Toyota Assigns Idled Tundra Workers To Community Service Programs

Workers from San Antonio's Toyota factory swapped their torque wrenches and hard hats for shovels and paintbrushes Monday as they began a two-week citywide beautification effort.

The City-Toyota Green Clean-Up Project is dispatching as many as 340 employees from Toyota and its onsite suppliers through 17 city parks to clean, paint and plant. Employees will work through the week, then start a second round Oct. 6.

“We asked who wanted to go, and we got more than 1,000 volunteers,” said Dan Antis, Toyota's general manager for production, as he oversaw work crews at Brackenridge Park. “It was amazing. We couldn't take that many, but it's a good problem to have.”

As a result of Toyota's sweep, visitors should see cleaner parks, trimmed vegetation, and fresh paint on fixtures such as picnic tables and trash barrels.

Agent009 - 9/24/2008 11:55:50 AM

+2 Boost

Ok now, tell me if I am wrong. But this is a GREAT way to bolster community image and service from a non union workforce.

Sort of makes the old school image of UAW workers being paid to play checkers at the Union Hall seem like such a waste.

Kudos to Toyota

M35MT - 9/24/2008 1:00:04 PM

+5 Boost

This is the kind of positive news that never makes the "news".

Good use of resources, benefits the community and Toyota gets good PR out of it (at the cost of the workers' wages).

jeffy210 - 9/24/2008 1:18:53 PM

+5 Boost

Wow, I live in San Antonio and I didn't even know they were doing this. Kudos to Toyota and you're right, it should be on the news more. It's nice to see companies giving back to the community, especially with what the community gave to them.

sector - 9/24/2008 1:11:16 PM

0 Boost

Toyota = Visionary :)

Agent009 - 9/24/2008 2:00:25 PM

+5 Boost

In this case it is a corporation doing the right thing, rather than making profits first.

Sometimes making an investment back into the community will yield rewards later down the road, and in this case I think it will be paid back over and over again.

bigmotov - 9/24/2008 2:43:12 PM

+4 Boost

This is all smoke and mirrors!

Toyota is being forced to do this!

They are only thinking of profits!

It's in the contract that Toyota has to trim trees and paint picnic tables!

...etc. Did I miss anything? It was taking the haters too long so I thought I would contribute.

bigmotov - 9/24/2008 5:12:01 PM

+3 Boost

How old is old? It was posted yesterday 09.23.08.

bigmotov - 9/24/2008 5:16:13 PM

+3 Boost

I guess there was a different article about the same thing...09.19.08. Anyway, who cares! It's tough to find nice news these days.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/Toyota_eager_to_clean_up_citys_parks.html