Automakers struggle to hire and keep workers – with some quitting before lunch

• Labor shortages are a national problem that ripples through the world’s largest automakers.
• The challenge is serious enough that the Michigan Manufacturers Association must aggressively promote auto manufacturing jobs.
• Employers in the auto industry are not only competing with each other for talent, but also with other industries that are experiencing the same labor shortages.

DETROIT — The auto industry has its signs of “recruitment,” but few are applying and some are leaving before lunchtime.

It’s a nationwide problem that has hit small, family-owned suppliers and rippled through the world’s largest automakers.

The challenge is serious enough that the Michigan Manufacturers Association has increased its budget and appointed a new director of workforce development to aggressively promote auto manufacturing jobs.