MARION — January 6 was a big day on the calendar for Chris McMullen and his family.
Chris was expecting to clock-in at the General Motors Stamping Plant in Marion as a permanent employee, but that did not happen Monday.
Last September, McMullen took his 6-year-old son to the picket line in Marion during the United Auto Workers union strike against General Motors. This moment mattered to their family.
"I want the full-time job that was promised to me. I worked hard for it for the last four years," said McMullen.
In May 2016, Chris got a job at the GM plant in Marion as a temporary employee.
Temporary employees are GM workers, but don't get all the benefits.
READ | UAW, GM reach tentative agreement on new contract after weeks of striking |
The result of last year's strike was in part to help temporary workers gain permanent status.
In fact, UAW papers were printed showcasing that beginning January 6th, all temporary workers with three years or more of service would get "permanent status" in 2020.
There was even a chart showing new hourly wages ranging from $21 to $24 an hour.
"Yeah, right, that's me," added McMullen.
With hopes of improved status at the plant, McMullen dreamed of a better house and the ability to save.
Chris was prepared to begin full-time on Monday, January 6, but instead, he and other temporary workers were fired before Christmas.
"We were assured that this exact situation would not happen — there will be no layoffs that would keep us from being hired January 6th ... why am I terminated."
General Motors responded to RTV6 with a statement saying that temporary workers in Marion were aware in early December that their jobs would be cut because the plant would no longer be producing parts for pickup trucks.
The company says it unaware of what United Auto Workers representatives told them at union contract meetings, which GM employees don't attend.
RTV6 reached out to the United Auto Workers union press office multiple times since December 26 and have yet to receive a response.
Here is the GM's statement in response:
In regards to the release of the temporary employees at the Marion Metal Center earlier this month, here are the facts:
- On December 5th, Marion Metal Center began notifying 50 temporary employees that they would be released because the production of previous-generation pickup truck products ended the week of December 8th.
- These employees were informed of this production timeline 11 months ago, last January at an all-employee meeting, and it has been repeated regularly.
- Allegations that GM is releasing temporary workers to avoid making them full time, please know this is absolutely untrue.
- No GM employees have told temporary employees that they were guaranteed a job. In fact, the opposite is true in light of the well-publicized ending of the previous generation pickup truck products. We do not know what their UAW representatives told them at the union contract meetings; GM employees do not attend those.
- Stephanie Jentgen, GM Spokesperson
RTV6 met with other workers at Crest Lanes bowling Alley in Marion.
Former boxing coach Michael Wright is still in shock. He joined the Marion plant in March 2016.
"We were promised this, and here it was taken away in an instant," said Wright.
Jessica Smithley traveled to Detroit at the height of the UAW strike.
She considered not returning to college once she learned she was eligible to become a permanent employee.
She now says she feels betrayed.
"I want them to know that we were deceived," said Smithley.
She added, "They know they deceived us."
Smithley feels explicitly deceived by the United Auto Workers union.
"Our hope was taken away," said Smithley.
