GM fires workers after rigged emissions tests in India

[jpd80]

General Motors Co. has fired several employees after an internal investigation
into the recall of a sport-utility vehicle built and sold exclusively in India uncovered violations
of company policy, the automaker said.

“We take these matters very seriously and hold our leaders and employees to high standards,’’
Greg Martin, a GM spokesman at the company’s Detroit headquarters, said Friday in an e-mailed statement.
“When those standards are not met, we will take the appropriate action to hold employees accountable.’’

The fired employees included workers in India and the U.S., GM said without specifying the number involved.
The announcement comes as the Indian government opens an investigation into GM’s subsidiary after the
unit said employees manipulated emissions tests during the past eight years to comply with requirements,
one person familiar with the situation said.

The government is reviewing its systems and investigating GM to see if there were systemic errors,
willful negligence or other wrongdoing, Ambuj Sharma, joint secretary at India’s Ministry of Heavy Industry,
said Friday. The report should be completed next month and GM faces the possibility of monetary penalties
and production stoppage, Sharma said.

The Economic Times in India earlier reported that GM said in a July 18 letter to the government that an
internal investigation uncovered employees manipulating emissions tests for the Chevrolet Tavera SUV.
Automotive News reported Friday that Sam Winegarden, GM’s vice president for global engine engineering,
was fired along with about 10 other people.

On Wednesday, GM announced a recall of the Tavera from 2005 through 2013 to “address emissions
and specification issues.’’ The company at the time said it was “not safety-related.’’

The Economic Times described the recall as one of the largest in the country.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...#ixzz2aFOVayLo