Friday, September 30, 2011

State of the Union September 30, 2011

Sept. 30, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

•    From Chairman Mike Bullock: Brothers and Sisters: The Bellefontaine Neighbors Police Department is having their annual Backstoppers BBQ on October 8th from 9:30am to 7:00 pm at the corner of Bellefontaine and Chambers Rd. The Backstoppers organization collects money to help families of fallen Police and Firefighters. Last year they collected a net of $3000. Let’s try to help them top that this year. Body shop employee Scott Riley's son Mike is a member of the Bellefontaine Neighbors Police Department and will be manning the grills.
•    Second shift update: Anyone interested in transferring to another department (63b) or changing shifts needs to get their applications in by next Friday, Oct. 7. After that date there will be a freeze on these applications to help facilitate placing people whose jobs will be eliminated in the derate and staffing of second shift. Also if you are interested in being a team leader or a core team member you need to get your application in so you can get tested as there will be additions to both groups. The job bidding process will take place prior to any national hire employees arriving here. As has been the case, any primary job bid locks you in place for 90 days and any shift transfer locks you in for 6 months. When transferring to another department you need to realize that seniority will determine which shift you will be on. The freeze will on 63b and shift preference will last through Jan. 3. There will be more information to come on timing.
•    From the Detroit News: Despite the stock market's swings and bad global economic news, auto sales held steady in September, auto executives and analysts said. But they're reviewing their predictions for the fourth quarter amid signs that the economic recovery is losing momentum. "There are buyers who've delayed their purchase decision about as long as they could," said Jeff Schuster, director of global forecasting at J.D. Power and Associates. He said pent-up demand bolstered September sales, which he estimates rose 9 percent from year-earlier levels. Automakers are scheduled to issue monthly sales on Monday. On an annual basis, the selling rate climbed to an estimated 12.9 million cars and light trucks from 12.1 million in August and 11.7 million a year ago, J.D. Power said. A better gauge of consumer sentiment — retail sales, or sales to individuals through dealerships — are expected in September to have reached the highest level since April, before the Japanese ran short of cars and car parts, J.D. Power estimated. But while consumers appeared to be in a resilient mood in September, Schuster said, "The test will be, can this continue through the end of the year, or does it run out of steam?"
•    Edmunds “Inside Line” did a review of the Chevy Sonic LTZ (built at Lake Orion) and came away very impressed. “Given its excellent electric-assisted power steering, medium-firm brake pedal and intuitive clutch, we observed a consistency in this Chevy that Porsche engineers strive to achieve: matched effort in all driver controls…a revelation… Besides class-leading horsepower, the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic's turbocharged engine provides a welcome characteristic utterly absent in the subcompact world: torque. Producing a stout 148 lb-ft of twisting force at just 2,500 rpm, the Sonic's 1.4 turbo practically loafs compared to the Fiesta and Fit's naturally aspirated engines that need to be near full boil to make their peak torque at 5,000 rpm and 4,800 rpm, respectively. This low-rpm drivability around town in the Sonic is unique and is one of the reasons the competition needs to worry…Interior materials quality is very good… The design of the Sonic's cockpit is intuitive and well labeled — something we cannot say of either the Honda Fit or Ford Fiesta…Name a category and the Sonic either matches or dominates its competitors. The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ Hatchback doesn't need to be this good to fill the subcompact corner of the Chevy dealership. But we believe both this segment and sales of the Chevy Sonic are about to explode simultaneously…The last time we had such a strong impression of a game-changing car was when we drove the first Honda Fit. Four years later, the 2012 Chevy Sonic is set to redefine the segment with its performance, comfort, content and safety.” The as-tested price of the Sonic LTZ was $18,890 and included the 1.4 liter turbo 4-cylinder (40 mpg hwy), 10 air bags, 17 aluminum wheels and satellite radio w/bluetooth and 6 speakers.
•    From the Car Connection: While radar-based collision detection systems aren’t new, General Motors is the first automaker to debut a simpler, more economical camera-based system. The camera will also provide drivers with a lane departure warning system, and it’s now an affordable option on the 2012 GMC Terrain crossover. The collision alert system, which operates at speeds above 25 miles per hour, uses a windshield-mounted high-resolution digital camera to capture some 14 frames per second. Each frame is analyzed by an image-processing algorithm to determine the change in position of objects in view. If the system detects a car in front, it signals the driver with a green icon; follow too closely, and that green icon changes to a solid red warning bar. Close on a vehicle in front too quickly, and that red bar will flash, an audible alert will sound and the Terrain will pre-charge its braking system to reduce stopping distances. That’s simplifying it a bit, since the system also takes into consideration speed, directional change, accelerator position and brake pedal position before calculating whether or not a warning is required. For rush hour commuting, warning range can be adjusted to accommodate traffic flow, or the system can be disabled entirely by the driver. The camera also senses the Terrain’s position within painted lane markers, at speeds above 35 miles per hour. Deviate from your lane without using a turn signal, and the lane departure warning icon changes from green to flashing amber, accompanied by a series of beeps. The camera and associated processing software is smart enough to function day or night, but can be affected by snow or mud obscuring the lens. Unlike radar-based systems, which can add thousands of dollars to the cost of a vehicle, GM’s camera-based system is a $295 option on the 2012 GMC Terrain.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

State of the Union September 28, 2011

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

• From Chairman Mike Bullock: Local negotiations are heating up and we are hopeful that they will be resolved by the end of the week and have a vote next week. Also, there are 16 members in Fairfax who are eligible to return that should arrive sometime next month. And efforts are underway to start the National Hire process to identify the workers who wish to transfer here. As more details for second shift preparation are finalized we will communicate them.

•Voting on the national agreement concludes at 10 am this morning. Here are some more results for other facilities around the country:
o UAW Local 2164 Bowling Green – 55% prod. 53% skilled in favor
o UAW Local 977 Marion metal fab – 50.1% prod. 55% skilled in favor
o UAW Local 14 Toledo transmission – 68% yes
o UAW Local 440 Bedford powertrain – 53% yes
o UAW Local 163 Romulus engine – 60% no
o UAW Local 23 Indianapolis metal center – 59% no

From Automotive News: General Motors will idle its Fort Wayne, Ind., plant for one week in November to adjust to market demand for full-sized pickups, GM spokesman Chris Lee said today. "We make adjustments at our plants based on demand, whether it means adding overtime or in this case taking a down week," Lee wrote today in an e-mail to Automotive News. Early last month, GM canceled Saturday shifts at the Fort Wayne plant for the rest of the year. Later in August, GM canceled five Saturday shifts scheduled for September and October at its Flint, Mich., plant, which also builds large pickups. GM's pickup inventory has declined steadily since the high point in June, falling to 115 days at the end of July and 108 days at the end of August. Next week, GM will disclose its September inventory levels when it reports monthly sales.

From the Detroit Free Press: This week, UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles and Ford are planning "to hold very long negotiating sessions," according to the UAW's Ford Facebook page. They could reach a deal by the end of the week. Settles told local leaders in his Facebook message that they "should begin assembling their strike committees and preparing any documentation regarding strike rules and assistance for our membership, in the event we are forced to call for a strike." After reaching a tentative deal with GM, the UAW decided to focus on Ford rather than on Chrysler. (continued on back)
Difficulties between Chrysler and the UAW became evident in a Sept. 14 letter Chrysler and FiatCEO Sergio Marchionne sent to UAW President Bob King. The following week, Chrysler and the UAW agreed to extend their 2007 labor contract until Oct. 19. Both sides have said that talks are ongoing. On Friday, King and Marchionne met and had "productive discussions," according to the company and the UAW. High-level discussions continued over the weekend. On Monday, Marchionne was in Turkey to celebrate the 600,000th tractor produced by Fiat Industrial.

From Bloomberg: General Motors Co. is now profitable in all of its regional units, Chief Executive Officer Dan Akerson said. That’s a sign of a turnaround for a company whose European Opel unit is still in fix-it mode. Akerson, speaking at Bloomberg’s Dealmakers Summit in New York today, said GM’s global presence was one of the selling points during the company’s initial public offering last year. In July, Akerson squelched rumors that GM planned to sell Opel. GM was correct to have reversed an agreement to sell its European Opel unit in 2009, he said. “It was a bad deal,” Akerson said. “We were giving Europe away.” GM, the largest U.S. automaker, predicts that its European business will be profitable this year, excluding some costs. Losses at the unit were a question mark for investors when the company went public in November 2010. Opel earned $102 million in the second quarter before taxes and interest. The German business unit lost $390 million in the first quarter because of $395 million in goodwill impairment costs. GM’s goal for Europe is to be “profitable by just better than break-even before restructuring charges,” Nick Reilly, president of GM Europe, told reporters Sept. 13 at the Frankfurt auto show. “In 2012, we won’t have those restructuring charges,” Reilly said at the time. “They’re mostly done. We’ll get the full 12-month benefit of the restructuring that we’ve done.”

From the “we already knew that” file comes this from the Wall Street Journal: For years, economists have told Americans worried that cheap Chinese imports will kill jobs that the benefits of trade with China far outweigh its costs. New research suggests the damage to the U.S. has been deeper than these economists have supposed. The study rated every U.S. county for its manufacturers' exposure to competition from China, and found that regions most exposed to China tended not only to lose more manufacturing jobs, but also to see overall employment decline. Areas with higher exposure also had larger increases in workers receiving unemployment insurance, food stamps and disability payments. "There are really huge adjustment costs to local communities that were far worse than people had appreciated," said David Autor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who helped conduct the study. In a 2004 article, the late Nobel Laureate Paul Samuelson argued that while trade may benefit some Americans, it does so by "decimating" the wages of blue-collar factory workers. Princeton University economist and former Federal Reserve Board vice chairman Alan Blinder, once a champion of free trade, in recent years has argued that U.S. firms' increased outsourcing to low-wage countries puts millions of American jobs at risk. Factory job losses were just the beginning. High-exposure areas tended to see employment outside manufacturing fare worse than in low-exposure areas. With fewer high-paying factory jobs supporting the local economy, and a growing pool of former factory workers entering the labor market, nonmanufacturing wages in the high-exposure areas were depressed.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

State of the Union September 27, 2011

Sept. 27, 2011 online at

•    From Chairman Mike Bullock: The roar you may have heard about 8:00 pm last night coming from the Unihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifon Hall was the culmination of 2 long years of cultivating a positive position of securing our future here at Wentzville Assembly Center. WE did it. WE secured the future of our plant well into the 21st century . We could not have done this without the support of the membership. YOU made this happen. Your sacrifices, your determination and you supporting your shop committee. We were determined to prove to the corporation that Wentzville Assembly Center was the plant for them to invest in. I want to personally thank the shop committee for the excellent job they have done. And thank you, the membership, for the outstanding turnout in support of the National Agreement and the New Product Agreement. A lot of us will be now be able to say we retired from the plant that we hired in to.
•    Second shift update: With a line speed reduction to 32 jobs an hour and the addition of the second shift, we will bring in roughly 445 more employees. Meetings are being held to finalize the timetable of activities, but we should be on 2 shifts the first week of January. In preparation for the second shift, if you wish to transfer to another department, you need to go to personnel and get your request on file. If you wish to transfer to another shift, see your group leader to submit your transfer.
•    Here is this week’s build information: 120 E-26 vans; 139 YF7s; 75 r/h door deletes; 225 exports; 458 cutaways; 352 slider doors; 99 diesels; 298 Onstar; 31 brake deck spare tire; 61 Enterprise rent-a-car; 83.7% white vans.
•    From the Chaplaincy Committee: All are welcome to join the Chaplaincy Committee Wed., Sept. 28 at the Flagpoles in front of the plant for “See You At The Pole”. Times are 5:30 am, lunchtime, 4:30 pm and 5:40 pm (or 10 minutes after the longest line time).
•    Here are some voting results from other plants around the country:
o UAW Local 1853 Spring Hill – 83% yes
o UAW Local 1714 Lordstown Stamping – 57% yes
o UAW Local 652 Lansing Grand River – 61% yes
o UAW Local 651 Flint metal fab – 88% yes
o UAW Local 2209 Ft. Wayne – 55%
o UAW Local 276 Arlington – 76%
o UAW Local 599 Flint Powertrain – 65% yes
o UAW Local 598 Flint Assembly – majority in favor
o UAW Local 909 Warren Transmission – majority in favor
o UAW Local 239 Baltimore Powertrain – majority in favor
o UAW Local 1005 Parma metal fab – 72% yes
o UAW Local 653 Pontiac – 76% prod. 73% skilled yes
o UAW Local 602 Lansing Delta Township – 66% prod. 57% skilled - no



Imo's Pizza & GM make a great team!We appreciate your business! Just for Wentzville GM Plant Employees!30% off all orders, any size for delivery ($8.00 minimum), dine-in,or carry-out (just show your ID badge).
*This discount can not be combined with any other coupons, discounts, or special offers. *Only offered at the Wentzville / Lake St. Louis 1798 Mall Parkway Imo's Pizza location.If possible, please try to combine delivery orders together. Also please make every effort to be waiting for the driver when they arrive, or leave payment with someone who can. Thank you! Again, we appreciate your continued business
and look forward to serving you soon!For orders please call 636 327-IMOS (4667)Thank you - Kevin Cook, Owner

State of the Union September 26, 2011

NEW PRODUCT AGREEMENT INTERPRETATION

Available online at www.uawlocal2250.com
From Chairman Mike Bullock: I want to further explain the tentative language in the agreement for the New Product.

1. Ring Road 3rd Party: This language would allow vendors to build their facility along the ring road surrounding the main Wentzville Assembly Center. These buildings would not be attached to our 4 walls. No existing work that we perform now would be relocated to these vendors. GM has agreed to a “neutrality statement” in our ability to organize them into the UAW.
2.Sequencing: The work we would like to bring back into the plant is the work currently being done at outside vendors, like Wainwright. Any work brought back in house will be done by our membership.
3.Rack Repair: The racks we are talking about here are racks that deliver material to the line. Most of these racks are owned by the outside vendors and they currently repair them.
4.Scrap Loading and Hauling: When scrap racks are being salvaged, currently our skilled trades load it onto a trailer – under this language the salvager will load the scrap.
5.GMIT Work Assignments: Currently skilled trades delivers computers and printers to the line – with this language computers and printers will be delivered by HP. All electrical drops and IT cable drops will still be done by our trades.
6. Safety Glass Options: Bifocals will no longer be “no-line”.
7. 63b Transfer Process: Instead of putting in for 6 departments like we currently do and then watch the board to remove your application if you don’t want to go to an opening, the process now will be all63b openings would be posted at the front doors and the departmental job bid boards from Thursday through Tuesday. If interested, you would fill out an application and submit. Highest seniority will be given the transfer.

These changes to our local contract were tentatively agreed to in order to ensure Wentzville Assembly Center would be selected for the New Product. This agreement will not result in the reduction of any employees, skilled or production, at Wentzville Assembly Center. I am asking for your support in approving these changes.

Friday, September 23, 2011

State of the Union September 22, 2011

Sept. 22, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

Attention: The polls will be open for the ratification vote on Monday, Sept. 26 from 4 am until 30 minutes after the last informational meeting. The schedule for those meetings is 7am, 1pm, 3pm and 15 minutes after the longest first shift line time. This vote is not for the local agreement, just the national agreement.

Information booklets should arrive at the Union Hall at noon and will be distributed as soon as possible. Both the information book and the contract language are available at www.uaw.org.

The UAW issued two statements yesterday regarding negotiations with Chrysler and Ford:
o Today the UAW and Chrysler Group LLC agreed to extend the current collective bargaining agreement while we continue negotiating toward a tentative agreement. The current contract extension was set to expire today. The UAW will not provide further comment regarding negotiations or speculate about timing or the potential outcome of these negotiations at this time.
o The UAW will focus its attention on Ford Motor Co. in negotiations for a tentative agreement. Also today, the UAW and Chrysler Group LLC agreed to an additional extension of the current collective bargaining agreement while continuing to negotiate toward a tentative agreement.
The UAW will not provide further comment regarding negotiations or speculate about timing or the potential outcome of these negotiations at this time.

Ford issued this statement: "We look forward to working with the UAW on a new tentative agreement that is fair to our employees and allows Ford to become more competitive." UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles issued this statement: “I am proud to announce that we have been chosen as the next department to begin the final stages of negotiations and not Chrysler… I can tell you that our negotiators have already been working hard in subcommittee meetings, and they are anxious as am I to begin intense discussions with the company and work toward a tentative agreement." There was no comment from Chrysler regarding the contract extension.

Here are some more questions and answers about the tentative agreement:

Q. What about the ‘use it or lose it” vacation clause?
A. That clause will end on the effective date of the agreement – Sept. 15. Any vacation hours you have remaining at the end of the year will be paid no later than Feb. 1 next year. VR hours were maintained in the tentative agreement. Regarding two-week summer shutdown, management must make a determination in the month of February about which, if any, weeks will be for summer shutdown. Those weeks must be scheduled during the May – August time period.

Q. What will be the work schedule when we go to 2 shifts?
A. We will remain on the alternative work schedule, which is 4-10 hour days and 2 out of 3 Fridays maximum. We anticipate working fewer Fridays with 2 shifts of production.

Q. What about eligibility for the signing bonus?
A. You must be an active worker, or not on a sick leave of more than 90 days prior to the effective date of the agreement, which is Sept.15.

Q. Are dental and vision coverage being reinstated for retirees?
A. Retiree medical benefits are controlled by the Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA), and are not part of these negotiations. An independent board of trustees determines the level of coverage. We have been told that an update on those benefits is coming sometime next month.

Q. What is the attrition package for skilled trades?
A. Eligible skilled trades employees who take the package between November 1 and March 31 will receive $65,000 plus $10,000.

Q. Will employees who took the 3-year, $30,000 transfer relocation package be able to come back any sooner than 3 years?
A. No.

Q. If I don’t go and vote on Monday, is that counted as a “yes” vote or a “no” vote?
A. This a persistent myth. Only the votes that are cast are the ones counted. There are no automatic votes, either yes or no.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

State of the Union September 21, 2011

Sept. 21, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com


•Today all the bargaining committee members and top executive board members, along with the Document 46 appointees are meeting in Memphis to get more details about the tentative agreement. You will be advised tomorrow of the times of the ratification meetings on Monday, Sept. 26 as well as when you will be able to vote on the agreement. Information books will be handed out as soon as they arrive.

•Reminder: The deadline to purchase a UAW/GM Makings Strides T-Shirt is Monday, Sept. 26. They are $10 apiece ($15 for 5x) and $4.20 of that will be donated to the American Cancer Society in UAW/GM Wentville Assembly’s name. You can also register to walk and donate more online. The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in St. Louis is October 29that 9am in Forrest Park. If you would like to purchase a UAW/GM T-Shirt there are forms available at all Entrances. If you would like to donate online and/or sign up to walk you can go to http://makingstrides.acsevents.organd search for GM/UAW Wentville Assembly Team. If you want or need more information you can contact Pat Workman, Becky Schieffer, Kandi Kinsler, or Tamara Harris.

•The October production schedule has been released and it has daily production of 10.3 or 469 units with Friday, Oct. 14 off. This is subject to change.

•If you did not get a letter or failed to register on the uawgmnow.com website, you can do so by sending an email message to info@uawgmnow.com. Be sure to include your name, address and your plant location. Your username and password will be sent to your email address.
Colorado concept

There are understandably a lot of questions about the tentative agreement. We obviously don’t have all the answers but here’s a little help:
Q. How much has GM North American operations earned so far this year?
A. Through the first six months of the year, GMNA has earned $5.147 billion, which includes a $1.6 billion one-time gain from the sale of GM’s Class A Membership Interests in Delphi Automotive LLP. Automotive operations have earned $3.5 billion, thus the minimum profit sharing payment of $3500 from the contract information book.

Q. Are Premier employees covered by this agreement?
A. No, they are not covered by the UAW/GM master agreement.

Q. Are Wentzville entry level employees in wage group B or C?
A. All entry level employees working here are in group B.

•GM Media press release: Chevrolet‘s highly anticipated new-generation Colorado has been put through final testing in Thailand as General Motors prepares to produce the midsize pickup in its Rayong assembly plant. Thailand will be the first country to introduce the new Colorado. The model lineup will feature crew-cab and extended-cab variants powered by GM’s new fuel-efficient, four-cylinder Duramax diesel engines (2.5 and 2.8 liter which feature overhead cams, turbocharging and durable aluminum cylinder heads for high levels of refinement and durability ). Chevrolet Colorado Chief Engineer Roberto Rempel said his team finessed GM’s successful truck formula to ensure the new Colorado meets local market needs in Southeast Asia and abroad. Rempel and his team lived in Thailand during the Colorado’s development, immersing themselves in the highly competitive truck market and observing how Thais use their vehicles and the driving conditions they experience. “The hard work for this program has been done, and we are incredibly pleased with the results,” Rempel said. “This is a world-class truck that will appeal to buyers not just in the heavily concentrated truck markets of Southeast Asia, but around the world. “We know customers of this type of vehicle want a workhorse and a daily-use vehicle all in one, so our product has to deliver. We have bench marked the toughest, most flexible vehicles around the world,” Rempel said. “When you combine that approach with our detailed consideration of global expectations, we are confident the new Colorado will be a winner.”

State of the Union September 21, 2011 Special Notice

Informational/Ratification Meeting

for the

2011 UAW-GM National Agreement


There will be an Informational/Ratification Meeting on Monday, September 26, 2011, at 7:00 AM, 1:00 P.M., 3:00 P.M. and 15 minutes after longest dayshift line time at the Union Hall. Three International Representatives will be present to explain and answer any questions regarding the 2011 UAW-GM National Agreement.

Local 2250 members may vote on the National Agreement on Monday, September 26, 2011, from 5:00 A.M. until 7:00 P.M.
Please make every effort at attend!

State of the Union September 20, 2011

Special Edition
From Chairman Mike Bullock: It’s official –

Wentzville is getting a shift added and a new mid-size pickup!!!! Up to 1850 jobs will be added to the plant!! At this time, we are unaware of the exact timeline for the return of the second shift or the launch of the new product – both pending ratification of agreements. Information books are being shipped today to the Union Hall and ratification meetings will be held on Monday, Sept. 26 with representatives from the International Union.

Much more information to come.

Monday, September 19, 2011

State of the Union September 19, 2011

Sept. 19, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

From Chairman Mike Bullock: A lot of speculation has been made in the media of what the new National Contract entails. The International Union is not releasing any official information until they meet with the GM Council (Presidehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifnt and Chairman) on Tuesday at 9 am. A detailed explanation of the contract will then be given to the Key 4 of the Executive Board, International appointments and the Shop Committee on Wednesday in Memphis. We hope to have "Highlight" handouts when we return from Memphis. The Shop Committeeman will return to the bargaining table on Thursday to continue negotiating our local agreement. If there are any Division 1 employees who have a UAW Skilled Trades Journeyman card, please contact your committeeman to fill out an information form.

From President Van Simpson: The monthly Union meeting has been changed from Wednesday to Tuesday. Times will remain the same, 7:15am, 1pm, 3pm, and 15 minutes after the latest line time. This will be the monthly business meeting, a meeting will be announced later to discuss and vote on the contract. This change was made to accommodate the meetings in Detroit and Memphis of the key Union officers. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

From the Chaplaincy Committee: There will be an in-plant memorial for Arturo “Art” Robinson on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at lunchtime in the audit room, final process at column D-56

Here is this week’s build information: 110 E-26 vans; 143 15-pass vans; 96 slider doors; 366 cutaways; 97 YF7s; 97 r/h door delete; 48 diesels; 468 Enterprise rent-a-car; 65 SW Bell; 156 exports; 287 On-star; 82.6% white vans.

Here is the joint statement from Joe Ashton and Cathy Clegg: When we kicked off negotiations at Detroit-Hamtramck on July 27, both parties agreed to take a problem-solving approach to reach an agreement that met the needs of both employees and the company. We are pleased to inform you that we have reached a tentative agreement that:
•    Creates thousands of new jobs
•    Rewards employees when the company prospers, and
•    Supports the UAW-GM team members who are so important to building high quality cars and trucks, as well as the stampings, powertrains, components and service parts that are so important to our customers.
As most of you know, the next step is for representatives from the International UAW to visit each plant and explain the tentative agreement more fully before asking the members to vote on ratification. We appreciate the hard work of the Top Committee as well as the Labor Relations Team – both spent many long hours discussing our business. We also know that many of the locals continue to bargain with the plant management team. The UAW will make details of the tentative agreement available to UAW-GM hourly employees at uawgmnow.com. We have come so far since the financial crisis of 2009 and this tentative agreement is an important next step for both the UAW and GM.
Here is the UAW Press Release regarding the tentative agreement:
The UAW is pleased to announce that the UAW General Motors National Negotiating Committee, made up of elected representatives from UAW GM locations across the country, reached a tentative agreement with General Motors Co. today at approximately 11 p.m.
"In these uncertain economic times for American workers and faced with the globalization of the economy, the UAW approached these negotiations with new strategies and fought for and achieved some of our major goals for our members, including significant investments and products for our plants," said UAW President Bob King. "First and foremost, as America struggles with record levels of unemployment, we aimed to protect the jobs of our members - to guarantee good American jobs at a good American company. And we have done that. This contract will get our members who have been laid off back to work, will create new jobs in our communities and will bring work back to the United States from other countries," King added.

"When GM was struggling, our members shared in the sacrifice. Now that the company is posting profits again, our members want to share in the success. To be clear, GM is prosperous because of its workers. It's the workers and the quality of the work they do, along with the sacrifices they made, that have returned this company to profitability," said UAW Vice President Joe Ashton, who directs the union's General Motors Department. "The wages and benefits we negotiated in this tentative agreement reflect the fact that it was UAW members who helped turn this company around. "We wanted a contract that provides our members with a real share of the success of the company and ensures its continued success. Our members cannot succeed unless the company succeeds, and we are strongly committed to that joint success, as this contract demonstrates," Ashton added.

Details of the proposed agreement are being withheld until UAW members have had the opportunity to review it. While not providing specifics of the tentative agreement, a few things are worth highlighting:
• The UAW bargaining committee successfully fought back efforts to make major changes - and weaken - our retirement plan.
• The company proposed major concessions in health care, but the UAW is happy to report that the union not only fought for and protected the health care benefits of its members, but also made some significant improvements to health care benefits. In both pensions and health care, the UAW was able to convince GM that far greater success could be achieved working together than by cutting pensions or health care.
• In addition, the agreement includes improved profit sharing with far greater transparency than in the past.
"We're proud of this agreement and are happy that it truly recognizes that the success of the company is tied to the success of the workers," said King. "As everyone knows, we have had, and will continue to have, some real differences with GM. It's the union's job to fight for workers and protect our members, and we will continue in that fight. To the credit of both parties, we were able to work through our differences and put together an agreement that is good both for our members and for the company. This agreement demonstrates to the anti-collective bargaining crowd that collective bargaining is a positive force for society that benefits both workers and employers. We prove again today that through the collective bargaining process, we can provide decent wages, benefits and employment rights for workers while ensuring quality products and healthy profits for employers. We stand recommitted to our goal of organizing and fighting for all workers in the entire U.S. auto industry.” For decades the UAW played a central role in building America's middle class. At one time, all American auto workers were members of the UAW. "We are proud of this tentative agreement and what we have achieved, but as long as unionized workers are being forced to compete with nonunion workers who in most cases receive lower pay and benefits - many in temporary jobs - there will continue to be a downward pressure on the wages and benefits of all autoworkers," King said. "The pathway to rebuilding America's middle class and creating long-term job security for all American autoworkers must include organizing workers at the foreign-owned automakers operating without unions in the United States. We stand recommitted to that goal today. Finally, let's be completely clear about this: None of this would have been possible without the efforts of President Obama, who invested federal funds to help turn the company around, protect the auto supplier base and keep good-paying jobs in America."

Friday, September 16, 2011

Sept. 16, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com


From Chairman Mike Bullock: As you know, an extension has been agreed to in national negotiations, and talks are ongoing. I have had no conversation with the International Union about the status of negotiations and the information I’m getting is from the UAWGMNOW.com website. This information is direct from VP Joe Ashton. I received the following message this morning: “ I am happy to inform our membership that we are getting very close to a framework for an agreement that will bring our negotiations to a successful conclusion. Labor agreements of this magnitude undergo numerous changes and revisions as the language becomes finalized. I am very optimistic that the negotiations process is entering its final stage. The members of your local unions who were elected to the UAW GM National Negotiating Committee have been instrumental in bringing your issues from the shop floor to the bargaining table. I would like to thank you, the membership, for your wisdom in sending such an outstanding team to represent you. I truly believe that a settlement is within reach.”
Any speculation by the media is just that – speculation. Regarding local negotiations, we are meeting and have also agreed to extend our deadline. Several issues have been resolved while several more still remain.
Finally, our “dancing robots” will be going on tour. Fairfax, whose open house is next week, has asked (begged) to have the robots featured there, so they will be heading west along with electrician and ace programmer Richard Smock.

Reminder: This year’s SOS “Support Our Soldiers” motorcycle ride and rally will be Saturday Sept. 17. Registration begins at 9:30 am at the Union Hall with last bike out at 11 am. Cost is $20 per bike, $5 per passenger and $5 for each extra hand. Proceeds go to Operation Homefront and Operation Undergarment. You can contact Steve Melson at 636-262-1234 or Judy Guzdial at 636-373-0730 for any questions.

Rather than give you the most recent stories from the various media outlets regarding national negotiations (and there isn’t anything worth repeating anyway), here are some more comments from UAW Vice President Joe Ashton on the uawgmnow website: “The press continues to simultaneously speculate and speak with authority about the terms of the agreement. However, as many of you know, their interest is to spark controversy in order to sell papers or increase viewership… We are going to remain true to our traditions while providing you with as much information as possible once a settlement is reached and has been approved by the UAW-GM Council. We ask that you be patient once a tentative agreement is announced as we will need some time to print the materials that the UAW-GM Council will review. We will be posting those materials on the www.uawgmnow.comwebsite after the Council hasapproved the tentative agreement.”

From Automotive News: The Ram brand will get a commercial van based on the Fiat Ducato large paneled van, supplier sources said at the Frankfurt auto show. Chrysler plans to build 30,000 a year in Mexico, the sources said. Chrysler already builds Ram heavy-duty pickups in Saltillo, Mexico. The van will fill a hole in Chrysler Group's commercial vehicle business that was created when the company stopped selling the Dodge Sprinter vans, produced by Mercedes-Benz, after the DaimlerChrysler divorce in 2009. Ram brand spokesman David Elshoff had no comment on the plans. The Ducato-based van is likely to arrive in 2013. It will be the larger of two Fiat-based commercial vans in the Ram portfolio. On Sept. 9, Fiat and its Turkish joint venture, Tofas Turk Otomobil Fabrikasi, said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on a seven-year deal to supply the Ram brand with 190,000 units of a smaller van based on the Fiat Doblo. The Doblo-based model will compete with the Ford Transit Connect, which also is made at a Turkish factory.

As mentioned in yesterday’s State of the Union, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne was upset that Bob King had chosen to focus on negotiations with GM at Chrysler’s expense. This snub resulted in a terse letter from him to King that many of you have probably read, and has driven much speculation about what it really means. Tom Walsh of the Detroit Free Press takes a swing at it: “Puzzled observers of the quadrennial bargaining ritual were trying Thursday to decipher answers to these two questions: Is there a dangerous problem lurking here, an impasse that could scuttle UAW-Chrysler talks and send the two sides to binding arbitration on key economic issues? Or is this just a fleeting moment of Sergio being Sergio, the imperial globe-trotting CEO tossing a hissy fit because King didn't drop everything to meet as soon as the Chrysler chief jetted into town from the Frankfurt Motor Show? It's tempting to shrug off Wednesday night's letter as a bit of bluster and theater from Marchionne. It wouldn't be the first time he has traded barbs with a UAW leader. In early 2009, as the terms of the Chrysler rescue were being jawboned, Marchionne lectured King's predecessor Ron Gettelfinger on the need for autoworkers to accept a "culture of poverty" instead of a "culture of entitlement," according to former federal auto task force chief Steven Rattner's book "Overhaul." Rattner and others have also cited episodes of Marchionne spewing colorful epithets at both UAW leaders and his own Chrysler executives. Still, it would be unwise to dismiss Marchionne's letter, in which he said that he and King failed Chrysler's workers by not finalizing a deal before the expiration date of the old pact, as mere posturing. For example, if the UAW strikes a deal first with GM on wages and benefits, that could hurt Chrysler's leverage if it was threatening to force arbitration on an issue such as health care co-pays. Make no mistake, forcing key issues to arbitration could be just as harmful as a strike. It would almost certainly trigger lawsuits and might take 12-18 bitter months to resolve. Perhaps Marchionne is merely making noise to ensure that Chrysler is not an afterthought to the UAW in these talks. "I know we are the smallest of the three automakers here in Detroit," he wrote to King, "but that does not make us less relevant. Our people are no less relevant."

Thursday, September 15, 2011

State of the Union September 15, 2011

Sept. 15, 2011 online at



From Chairman Mike Bullock: Thanks to everyone who helped make yesterday’s Open House a big success. We had over 7000 people attend despite the lousy weather. It was good to see all the smiles on workers’ faces between 8 and 9 am when you got a chance to see what was going on. If we could get just a third of our visitors into GM products it could make a big difference. I’m told that over 500 people took part in the ride-and-drive even though the rain limited participation, which could lead to hundreds of potential sales. The “UAW and the One Day Wonders” band did a great job of entertaining our guests and creating a festive atmosphere.
Regarding national negotiations, a message from Joe Ashton was posted on the uawgmnow.com website that reads: “On Wednesday, September 14, the UAW and General Motors agreed to extend the expiration of the National Agreement. Talks between the parties are continuing and we are hopeful that an agreement can be reached soon. While we have made significant progress, we have not been able to secure a new agreement that we would recommend for ratification. We will continue to bargain in good faith and represent the UAW-GM membership to the best of our ability. As soon as we reach a tentative agreement, we will post a statement at the uawgmnow.com website. At the 1947 UAW Convention, UAW President Walter Reuther summed it well, “while the road will be rough, we can meet the test.” We appreciate your patience and continued support.” As soon as we get word that there is a tentative agreement we will let you know.
Finally, the Wentzville Board of Aldermen passed a resolution last night that would exempt property taxes for 10 years for an estimated $290 million in upgrades to the plant. Apparently GM representatives told the city that the proposed investment would be much higher than that. All around it was a great day for us.

From the Detroit Free Press: Talks between the UAW and General Motors resumed this morning at 10 a.m. after both sides paused at 1:15 a.m. short of reaching a tentative agreement. Negotiators had hoped to reach a GM deal by midnight Wednesday, people familiar with the talks had said. The union had chosen GM as its lead automaker to negotiate, as UAW President Bob King concentrated on GM talks on Wednesday.
That decision irked ChryslerCEO Sergio Marchionne, who had flown back from Germany Tuesday night to meet with King, planning to finish the contract on Wednesday. After shuttling between GM and Chrysler since Labor Day, King is now focused on settling with GM first. Extending contracts beyond a deadline – in this case 11:59 p.m. Wednesday -- is typical for UAW negotiations. Since 1990, the UAW has taken an average of 3.7 days past the contract expiration to announce the first deal with a Detroit automaker, according to Kristin Dziczek, director of the labor and industry group for the Center for AutomotiveResearch. The Detroit Three have so far bargained with the UAW for about seven weeks. In 2007, the union took more than two months to reach a deal at GM, 2.5 months at Chrysler and more than three months at Ford.

Open House feedback: There was a great article about the Open House by Lisa Brown of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. While she was here she was very impressed with everything and everyone she saw. Camera crews and reporters from channels 2, 4 and 5 were also here and ran stories on their news programs. We will get a compilation of those stories to run on the monitors. Here are some of the comments from our visitors yesterday (from as far away as Brentwood, Tennessee and Detroit) who signed the guestbook:
o “Thanks. It was amazing.”
o “Bring on the jobs!”
o “We loved it! So American and makes us proud!”
o “God bless the USA!”
o “Awesome! God bless all you workers!”
o “Made in America – forever!”
o “Loved it! Hope I can work here someday.”
o From a grade schooler – “If I worked here I would love my job! Cool!”
o Another young boy – “Wow! GM is cool!”

Many people commented that they would like to see open house events more often. Virtually every comment was positive.

From the Tennessean: Local and regional union officials, Spring Hill plant workers and retirees said they were optimistic, if not confident, that their main goal for the negotiations — the reopening the vehicle assembly line — would be included in a pact. “I hope Spring Hill will get some good news out of the negotiations, but that’s all I can say about that right now,” said Mike Herron, chairman of UAW Local 1853 at Spring Hill. The plant hasn’t closed completely. There are about 1,100 hourly workers still employed there making GM’s popular four-cylinder engines, as well as body panels and plastic parts for a number of vehiclesassembled at other plants. A $500 million upgrade of the engine production facility is under way, which will add about 500 jobs over the next few months. “Job security is what we need most,” Herron said. “We’ve seen how devastating it is to this community to have (lost) a product. There is a multiplier effect. There are seven to 10 jobs created outside the plant for every new job we get in the plant.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

State of the Union September 12, 2011

Sept. 12, 2011 online at

•    FROM THE DESK OF VICE PRESIDENT JOE ASHTON
Negotiations Update #2

All 13 subcommittees are continuing to meet with management and are moving to resolve their issues. Despite what is printed in the press, there has been no agreement with regard to the economic package. Another example of shoddy journalism appeared in the Detroit Free Press last Sunday. The article stated “disgruntled workers have already voted out swaths of union leadership at their new factory homes, such as Flint Truck or Fairfax, Kansas.” In fact, at both the locations cited by the Free Press, both the Bargaining Chairpersons and their committees were re-elected. Please do not take what you read in the press as what will be presented when we reach a tentative agreement.
The process for ratification will begin with the announcement of a tentative agreement. If you have signed up to receive e-mail notifications at www.uawgmnow.com, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a tentative agreement has been reached. The next step involves the approval of the contract by the UAW-GM Council, which is composed of Presidents and Shop Chairs from all the locals. They will convene in Detroit to review the agreement and vote to approve or reject. Upon their approval, the information about the agreement will be available at www.uawgmnow.com. The next step will be the ratification meetings that will be held at local union halls. Finally, voting will take place at all the locals.
Thanks to all who have registered with www.uawgmnow.com. We are making progress towards reaching a settlement. We will continue to post negotiation updates as events warrant.


Reminder: Parking lots 4 and 5 (to the right or west of the main entrance) will be closed at the end of the shift today to prepare for the open house. These lots will reopen on Thursday. Also, employee handicap parking will be available at the front of lot 6 (chassis lot) the day of the open house. The rest of the lot will be for visitor parking.

Here is this week’s build information: 150 E-26 vans; 200 slider doors; 196 r/h door deletes; 237 exports; 121 diesels; 72 15-pass vans; 289 Onstar; 149 YF7s; 17 brake deck spare tire; 314 Enterprise cargo vans; 457 cutaways; 81.4% white vans.

The UAW/GM is participating in the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, which is a nationwide event. You can contribute in many ways. You can purchase a UAW/GM Makings Strides T-Shirt and $4.20 of that will be donated to the American Cancer Society in UAW/GM Wentville Assembly’s name. All Cash donations will be accepted as well. The money raised from this event helps patients purchase wigs, provides transportation to and from chemo treatments, helps fund the Hope House in St. Louis, and supports cancer research to name a few. There are 18 local researchers here in St. Louis. The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in St. Louis is October 29th at 9am in Forrest Park. If you would like to purchase a UAW/GM T-Shirt there are forms available at all Entrances. If you would like to donate online and/or sign up to walk you can go to http://makingstrides.acsevents.organd search for GM/UAW Wentville Assembly Team. If you want or need more information you can contact Pat Workman, Becky Schieffer, Kandi Kinsler, or Tamara Harris.

From the International Union UAW: Let’s send a strong message to Congress and demand that they put people to work on the work that needs doing! We have millions of people without jobs and millions of things that need fixing. Let’s put people back to work on repairing America’s infrastructure. Not only will it give our economy, the unemployed and working families a desperately-needed boost, but it’s also the only way to reduce the deficit in the long run. If you agree that creating good jobs is a higher priority than cutting government spending, add your name to our petition. We’ll deliver our petition to members of Congress and demand a sustainable good jobs creation program NOW! America wants to do the work that needs doing. Go to www.uaw.orgto sign the online petition that will be delivered to members of Congress.

From the Detroit News: Negotiators for the United Auto Workers union, General Motors Co. and ChryslerGroup LLC met Sunday, but no breakthroughs were reported as the clock ticks down toward Wednesday night's contract deadline. GM bargainers spent the weekend at the table meeting into the evening on Saturday and again on Sunday. UAW President Bob King was in and out of the GM sessions, which are taking place at the GM-UAW's human resources center in Detroit. In a report Friday, Barclays Capital said it thinks larger profit-sharing checks, as well as wage increases of about $2 an hour for second-tier workers, wouldn't scare off investors. A $2-an-hour raise for lower-paid workers will boost GM's labor costs by $250 million, and Ford's by $230 million during the four-year life of the contract.

From Automotive News: Ford Motor Co. and the UAW will “most probably” need to extend their labor contract beyond its Sept. 14 expiration date, Mark Fields, the company’s president of the Americas, said in an interview in Frankfurt. Fields described negotiations as proceeding smoothly. There was no immediate comment from a UAW spokeswoman.

Friday, September 9, 2011

State of the Union September 9, 2011

Sept. 9, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com


More Open House Info: Radio station WIL (92.3) will be doing a live broadcast from the plant the day of the open house, featuring the Danny Montana show, from 10 am – 2 pm. There will also be a brief interview to promote the event on KSDK Channel 5 on the plaza with plant leadership at 12:30 pm on Monday, Sept. 12. The Post Dispatch is planning to do an article about the Wentzville Assembly Center as well. Other media requests are under consideration and we’ll let you know what, if any, other participation there will be. Regarding the food being prepared by Pete’s Drive In, here is the menu: grilled brats or burgers will be $3; colossal potato chips are $4 for a small order, $6 for a large and $8 for a bag. There will be a GM employee special of $2.50 for a burger or brat and $6 with a small bag of chips and will be available at lunch time.

The following vehicles will be available for the Ride and Drive as well as in a static display for you to check out:
o Chevrolet - Silverado HD 2500, Traverse, Equinox, Malibu, Cruze ECO, Camaro convertible, Volt
o Cadillac – CTS Coupe, CTS-V Coupe, CTS Sedan, Escalade ESV
o GMC – Sierra EXT cab, Acadia Denali, Terrain
o Buick – LaCrosse, Enclave
•    From Reuters: General Motors Co. recognizes that its pension deficit represents a risk to the company that management is hoping to take "off the table" for investors, Vice Chairman Steve Girsky said on Wednesday. The automaker's pension plan in the United States was underfunded by $10.8 billion at the end of June, according to a slide presentation prepared by GM for an investor conference in New York. This does not include some $2 billion in stock the automaker put into the plan in January. Analysts have said the automaker's pension shortfall is among the biggest risks to investors. The recent drop in interest rates compounds these issues because it increases the size of the underfunding. "We want to take the pension risk off the table," Girsky said during the Credit Suisse Automotive & Transportation Conference. Girsky told investors that GM did not know how much it will put into the fund next year. The automaker is not required to make any contributions to its pension fund until 2015. "We don't have to put a penny into this thing until 2015 and there is a long runway from here to there," Girsky said. "That said, we think it's a risk. The idea is to de-risk the company."

A look at field supplies for the competitors to our van reveals that Ford Econoline supplies (excluding passenger vans) have risen 20.7% over July and are up 65% over last August, according to Wards Auto data center. The days supply stands at 65. The passenger version is up 41% over last month and is at 51 days supply. Sprinter supplies were up 6.6% over July and stood at 50 days supply. The Nissan NV supplies were up less than 1% but the days supply was 195, easily the highest days in field number for the entire light truck industry.

From the Detroit Free Press: General Motors' "fortress balance sheet" philosophy has caught on, earning it first place in Morgan Stanley analysts' automotivestock rankings, far above sixth-place Ford. Post-bankruptcy GM is shunning debt and holding onto cash, saying it will decide what to do with some of its $33.8-billion hoard once the economic environment stabilizes. Any payment to its pension fund or as a shareholder dividend would come only if the automaker thinks it has sufficient funding for its future product plans and any possible economic disasters, Chief Financial Officer Dan Ammann has said. That's the philosophy behind the automotive stock rankings Morgan Stanley released Tuesday, which named GM, based in Detroit, and suppliers Johnson Controls, based in Milwaukee, and BorgWarner, based in Auburn Hills, as the analysts' top three "most likely to succeed," regardless of whether the U.S. enters a new recession this year. "A 'fortress GM' strategy enables the company to ride out years of downturn without sacrificing its long-term revival," analyst Adam Jonas wrote. "GM's castle isn't impenetrable, but its walls are high and thick." Fordhas only $8 billion of net cash, or cash minus debt. If the U.S. plunges into a second deep recession, Ford could have more debt than cash within 18 to 24 months, Jonas wrote. The stock rankings come as Morgan Stanley has cut its sales forecast for the coming years. This year, analysts Jonas and Ravi Shanker predicted, U.S. auto sales will number 12.6 million, down from their previous forecast of 13 million but higher than the 11.6 million light vehiclessold last year. Sales will increase to 14 million in 2012 and 15 million in 2013, they said. U.S. light-vehicle sales often hit 16 million before the recession. However, Morgan Stanley lowered its one-year stock price target for GM from $50 to $45, in light of slowing growth. Morgan Stanley also cut Ford's one-year stock price target from $21 to $18.

From Automotive News: Chrysler Group LLC and the United Auto Workers union are discussing a plan that would lift the base wages of entry-level workers at the No. 3. U.S. automaker over time, two people involved in the talks said. The development comes as Fiat-controlled Chrysler and the UAW make progress toward a new contract with less than a week before expiration of the current four-year deal on wages and benefits on Sept. 14. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne could be involved in the contract talks as soon as the weekend, one of the sources said. That would follow a meeting earlier this week between UAW President Bob King and General Motors CEO Dan Akerson. Chrysler, which is controlled by Italian automaker Fiat SpA , has proposed "two to three" models for boosting those wages over time, one of the sources said. The other source said Chrysler has proposed to increase wages to between $16 and $18 an hour. The high end of the $16 to $18 scale would represent a wage increase of more than 20 percent, but stops short of the $19.50 an hour that Volkswagen AG's workers in Chattanooga, Tenn., can make after three years on the job. About 12 percent of Chrysler's 22,800 union-represented workers make the lower second-tier wage.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

State of the Union September 8, 2011

Sept. 6, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com


Open House Update: In order to give employees a chance to participate in some of the activities being offered at the Open House, daily team meetings are being cancelled through Thursday, Sept. 15 and 40 minutes will be added onto the 8 am break that day to give you an hour (8-9 am) to do the ride and drive and check out the various displays. To insure that everyone gets an equal chance to drive a vehicle, the following will be the schedule for the various departments to participate: 8-8:20 – Chassis, Final and Quality; 8:20-8:40 – Body, Paint and Stamping; 8:40-9:00 – Trim and Material (skilled trades will go with the department they are assigned to, or in the first group, whichever applies). There should be 8 opportunities to drive a Chevy Volt in the 20 minute time period so it is being suggested that the department groupings identify who is interested in driving one and draw 8 names from those people. Otherwise it will be first come, first served. There will be a total of 16 vehicles from each brand available to drive on a course set up in lot 4. Also, here is the schedule for parking lot closures next week:
o 9/12/11 through 9/14/11--Lots 1, 2, and 3 - Employee Parking (no changes)
o Monday, 9/12/11, following production, Parking Lot 4 & 5 to be closed. (Lot 4 is immediately to the west or right of the main entrance) Barricades will be placed on roadway blocking lots 4 & 5. (Event set up) All traffic for lot 6 & 7 to enter/exit through Gate 4 (Chassis gate).
o Tuesday, 9/13/11, All Day, Parking Lot 4 & 5 to be closed. Barricades will be blocking roadway blocking lots 4 & 5. (Event set up) All traffic for lot 6 & 7 to enter/exit through Gate 4 (Chassis gate).
o Wednesday, 9/14/11, Parking Lot 4, 5, 6, and South end of Lot 7 closed for event. Parking for employees in Lot #7 north end (closest to Hwy A). All employee traffic to enter/exit through Gate 4 (Chassis gate).

Here is this week’s build information: 264 slider doors; 101 E-26 vans; 51 15-pass vans; 67 brake deck spare tire; 100 diesels; 344 cutaways; 229 Enterprise cargo vans; 176 Onstar; 193 exports; 128 r/h door delete; 90 YF7; 87% white vans

The Women’s Committee Golf tournament for this Saturday is still in need of teams. If you had planned on playing contact Becky Schieffer, Karen Jones or any other committee member. You can pay your entry fee the day of the tournament. There is a shotgun start at 1:30 and the fee is $70 per person/$210 per team.

From Bloomberg: The United Auto Workers, bargaining a new contract for U.S. automakers, is turning to General Motors Co. (GM) to set the pattern for wages and benefits for the U.S. industry, said three people familiar with the discussions. UAW bargainers are seeking a large signing bonus and new work in U.S. factories in exchange for not increasing fixed labor costs at GM, Ford Motor Co. (F) and Chrysler Group LLC, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified as revealing internal discussions. Negotiations at GM are farthest along and will continue through the weekend, the people said. Detroit-based GM is offering buyouts in hopes that senior workers retire, making room for new hires who are paid half as much, said two people familiar with the proposal. “GM makes the most sense as the lead company because it remains the largest, it has shown renewed health and a willingness to work with the UAW,” said Harley Shaiken, a labor professor at the University of California at Berkeley. “GM is the company that is demonstrating that they want to get a deal.” Michele Martin, a spokeswoman for the UAW, denied that the union had selected GM. “That’s not accurate,” she said last night, declining to comment further. GM’s proposed buyouts are aimed at paring the ranks of senior employees and skilled-trades workers, who receive the highest pay, said the people familiar with the offer. New workers, even with a higher hourly rate than $14, would lower overall labor costs for the automakers, the people said. With a path to lower labor costs, the companies are willing to put more work in U.S. plants, rather than in low-wage countries such as Mexico, the people said.

From the Detroit Free Press: UAW President Bob King was cautious today about the status of discussions with the DetroitThree. “I would not describe it that way,” King said when asked if discussions for a new national contract are ahead of schedule. “I would just say they are going well. You don’t have a deal until the whole deal is done,” King said in an interview today on Spotlight on the News, a WXYZ-TV Channel 7 news program. Despite his caution, King said he is “really upbeat about the autotalks.” “I think the discussions that are going on are in-depth and there is an understanding of each other’s issues,” King said. The UAW leader also said U.S. President Barack Obama has the “full support” of the UAW’s leadership despite a lackluster economy and a national unemployment rate that stands at 9.1%. “He saved our jobs,” King said in reference to federal aid to GM and Chrysler in 2009. “Our members know there would not be an American auto industry today without Obama’s leadership.”

Thursday, September 1, 2011

State of the Union September 1, 2011

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.

State of the Union August 31, 2011

August 31, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

•    Reminder: Tomorrow is a VR blackout day. Tuesday, Sept. 6 is the holiday pay qualifying day and a VR blackout day. Also, today is the deadline for getting your entries in for the Women’s Committee golf tournament to be held Saturday, Sept. 10.
•    Here are some notes from the diagonal slice meeting with Diana Tremblay:
A question was asked about the future of this plant regarding second shift and another product.

Diana Tremblay said that when GM went through bankruptcy the company sized the manufacturing footprint so that all of the plants left would be on three shifts (except Bowling Green because of the specialty of the Corvette) So the future of Wentzville is three shifts. The question is when does the market come to drive the additional shifts. The market has not come back as strong as we had expected. As far as second shift here you are right on the edge and she thanked everyone for working the crazy hours to build the vans the market is asking for. She said the intention of her visit was never to announce a second shift and that GM would be very cautious in adding a shift because they don’t want to have to undo it.

A question was asked about the future of the van and if the new fuel economy requirements would have any impact on it.

Diana Tremblay said that there are different standards for cars and trucks so there is a future for the van. There will also be credits for battery use in powertrains and other technology that will help offset the lower mpg products. GM will be OK with the product portfolio we now have, although the trucks like the Suburban and Tahoe that are not work vehicles will be a little trickier. She said we will build the van as far as she can see into the future. There will be a model change in 2016 and she expects the Ford Econoline to drop out of the market in a couple of years so we will be the only game in town.

A question was asked about money for plant improvements.

Diana Tremblay said the GM has protected more money for future plant investments to maintain their facilities. She acknowledged that there has been little money invested here in the past few years and that there is money for the plant now and she is working hard to protect that money.


•    Diana Tremblay also had some conversations with several members in Trim. Team leader Roger Spradley in HVAC was asked to compare being a TL when we built cars versus now with the van. He said that in the car days he had more people and fewer responsibilities and now he had fewer people and more responsibilities. She asked him if he felt he had enough time to fulfill all his responsibilities and he said yes and she said that’s good because we’re going to give you a new project to work on.
Core team member Jeff Queen was asked if the kitting area that was recently set up in the IP area for steering columns could support another product and he said yes. She asked if he was sure it could support another product and he said he was positive and she said we’re going to see if you can.
Team leader Doug Clark of the IP line told Diana Trembay that one of his – and other 1985 seniority members - concerns was being able to retire from this plant and she told him that he had nothing to worry about.
•    From Automotive News: A strike at Ford Motor Co. or arbitration at General Motors and Chrysler Group could be handled without harming the union's long-term relationship with the affected company, UAW President Bob King said today. King also said the union has asked for a wage increase for its 112,000 members at the Detroit 3, not just profit-sharing and performance bonuses. All parties want to avoid a strike or arbitration in this year's auto talks, he said, but the union had a short strike against GM in 2007 without lasting harm to the union's ability to work cooperatively with the company afterward. "I just feel we can do better" than a strike, King said during a press conference after a luncheon speech to the Detroit Economic Club. King said the current talks are about keeping the Detroit 3 competitive so they can continue to put jobs in the United States while allowing workers to share in the new-found profitability of the carmakers. The rank-and-file at the Detroit 3, King said, want and deserve a raise. For that reason, the union has proposed an increase. But King cautioned that that he is most interested in maximizing overall compensation for workers, not necessarily wages. The best route, he said, might be through profit-sharing and performance bonuses and some combination of wage increases and restoration of cost of living allowances. Only bargaining, however, will determine the best way to achieve that goal without hurting the long-term competitiveness of the Detroit 3 vs. the U.S. transplant operations of the German and Asian automakers. "There is room because of the current framework to make gains in different areas" and still keep the companies competitive, King said. He reiterated that the UAW is not allowing the contract talks to detract from efforts to organize the U.S. transplants. He said he was optimistic that at least one of the transplants would accept the UAW by the end of the year.