gen Wrangler, due in 2017.
This most recent move follows up on the UAW's previous efforts, which have included
proactive moves on the part of Ohio Governor John Kasich and Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins. For its part,
Chrysler has remained largely mum on the issue of moving Wrangler production, simply saying that neither it nor the Grand Cherokee will lose their "Made in the USA" tag.
A recent
Automotive News report, however, suggested that despite shifting to a more aluminum-intensive architecture,
Wrangler production was likely to stay put. Even if it isn't, Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne
has gone on record as saying that his company will find another vehicle to produce in Toledo, meaning that no jobs are likely to be lost. If true, this suggests that much of the uproar isn't about employment and economic impact, it's specifically about keeping the iconic Wrangler a Toledo-made product.
Toledo Jeep workers pushing city to buy land to secure Wrangler future originally appeared on
Autoblog on Thu, 27 Nov 2014 16:59:00 EST. Please see our
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Toledo Jeep workers pushing city to buy land to secure Wrangler future
