Letter to Mr. Aikio Toyoda, President of the Toyota Corporation - The Future of New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc.

Letter

Dear Mr. Toyoda:

We are writing to express our sincere interest regarding the future of New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc., (NUMMI) a General Motors-Toyota joint venture from which General Motors (GM) has announced that it will withdraw. We are greatly concerned that GM's decision creates uncertainty about NUMMI's future. We are eager to see that all interested parties come to the table to arrive at a solution that will secure NUMMI's future.

We have followed the NUMMI experiment since it began in 1984, when one of your predecessors, Shoichiro Toyoda, brought the efficiency of the Toyota Production System, a model of lean manufacturing, to the San Francisco Bay area. We watched with great pride as the Japanese management and production methods - under the leadership of Tatsuro Toyoda - succeeded, as the plant went from one shift to three, and as it emerged as a unique model factory that has produced a wide range of vehicles since the 1980s. We are confident that you, as a former manager at NUMMI, can appreciate its unique history and value.

NUMMI has been a great asset to both California and the United States, demonstrating that American workers can build Toyota vehicles in a win-win for both. Today NUMMI employs approximately 4,500 workers and is indirectly responsible for more than 35,000 jobs. We deeply regret the fact that General Motors has determined that it must withdraw.

With thousands of jobs at stake, many of us have spoken with Toyota executives to express our concern in recent weeks. We look forward to hearing from you about this matter, and we are eager to work together on this very important challenge.

Sincerely,

Senator Dianne Feinstein
Senator Barbara Boxer
Representative Pete Stark
Representative Mike Thompson
Representative Zoe Lofgren
Representative Barbara Lee
Representative Jerry McNerney
Representative Adam Schiff
Representative Jane Harman
Representative George Miller
Representative Sam Farr
Representative Bob Filner
Representative Grace Napolitano

Representative Linda Sanchez
Representative Jackie Speier
Representative Mike Honda
Representative Dennis Cardoza

Cc: Yoshimi Inaba, President of Toyota Motor America