KANSAS CITY, Kan. — On Monday, General Motors announced it's delaying a second production shift at its Fairfax Assembly Plant.
According to UAW Local 31, the union representing nearly 7,000 active and retired auto workers, employees will begin running production in September and October.
"That's going to be one shift of production," said UAW Local 31 President Dontay Wilson.
Before the announcement, General Motors would begin another shift of production, slated to begin in early Spring 2026.
"That would’ve been two shifts of production," Wilson said. "That has been delayed. It is now going to be out at a later date and no date has been set."
In a statement to KSHB 41, General Motors said it is making "strategic production adjustments," citing a decrease in demand for electric vehicle growth and demand.
During the Biden Administration under the Inflation Reduction Act, the President authorized tax incentives for electric vehicles through 2032.
The goal was to boost EV purchases and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by making the vehicles more affordable.
"If you take away a $7,500 incentive, or $4,000 incentive, depending on whether you’re buying new or used, you’re probably going to sell less of that thing," Wilson explained. "That’s pretty common."
The Republican-backed mega bill, "One Big Beautiful Bill" cuts those EV tax incentives at the end of September.
"The politics matter, there’s no other way to put that," Wilson said. "Elections have consequences."
Earlier this year, General Motors announced it is investing in the facility to move forward production on the Chevrolet Bolt EV and begin production of a gas-powered Chevrolet Equinox in 2027.
In Monday's statement to KSHB 41, moving forward with the Equinox's production is the automotive giant's emphasis for a strong future.
"We will continue to evaluate and adjust operations based on the market and customer demand," the GM spokesperson wrote.
UAW Local 31 tells KSHB 41 it will continue to fight for its members.
In the recent news, the union's contractual agreements with the company will protect jobs.
"It's not ideal by no stretch of imagination, but is definitely not worse-case scenario," Wilson explained. "This union is a strong one and the contractual things that we have in our agreement protects us for times just like this."
Wilson says, the union is in the same boat it was a few months ago.
He hopes the American auto consumer will see the craftsmanship of vehicles produced in Fairfax, as the union gears up production ahead.
"They have proven that they have built the best vehicles in the world," he said "They can do it in time and on time and they’re high quality. Our hope is that this product is good enough and the American public sees it. It’s not going to matter — they’re going to want that thing because it’s great."
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KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.
