State of the Union July 13, 2010

From Chairman Mike Bullock: We have been informed that there are multiple supplier issues in Mexico due to flooding from Hurricane Alex. As a result, the potential exists that our schedule could be impacted later this week. We will communicate any changes as soon as we are aware of them.

From President Dan Howell: This month there will be a Union meeting for 2nd shift skilled trades so the meeting times for Wed. July 21 are 1 pm, 3 pm, and 15 minutes after the longest line time.

Ford is recalling 33,700 Transit Connect vans (every one sold to date) and issued a stop delivery order due to faulty push pins in the headliner that do not pass safety regulations for head protection.

From Automotive News: UAW President Bob King said Monday that members and retirees of the union have started demonstrating at Toyota dealerships to pressure the automaker to allow the unionization of its U.S. plants and to protest Toyota's closing this year of the NUMMI plant in Fremont, Calif. Speaking on the sidelines of a press conference in Detroit with the Rev. Jesse Jackson and several Detroit area pastors, King said the informational pickets have begun at Toyota dealerships in California and New York. King said community support for the UAW's organizing campaigns would be a byproduct of the broader campaign for jobs and social justice.

From the Detroit Free Press: Toyota has told U.S. auto safety officials that a steering problem that could affect 749,685 Corolla and Matrix models isn't a safety defect -- but it will offer free repairs to owners who complain. Toyota took the steps after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in February opened a defect probe into 2009 and 2010 Corolla and Matrix models, following 168 reports that the electric power steering in the vehicles was prone to drifting or locking up, especially at highway speeds. In response to questions from the agency, Toyota said in documents obtained by the Free Press it had received 437 reports of steering problems covering 395 vehicles, including 11 injuries in 18 crashes. The documents show Toyota dealers were fielding complaints about the vehicles as early as 2008 (and this is not a safety issue??) Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons: "We see this as a customer-satisfaction issue."