In November 2009, the General Motors Orion Assembly Plant, which set an industry record for most continuous operation without a lost workday, was forced to shut down. For 18 months, the plant sat idle while 2,600 workers including body shop team leader Brad Glende, were forced to look elsewhere for work.

Glende, who has a wife and two daughters, was laid off for 12 months while the plant was closed. He said the plant closure was not too hard on him because he was able to work at GM’s Flint truck assembly plant for six of the 12 months.

After being idle for 18 months, the plant was reopened in part because of a nationwide agreement between GM and UAW that reset entry-level union workers wages to previous UAW and GM negotiations.

“It is what it is,” Glende said of the entry level pay structure. “In order to be a profitable company, they had to do it.”

Orion Assembly’s competitive wage structure enabled less-senior employees to volunteer for jobs at entry-level pay. Those employees were able to return from their layoffs sooner for jobs at Orion with possible future recalls to traditional wage positions. Glende was unaffected by the new pay structure.

“Everyone that is working here is glad they have a job,” he said. “It’s a lot better than being unemployed.”

Glende said he is starting to see the economy change. He notices restaurants seem busier and car sales have been increasing. In fact, GM sales jumped 15.5 percent in June, which is the highest they have been in five years.

The plant’s current schedule includes four days of 10-hour of operation, and the plant builds to the customer’s demands.

“We’re building what the customers want us to build,” said Kevin Nadrowski, plant communications manager. “If they want more,