State of the Union April 7, 2010

 From Chairman Mike Bullock: The tentative production schedule for the rest of the 2010 model year is as follows: 10.8 off K line and 2 out of 3 Fridays, with April 9 being the first of a 2 out of 3 schedule. In looking at the calendar, for example, this would require us to tentatively work 5/7, 5/21 and 5/28. It’s important to remember that each month’s production schedule is approved the month prior. There are no plans to switch from Plan A to Plan B.
•    There is a Women’s Committee meeting Thursday, April 8 after first shift at the Union Hall.
•    From the Detroit Free Press: General Motors today posted a $4.3-billion loss for the nearly six-month period following its emergence from bankruptcy last summer as a new company largely owned by the U.S. government. The loss for the fourth quarter was $3.4 billion. GM said it generated $1 billion in cash on operations from July 10 until Dec. 31. The company said it generated $57.5 billion in revenue during that period. The net loss of $4.3 billion includes the pretax impact of a $2.6-billion payment to the UAW for its retiree health care trust fund and a $1.3 billion foreign currency re-measurement loss.
•    From the Detroit News: Congressional investigators began ramping up a probe of Toyota Motor Corp. on Tuesday, a day after federal regulators sought a $16.4 million fine against the automaker. Lawmakers are taking action because regulators said documents from Toyota prove it knowingly failed to quickly recall vehicles with possibly sticky gas pedals, justifying the fine. The House Energy and Commerce Committee and its oversight subcommittee received most of the 70,000 pages Toyota turned over to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for its examination of three recalls. Investigators spent Tuesday reviewing the documents. Even though Toyota hasn't yet decided whether to appeal the fine, the congressional committee is taking the unusual step of moving ahead with its own investigation. The review of documents might lead to hearings similar to those involving Toyota and NHTSA officials in February and March.