Production Resumes At One Honda US Plant,Halts At Another

COLUMBUS, Ohio The AP reports that production at one Honda of America Manufacturing Co. plant in Ohio resumed on Monday but was halted temporarily at a second plant as fallout from the labor dispute at West Coast ports continued.

After being shut down Thursday and Friday, production at Honda's plant in East Liberty, which makes the Civic, resumed, Honda spokesman Ron Lietzke said. However, production at the Marysville auto plant, which produces Accords and Acuras, was shut down because of a parts shortage created by the lockout.

The plants were affected by a lockout at 29 major West Coast ports. Port workers were ordered back to their jobs on Wednesday, but it could be months before the backlog of shipments has been cleared.

Lietzke said how soon production would resume at Marysville depends on when parts will be available. He also said it is possible that the East Liberty plant will have to shut down again this week.

The East Liberty plant employs 2,550 workers, and the Marysville auto plant has 5,800 workers.

Lietzke also said production of engines at Honda's plant in Anna has been below normal because of the port situation.

He said production of the Odyssey minivan at the Honda plant near Lincoln, Ala., is to resume on Tuesday.

The Honda plant in Alliston, Ontario, will be shut down through Tuesday. About 4,200 workers are employed at the plant, which makes the Civic, Acura EL, Odyssey minivan, and Pilot and Acura MDX sport utility vehicles.

The plant would have been closed anyway on Monday because of a holiday.

Lietzke said workers can continue to come to work to perform maintenance tasks or for training, take vacation or stay at home without pay.

Honda of America is a unit of Honda Motor Co. .