Three-Generation Family Reflect On GM's Closing
Last Tahoe To Roll Off Assembly Line Tuesday
Posted: 8:10 pm CST December 22,2008
MILTON, Wis. -- The production line at the Janesville General Motors plant is beginning to wind down.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportThe final SUV will pass through the GM Assembly Plant on Tuesday morning. Departments that have already done their part in building the final vehicle are now cleaning up, taking inventory and making other preparations for decommissioning the plant, WISC-TV reported.The final Chevrolet Tahoe will roll off the line around 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, officials.Employees will be able to sign a banner and take photos with the SUV before saying goodbye to the plant.GM's history in Janesville goes far beyond the walls of the plant to the thousands of workers who have built vehicles over the years.In 1985, Jim Glass, of Milton, became the third generation of his family to build cars at the GM plant. His first supervisor was his father, Tom."Jimmy started right up in the paint shop," said Tom Glass. "I didn't even know he was coming to work. He never told me. I'm sitting up there and one of the guys said, 'Hey, isn't that your son over there?' And I said, 'Huh?'""They just shipped me up there for the day, "said Jim Glass. "It was kind of a surprise for him. They put me on one of the worst jobs so there was no favoritism."As long as GM has produced vehicles in Janesville, the Glass family has been a part of it."The whole family is involved in building cars," said Tom Glass. "That's all we've ever done since my dad back in 1923. I guess it's just in our blood."Tom's father was Harold "Curly" Glass, one of GM's first hires in Janesville -- thus started the proud tradition in the family."It was a great way to make a living," said Jim Glass. "We were good at it. But we worked hard for it also, you know."Jim Glass is disappointed the next generation, his 9-year-old daughters, won't have the same opportunity. But, he said he hasn't given up hope."That's what we've always done," said Jim Glass. "We've always done it proud. We've always done it good. We're just asking for another chance to keep building great vehicles -- no matter what they may be."On Tuesday morning, Jim Glass will leave the Janesville plant with an uncertain future. He said he's not quite sure what he'll do.He and his father said that they're hoping that local and state leaders will work with GM to eventually bring a new product to the line.
Previous Stories:
- December 23, 2008: Last SUV Completed At Shuttering Janesville GM Plant
- December 19, 2008: Lear Corp. Ends Regular Production
- December 16, 2008: Special Mass Held To Give Rock County Residents Hope
- December 14, 2008: Hard Times Hit Janesville As GM Plant Winds Down
- November 11, 2008: Tours Give Community Chance To Say Goodbye To GM Plant
- October 14, 2008: Doyle Outlines Options For GM Workers
- October 14, 2008: Janesville's GM Plant Slated To Close Early
- September 14, 2008: Residents React To New GM Talks
- July 28, 2008: GM Sets Non-Production Weeks For Janesville Plant
- July 16, 2008: Wisconsin Unlikely To Recoup Money Given To GM
- July 16, 2008: GM To Speed Up Closure Of Janesville Plant
- June 26, 2008: Business Owners, City Officials Hold Meeting In Janesville To Discuss Economy
- June 5, 2008: Janesville Leaders Plot Rebound After GM Plant Closes
- June 5, 2008: GM Plant Closing Difficult For Workers, Families
- June 4, 2008: Janesville Looks Ahead To Retraining GM Workers For New Jobs
- June 4, 2008: GM To Close Janesville Assembly Plant By 2010
- June 3, 2008: Residents Uncertain About Future After GM Plant's Closure
- April 30, 2008: Rock County Job Center Braces For Flood Of Ex-GM Workers
- April 29, 2008: GM Slashes Shift At Janesville Plant
- April 9, 2008: Janesville GM Workers Laid Off Due To Production Cuts
- March 13, 2008: Janesville GM Plant To Temporarily Lay Off Some Workers
- March 6, 2008: GM: Janesville Plant To Shorten Shifts Next Week
- February 14, 2008: Obama Blames Bush For Economic Downturn In Wisconsin Stops
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