Recently, many transporters were in a panic over the possible closings of many dealerships around the country.  Even more odd, Teamster drivers for General Motors have basically moved from Allied Systems to Jack Cooper Transport.  Same drivers, different company, higher pay.

Read the article from MLive.com:

Teamsters Local 332: Allied Systems Ltd. workers at David Street facility will transfer in February to Jack Cooper Transport Co. Inc.

By Melissa Burden | Flint Journal

January 08, 2010, 6:30PM
FLINT, Michigan — Eighty one Allied Systems Ltd. workers will lose their jobs in February and be rehired with a sizable raise by another company, according to a union official.

Allied Systems, a vehicle hauling company, is expected to close its facility David Street near the General Motors Flint Metal Center complex, according to a letter Allied Systems filed with the state last month.

Fred Ortiz, secretary/treasurer of Teamsters Local 332, said Allied Systems lost a bid to haul new trucks built at the GM Flint Truck Assembly Plant to dealerships.

But starting Feb. 1, the 81 Allied Systems workers will become employees of Jack Cooper Transport Co. Inc., which won the GM bid, Ortiz said. He said the union employees have transfer rights.

An Allied Automotive Group company representative in Georgia declined to comment Friday and The Journal could not reach Jack Cooper representatives in Kansas City, Mo., for comment.

“It’s just going to be a name change for them basically,” Ortiz said. “Everybody’s going to keep working basically and just drive a different color truck.”

In its letter to the state, Allied Systems Ltd. said on or around Feb. 1 it would lay off 45 drivers, 16 yard and dock workers, 16 mechanics, one van driver, one union clerk, one union casual worker and one union dispatcher.

“We’re not losing anybody,” Ortiz said.

Allied Systems Ltd. is a subsidiary of Allied Automotive Group. Jack Cooper is a large auto transport carrier that in part services GM plants.

Ortiz said that Allied Systems workers a few years agreed to 15 percent wage cuts. But now that the 80 or so workers are transferring companies, they’ll see an about 17 percent raise, Ortiz said.

“We’ve lost enough jobs in this area,” he said. “That’s kind of welcome that we’re going to keep these.”

Read the rest of the article here…