GM’s Growing Workforce, Minority Dealer Growth, Carless Communities

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It’s time to get after a Tuesday as we talk about GM’s statement on increasing its workforce in 2024. We also cover substantial growth and performance among minority dealers as well as a new community designed for zero cars. 

• Amid the industry's move towards electric vehicles, GM pledges to increase its workforce by 2024. This commitment emerges in the backdrop of contract discussions with the United Auto Workers union and prevailing apprehensions about the diminished labor demands for EV manufacturing.
  • GM manufacturing chief, Gerald Johnson, said on Friday he did not agree it would need less workers for EV production despite Ford’s statements last year that EV’s would require up to 40% less labor to build
  • This conversation comes as contract negotiations between the big 3 and the UAW are in full swing
• For the first time in more than a decade, the U.S. auto industry has seen a significant rise in minority-owned dealerships, with Stellantis and General Motors leading the charge. In 2022, 110 new minority-owned stores were added, reflecting a growing emphasis on diversity in the automotive sector.
  • Stellantis added 32 minority-owned stores in the U.S. in 2022, while GM added 26
  • Minority dealership numbers have been recovering since the 2008-09 recession, with a significant drop from 1,805 in 2005 to 875 in 2011.
  • "As leadership continues to stay stable, meaning the presidents and CEOs of these entities have not switched hands, or retirements or things like that, we do tend to fare well when that happens," Damon Lester, Vice Chair of NAMAD told Automotive News.
  • In 1972, GM pioneered the introduction of a minority dealer program. The company has highlighted that its minority dealerships, encompassing African American, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American retailers, rank among the top performers in its network.
  • "GM is very proud of our accomplishments with the Minority Dealer Development Program," Tia Hardman, director of dealer diversity relations for GM, said in a statement to Automotive News. "We are dedicated to growing a performance driven, customer-focused and profitable dealer network by attracting highly qualified minority dealer candidates to ensure that our retailers reflect the communities and the customers that we serve."
• Culdesac Tempe, Arizona's pioneering car-free community, is now open, offering a unique urban experience. Designed for residents to live, work, and socialize without a vehicle, the community boasts amenities like restaurants, gyms, and coworking spaces, and promotes sustainable living and stronger neighborhood connections.
  • Residents have access to e-bikes, discounts on Lyft rides, light rail passes, electric scooters, and car rentals
  • One bedroom apartments start at $1300 a month
  • It isn’t all upside, the high temperatures for the

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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