May 26, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
From Chairman Mike Bullock: Unfortunately there will be extra overtime to make up the lost jobs due to the 10-hour body shop breakdown Monday. The Memorandum of Understanding on Overtime (page 243 of the National Agreement), paragraph 12, Emergencies, reads, “The provisions of this Memorandum of Understanding that limit or restrict the right of Management to require employees to work daily overtime or Saturdays or Sundays shall be suspended in any plant whose operations are interrupted by emergency situations such as single breakdowns of four hours or more…” The lost production – 80 units – will be made up off of K-line. On a positive note, welcome back to 4 members recalled today. The new seniority date to hold the plant is 7-14-2008 with a last four of 6050. Also, Friday is a VR blackout day and Monday is the holiday qualifying day and a VR blackout day.
From the Chaplaincy Committee: The 11th Annual Blessing of the Bikes will be today 15 minutes after the longest first shift line time at the Arch in front of the plant. You don’t need your bikes to attend. Also there is a memorial service today at lunch for Duane “Cadillac” Anderson in stamping at the bleachers, column V-8.
Resumes for the 2011 UAW-LUPA Communications Conference at Black Lake are being accepted at the Union Hall through next Friday. The conference runs from Sunday, June 12 through Friday, June 17. Applicants should have computer and writing skills as one of the main tasks will be running the Local 2250 website.
GM has issued a media advisory, “General Motors and United Auto Workers leaders will make a positive news announcement on Thursday the Arlington Assembly Plant in Texas.” The Detroit Free Press is reporting that an investment will be announced that will add 110 jobs.
From Bloomberg: General Motors’ plan to build the Chevrolet Impala in a Michigan plant next year “creates a sense of nervousness” for the Ontario factory that makes the sedan now, the Canadian Auto Workers’ leader said. Workers at the Oshawa, Ontario, factory don’t know what the consequences will be from GM’s announcement today that it will spend $69 million and create 2,500 jobs at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant to add production of the Impala and Chevrolet Malibu, CAW President Ken Lewenza said today in a telephone interview. “It creates a sense of nervousness because you need the market to substantiate two facilities building the same vehicle,” he said. “If the market isn’t there, one would have to take a look and question GM’s decision when they already had the investment in the Oshawa facility.” Jason Easton, a spokesman for Detroit-based GM, said in response to Lewenza’s comments, “We have made public Canadian production commitments and fully intend to meet those targets.” The company has said annual output in Canada will be at least 16 percent of GM’s total North American production and will be equal to 19 percent of what it builds in the U.S.
From Reuters: Volkswagen AG has opened a U.S. assembly plant that boasts ultra-low labor costs, but General Motors and United Auto Workers officials do not see it affecting this summer's labor talks. "I'm not sure there's any impact," GM North American President Mark Reuss said of the lower wages at the VW plant. "The partnership we have with Joe Ashton and Bob King is to be competitive in our workforce in these plants in the United States and North America," he added, referring respectively to the head of the UAW's GM department and the union president. Reuss told assembled workers that GM was investing in the company's relationship with the UAW as it heads into the talks for a new labor deal. On Wednesday, Ashton said hourly workers earning second-tier wages make up only 3 percent of the Big Three U.S. automakers' workforce and had become an "obsession" for many. "This will be just like any other normal set of negotiations," Ashton said. "GM, Ford and Chrysler were very profitable this year with their labor costs. "People are starting to realize, especially in this country, how productive the Big Three auto workers are." While agreeing that the share of workers being paid second-tier wages will rise as U.S. automakers add jobs, Ashton said there are still some workers on layoff who, when recalled, will make the higher, traditional wages. He acknowledged the U.S. automakers need the second tier to be competitive. Moving workers earning the lower wages up to a higher level will be discussed during the contract talks, but agreeing to cut wages further is not on the union's agenda, Ashton said. The auto industry helped build the U.S. middle class, and $14 an hour is not a middle-class wage, Ashton said. "We're not looking to make the plants uncompetitive, but we're looking (for) people to make a decent wage, and that will be part of our negotiations," he said. "I think $13.87 an hour, you can apply for food stamps."
No comments:
Post a Comment