WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Tariffs have been a concern for a lot of auto workers-- including the workers who were temporarily laid off earlier this month here at the Warren Stamping Plant.
WATCH OUR PREVIOUS COVERAGE OF THE TEMPORARY LAYOFFS
I've heard mixed reaction from auto workers overnight.
President Trump's new executive order scales back tariffs on imported cars and parts, and provides up to a 15 percent rebate to automakers who finish vehicles in the U.S.
I spoke to Kelvin Norman overnight. He's a General Motors Auto Body worker who says the changes will help save jobs, but he has concerns about his job security.
"Sometimes, I do worry about the job because I can’t really tell where they’re going with you know," Kelvin said. "And, that’s where it worries me more where it’s the miscommunication, not keeping in contact with us, letting us know what’s really going on.”
RELATED: Trump signs executive order softening tariffs for U.S. automakers
The tariff announcement came just before President Trump marked his first 100 days with a rally in Warren on Tuesday night.
WATCH: President's Trump full speech to mark 100 days of his presidency in Macomb County
Stellantis employees Kim Kenner and Douglas Fenner are UAW members who both attended.
“It was a long time coming," Kim said. "But tariffs in general are the best thing for this country. For a long time, for many, many years, our country has been on the whipping block for other nations.”
“I absolutely support the tariffs," Douglas said. "Stellantis is on record saying they were gonna shift 80 percent of their manufacturing to low-cost countries. That would’ve decimated the company I work for.”
And while there was celebration inside the rally Tuesday, hundreds gathered outside, calling the last 100 days chaos.
“He is just cutting from the top to the bottom and I think that we have to stand up for something, get off our couches and at least try and voice our opinions," said Fraser resident Beverly Roy.
Grosse Pointe Woods resident Kurt Lyons shared a different perspective.
“The auto workers, I just can’t…talk about shooting themselves in the foot," Kurt said. "Trump is anti-union from the get-go. And, he doesn’t want these auto workers to make more money.”
In a statement, Stellantis says it appreciates the tariff relief measures decided by President Trump — and says it will further assess the impact of the tariff policies on its North American operations.
GM provided us the following statement in regards to the tariff scale back:
“We're grateful to President Trump for his support of the U.S. automotive industry and the millions of Americans who depend on us. We believe the President’s leadership is helping level the playing field for companies like GM and allowing us to invest even more in the U.S. economy. We appreciate the productive conversations with the President and his Administration and look forward to continuing to work together.” - Mary Barra, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, General Motors
We're also reaching out to Ford for a statement.
