Toyota wants $2 million from California for training NUMMI workers

Toyota/GM Nummi Plant

Toyota Motor Corp is asking California for $2 million in taxpayer money for training some of its workers to become better car builders. The Japanese automaker says that it deserves to be paid back the money it spent on training this year under a Feb. 27 agreement with the state’s Employment Training Panel.

However, critics say that there won’t be any other auto assembly plants left in the state where the workers can utilize their training.

“This has the appearance of some kind of dreadful corporate welfare,” said Barry Broad, a labor union lobbyist. “We can’t in good conscience give money to train people how to do jobs that are about to disappear forever.”

Toyota said earlier that it will end production at the joint venture NUMMI factory that it started with General MotorsĀ in March 2010. General Motors pulled out of the partnership in July.

Toyota said that the agreement with California’s Employment Training Panel was made 5 months before GM pulled out of the partnership.

– By: Omar Rana

Source: LA Times