Sept. 1, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
Reminder: This year’s Labor Day Parade will be Monday, Sept. 5 with the theme of “We Are One”. The UAW location in the parade lineup is 8th. Line up begins at 7 am on 18th Street north of Olive Street where we will decorate the fhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifloat. All are invited including friends and family.
General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) today reported total sales of 218,479 vehicles in August, an 18-percent increase compared with August 2010. Retail deliveries were up 22 percent compared with the same month a year ago and accounted for 74 percent of GM sales. Deliveries to fleet customers increased 8 percent. “Our balanced portfolio of trucks and fuel-efficient vehicles like the Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain are helping GM continue to gain market share, which has now increased in seven of the past eight months,” said Don Johnson, vice president, U.S. Sales Operations. “We’re carrying good momentum and we’re cautiously optimistic that we’ll see U.S. economic growth improve in the months ahead.” In August, year-over-year passenger car sales increased 18 percent, crossover sales increased 17 percent and truck sales increased 18 percent.
Van sales came in at 6714, up 16.8% over last August.
Chevrolet: Cruze sales surpassed 20,000 for the fifth month in a row; Equinox sales rose 58 percent compared with August 2010.
GMC: Terrain sales were up 88 percent; Acadia was up 54 percent compared with August 2010.
Cadillac: Combined sales of the Cadillac CTS sedan, coupe and wagon increased 39 percent compared with August 2010. Cadillac reduced its fleet sales by 51 percent.
Buick: August was the brand’s 23rd consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains, and the Regal had its best month since launch, more than doubling sales.
Month-end dealer inventory in the United States was 556,884 units, including 212,520 full-size pickup trucks. GM is on track to meet its target of ending 2011 with a full-size pickup inventory of about 200,000 units, thanks to improved sales, which were up 10 percent compared with July, and production adjustments. GM is closely monitoring consumer sentiment and other economic indicators but the company continues to expect that the full-year seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) for U.S. vehicle sales will be in the low end of a 13.0 million – 13.5 million unit range.
One other issue that Diana Tremblay was asked about in the wrapup meeting was the status of national negotiations (in addition to being Vice President of Global Manufacturing she is in charge of Labor Relations). She said that most of what the press was reporting was not true and she didn’t know who these “people close to the negotiations” were because those folks were not speaking with the press. She also said that she would be “amazed” if the contract was settled early, although she didn’t rule it out entirely. The last thing she wanted was a hasty contract that got ratified that the parties had to spend the next 4 years trying to figure out what had been agreed too. With that said, here is a report from the Detroit News on negotiations: Talks also appear to be in full swing at General Motors Co., where another round of hourly buyouts is being discussed at the bargaining table, sources familiar with these negotiations said. GM-UAW negotiations haven't yet gone late into the night, nor spilled into the weekend, and topics at the bargaining table remain in the "idea phase," said one person close to the talks. "Talks continue as both the UAW and GM work on issue important to employees and our business," GM spokeswoman Kim Carpenter said, declining further comment. The UAW also declined comment. UAW President Bob King, however, told at least one GM union official to be ready to meet in Detroit late next week. King didn't specify the purpose of the visit. But typically, local union leaders are called to Detroit when the national bargaining team has reached a tentative agreement. GM and the UAW also are discussing another buyout program for factory workers, even as the company adds thousands of jobs. It's unclear whether the buyouts would be offered companywide or target certain plants or skilled trades. Sources said talks on the buyouts are preliminary and among many options being discussed.
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer: About 4,500 GM autoworkers in Lordstown will be working some unexpected extra hours as General Motors struggles to keep the popular Chevrolet Cruze on dealer lots. "That's the demand that's out there," said GM spokesman Tom Mock. "We're building them as fast as we can." "There's definitely a shortage" of Cruze models on dealership lots, said Steve "Zap" Zapotechne, owner of Brunswick's eInventoryNow.com, an Internet-based business that lets GM dealers swap cars with each other. Zapotechne monitors GM's inventory levels and said the Cruze has been in short supply since April. Jim Cain, a spokesman for GM's Chevrolet brand, said the company tries to match plant production with market demand, but Lordstown can't produce vehicles fast enough. "It's a good problem to have," Cain said. The automaker plans to release August sales figures on Thursday, and Cain said it expects the Cruze to top the 20,000-vehicle mark for the fourth consecutive month. And that's not including the several thousand models that got to Canada and Mexico each month. The Cruze has been the best-selling compact in the country since May and was the best-selling car of any size in June.
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