State of the Union January 31 2011

Jan. 31, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

Reminder: As bad weather approaches, the four radio stations that will carry any information about the status of production are: KTRS – 555 AM; KMOX – 1120 AM; WIL – 92.3 FM; and MAJIC – 105 FM. You can also call 877-845-6073 for plant updates. This is NOT the call in number for lates or absences. That is 800-222-8889.

From the Detroit Free Press: If Ford had stuck to a strict interpretation of its profit-sharing formula hourly workers would be receiving no more than an average of $3,000, UAW President Bob King told the Free Press. “What’s really important for our members to know is they didn’t have to do this,” King told the Free Press. “They did much more than they technically would have had to do under our agreement.” Ford and the UAW have had a profit-sharing agreement since 1982. In 1999, when Ford earned $7.2 billion, the average UAW payment was $8,000. However, UAW members ratified a new UAW contract in 2007 that no longer included the profits of Ford Motor Credit, Ford’s financing arm. Consequently, Ford’s profit sharing formula could have resulted in $3,000 or less, King said.( GM is set to announce earnings on Feb. 9)
U.S. News just released their picks for “Best Car for the Money”. Awards were given in 18 categories. GM led all manufacturers with five winners. They are: Chevy Malibu (midsize car); Buick Regal (upscale sedan); Chevy Traverse (midsize crossover); Chevy Tahoe (large SUV); and Chevy Silverado (large pickup). Ford, Honda and Toyota had two each.

From Automotive News: Grim forecasts that a leaner supply chain could hamper the auto recovery are coming true: Parts shortages are shutting down auto assembly plants around the world, derailing automakers' attempts to meet rebounding demand. "It's beyond a trend; it's an epidemic," said Dan Sharkey, a suburban Detroit lawyer who works with many auto suppliers. This week Chrysler Group expects to idle its Windsor, Ontario, minivan plant for at least a week because parts are scarce. And Ford Motor Co. expects to reopen a suburban Detroit plant that builds the F-series pickup after a shortage of parts for V-6 engines forced a weeklong shutdown. On Friday, Ford also closed its Kentucky Truck plant because of a parts shortage.
That factory builds the F-series Super Duty pickups, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. As of late Friday the shutdown had not been scheduled to extend into this week, a spokesman said. In Europe this week, Volkswagen AG will halt production at its main assembly plants in Wolfsburg, Germany, because of a shortage of engine parts. Ford also took an additional week of downtime at its Chicago assembly plant -- which builds the in-demand redesigned Explorer -- before and after the traditional Christmas shutdown. Ford spokesman Todd Nissen said parts shortages there have ended.

With a winter storm almost upon us – and you’ve probably heard these many times – here are five tips to make the drive less dangerous:
1. Prepare your car. Make sure your battery is fully charged and antifreeze fluid is topped off. Make sure your tires have sufficient tread and, if you drive in the snow often, consider buying a set of winter tires. Carry a good ice scraper, snow brush or broom, a small shovel and a bag of sand for getting unstuck. Also keep a flashlight and extra batteries.
2. Clear the snow. If your car is covered in snow, clear it off completely before leaving. Pay special attention to the windows, headlights and mirrors, and don’t forget that little space between the driver-side mirror and the side of the car. It creates a surprisingly big blind spot.
3. Keep your distance. Get used to leaving a lot more space between your car and others so you’ll have more room to stop or maneuver in an emergency. Look far ahead and try to anticipate what other cars will do and which ones might cause trouble.
4. Watch for ice. All summer long you notice those signs that say “bridge freezes before road surface.” Well, this time of year that warning is meaningful. Ice often forms on bridges when the rest of the rest of the road is in good shape, so watch out for it and avoid lane changes and other maneuvers on bridges.
5. Mind your steering. If your vehicle starts to slide, turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid, and then gradually straighten it as the car recovers. Skids are startling, and people often remember to “steer into the skid” but forget what to do next. Perhaps the most important thing to remember is to keep looking in your desired direction of travel. If you are looking at the snow bank, guardrail or parked car toward which you are sliding, you are almost certain to crash into it.