State of the Union October 28, 2011

Oct. 28, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

Reminder to Skilled Trades employees: Starting Monday, Oct. 31, management will survey our skilled trades departments on their availability for weekends and holidays through the end of the year. This is only a survey. This does not lock you in nor does it prevent you from accepting later if you become available. This survey will allow management to properly schedule work pertaining to the rerate in order to have second shift to run on Jan. 3, 2012. If you have any further questions concerning this survey please contact your committeeman.

There has been some confusion about having unused vacation hours at the end of the year. To clarify, any unused vacation hours, either VP or VR, will be paid the first week of February, 2012. You do not need to use all of your vacation time as a result of the new National Agreement. However, any vacation time that is scheduled can only be cancelled by mutual agreement.

Here are some excerpts from a Bob King interview with the Detroit Free Press:
How meaningful is it that two years after GM and Chrysler's bankruptcy, these agreements will add jobs?
"President (Barack) Obama went out on a limb to support American companies and American workers and ... we came back in great style, and we are repaying the American taxpayers and repaying President Obama for his faith in us."
Were you worried about the vote at Ford, which ended up passing with 63% of workers voting yes?
Calling the vote "very rocky," King said: "If you take out the results from the first couple of plants, the percentage was really high."
Were your negotiations with Chrysler a disappointment compared with GM and Ford?
"I felt like at all three of them, we really did some good, creative problem solving. Chrysler's management is in a much tougher position in terms of cash, and so you would expect it to be more difficult."
Did GM CEO Dan Akerson's routine meetings with you make a difference?
"I think it made a big difference. I give Dan a lot of credit. Steve Girsky, Cathy Clegg -- their whole team. They really were open and transparent and worked together to solve problems."