Work Comp Attorney Update: General Motors to Announce Details of Spring Hill Plant Startup

Posted in Workers' compensation on November 18, 2011

I previously posted that General Motors and the UAW ratified their agreement that included plans to bring back GM workers to the Spring Hill plant. Many of my GM employee clients have been waiting on this day. Some have retired, others have transferred and still others have been patiently waiting but eagerly anticipating more automobile manufacturing jobs in Spring Hill.

The Tennessean reported today that GM and the UAW will soon announce concrete plans to reopen the Spring Hill plant for vehicle manufacturing. Although the plant has been making engines and sometimes other parts, there currently is no mass production of a vehicle in Spring Hill. That should change soon. When it does, thousands of people will get back to work.

GM works may find a return to this physical type work hard. I have learned from representing hundreds of injured GM workers that, after an extended lay-off, the return to work can lead to injuries, especially shoulder injuries. It is important to remember that every on the job injury in Tennessee must be properly reported within 30 days. At GM, this is usually done by filing an incident report at the onsite medical facility.

Back to the news, it is interesting that Gov. Bill Haslam will be attending the announcement of the Spring Hill opening. No doubt, he will be touting this as his own creation of jobs for the blue collar worker. This is ironic. His jobs bills included tort reform, which limits injured person’s ability to hold a corporation fully responsible for the most catastrophic injuries in Tennessee. We expect the Governor to soon push for an overhaul of the workers’ compensation system, stripping an injured Tennessee worker’s right to have a trial at the Courthouse, the only level playing field left. Gov. Haslam and his pro-big corporation bills help only the 1%. The other 99% want to work and appreciate the jobs but are not the winners of the Governor’s legislation. Intsead, it appears this battle was won by the UAW, instead Governor and the Tennessee legislature who will no doubt claim credit.

Serious work injuries require the work of a Nashville injury attorney who knows how to fight the 1%. Call us today for a free consultation.