Monday, December 19, 2011

State of the Union December 19-21, 2011

State of the Union December 19- December 21, 2012

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


The Civil Rights Committee is holding a raffle to raise funds for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship program. First prize is a 40” LCD television, 2nd prize is an HP tablet computer and 3rd prize is a $100 gift card. Tickets are $10 apiece or 3 for $25 and are available from any committee member. Drawing will be Thursday, Dec. 22.

Here is this week’s build information: 52 E-26 vans; 472 slider doors; 1014 cutaways; 147 15-pass vans; 24.2% 07 loop; 128 r/h door deletes; 88 diesels; 200 Onstar; 25 brake deck spare tire; 144 exports; 399 Enterprise rent-a-car; 280 U-Haul; 75 Penske; 35 Budget; 86.3% white vans.

Through Friday Dec. 23rd, starting at 6:00 P.M., workers will be resurfacing the “A” aisle from Column 15 (Central Shop) to Col. 67. We anticipate completing 4-8 Column Bays a night. Therefore each night there will be a section of A aisle that traffic will not be allowed on from 6:00 P.M. until 5:00 A.M. After 5:00 A.M. normal traffic may resume.

The Lordstown assembly plant resumed output of the Chevy Cruze last night. Production has been suspended since Dec. 12 because of a supplier parts issue. GM hasn't released other details about the part or identified the supplier, describing it as a "consumer satisfaction" issue with the part, according to Buick spokesman Nick Richards

From Automotive Business Review: General Motors will invest $68 million at its assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, to build the next generation of the Chevrolet Impala. The automaker said that the move will retain about 350 jobs at the Canadian assembly plant. In August this year the company said it would invest about $117m in preparing the plant to produce the Cadillac and that it expected the new line to create or retain 750 jobs at the plant. The company said that in order to meet customer demand and maximize the flexibility of its manufacturing operations, the Impala will be built at both Oshawa and the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plants. Last year, the Oshawa plant has launched production of the Buick Regal, Chevrolet Camaro Convertible and Chevrolet Equinox, adding two shifts and securing 1,300 jobs. The Oshawa facility employs more than 4,400 people, who build the Chevrolet Camaro and current version of the Impala.

CNN Money website compiled a “Most disliked cars of the year” list, and it seems to be the most anti-Consumers Reports list of all time. It is chocked full of export brand vehicles and only one domestic – the Chevy Volt, which earned CR’s award for highest customer satisfaction. Here are the winners (losers?) in ascending order: Fiat 500, Chevy Volt, Jaguar XF, Lexus HS 250h (also had the biggest year over year sales decline of 73%), Honda Insight, the entire Infiniti Division, BMW 550i GT, Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Cube, Nissan Murano Cross Cabriolet (convertible SUV) and the most disliked car…..wait for it……the Honda Civic, which is being fastracked as we speak for a mid-cycle redesign following Chairman Ito’s personal apology for its execution.

Speaking of dubious quality foreign cars, the Detroit Free Press reports that Nissan is recalling nearly 34,000 Sentra compact cars because of a battery cable problem that could cause the engines to stall. Documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say that a zinc coating on the cable bolts could be too thick. That can cause a voltage drop that can damage the engine control computer. The documents say the cars can stall while moving and it may not be possible to restart them, increasing the risk of a crash. Nissan also is recalling more than 28,000 Juke small crossover SUVs from the 2011 model year. A turbocharger bracket problem can cause engine stalling.

From Bloomberg: Automakers led by General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC may need to boost incentives or cut production to reduce inventories that have risen to a 31-month high, according to a Bloomberg analysis. U.S. auto sales may total 12.7 million this year, the best annual performance since 2008, Bloomberg estimates. Sales may increase to 13.5 million in 2012, rising for a third consecutive year from a 27-year low of 10.4 million cars and light trucks in 2009. GM is poised to retake leadership in global auto sales, which it ceded to Toyota in 2008. The automaker has reported 6.79 million sales through September of this year, leading disaster-stricken Toyota by 1 million vehicles. Volkswagen AG has jumped to second with 6.17 million vehicles sold through the first nine months, expanding faster than it had forecast.

As it stands now, here is the startup plan for Wednesday, Jan. 4:
o 14 Build Blocks – the first 3 will be 15 minutes, the next 11 will be 20 minutes with the exception of one 30 minutes block
o Production number is Max 50
o 6:00 – 6:30 Team Meeting
o 6:30 Begin Build Blocks
o 1stshift normal breaks and lunch
o 2ndshift starts @ 12:00 p.m. – Both Shifts Team Meeting
o 12:00 – 12:30 Team Meeting
o 2:00 G/L, S/L Escalation Meeting
o 2:30 GA S/L Meeting
o 4:30 2nd shift lunch
o 5:12 1st Shift Ends
o 7:20 Team Meeting
o 11:12 2nd Shift Ends

December 20, 2011

Dec. 20, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

Any FMLA applications picked up before Thursday need to be returned to labor relations after they have been completed by you and your doctor.
The Civil Rights committee is also selling T-shirts and sweatshirts in the cafeteria now until they are sold out. You can also buy your raffle tickets there - First prize is a 40” LCD television, 2nd prize is an HP tablet computer and 3rd prize is a $100 gift card. Tickets are $10 apiece or 3 for $25 and are available from any committee member. Drawing will be Thursday, Dec. 22.
•    Urgent: Noah’s Ark Academy is offering child care services for 2ndshift workers but they need a commitment for 15-20 children to maintain their child/staff ratios and put everything in place. However, for a Jan. 3 start, they need a paid registration of $65 by this Friday, Dec. 23. They have said that they can definitely accommodate the volume of new GM families given enough time to plan. The facility is located at 411 West Pearce Blvd in Wentzville. You can call 636-887-2773 for more information and if you are relocating you can contact Michelle via e-mail: michelle@noahsarkacademy.org. Apologies for the short notice.

Here is the startup schedule for Thursday, Jan. 5:
o 15 Build Blocks 45 minutes each consisting of 15 minutes controlled stop and 30 minutes run time. There will be 3 day shift blocks and 2 night shift that have 40 minutes run time.
o Production number is Max 100
o 6:00 – 6:30 Team Meeting
o 6:30 Begin Build Blocks
o 1stshift normal breaks and lunch
o 2ndshift starts @ 12:00 p.m. – Both Shifts Team Meeting
o 12:00 – 12:30 Team Meeting – line is down from 11:45 to 1:20
o 2:00 G/L S/L Escalation Meeting
o 2:30 GA S/L Meeting
o 4:30 2nd shift lunch
o 5:06 1st Shift Ends
o 7:20 Team Meeting
o 11:06 2nd Shift Ends


To: Temporary Employee


UNEMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
FOR TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES

You are being laid-off effect Friday, 12/23/11 with a recall date of Tuesday, January 3, 2012. The following information and instructions are needed to file for Missouri Unemployment.

Unemployment Information
During the Week of: Action to be done:

Week of 12/26/2011(12/26 to 12/30) You must call the state of Missouri to open your claim

Week of 1/3/2012 (1/3 to 1/6) Contact the state to claim the previous week



Last day worked is 12/22/11

Unemployment Information
Claiming unemployment is a two-step process. You must contact the state to activate your unemployment claim during the week of 12/26/11. You will still need to file for your weekly benefits after your claim has been activated, in Missouri. The claim week runs from Sunday through Saturday. The week must be claimed after the Saturday week ending date. Weekly claims can be filed on the Internet at www.moclaim.comor by telephone at 314-340-4950 (if that is a local call for you) or 800-320-2519. The Internet is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The telephone lines are available for weekly claim filing 24 hours a day from 1:00 p.m. on Sundays until 5:00 p.m. on Fridays, except for holiday weeks.

Additional Information

•The state of Missouri will no longer back date claims – you must call at the appropriate time(s).
•You need to keep your address and telephone number up to date on mygm.gm.com.

•If you do any work during the week, you must report the gross amount of any wages on your claim for the week. It is very important that all wages be reported accurately on weekly claims. Wages are to be reported during the week in which the work is performed. This includes wages from other work performed during the week you are claiming.



December 21, 2011

•Tomorrow, Dec. 22, is a holiday pay qualifying day and a VR blackout day, with the first 2 days of holiday pay at risk. Tuesday, Jan. 3 is also a holiday pay qualifying day and a VR blackout day, with the last 2 days of holiday pay at risk. Paychecks for the pay period ending Dec. 25 will be mailed Tuesday, Dec. 27 and dated Friday, Dec. 30.

•Tomorrow the lunch break will run from 10:30 am until 11:20 am to provide extra time for team dinners.

•Team leader applications can be submitted year round. There is currently one opening for team leader in Chassis which closes tomorrow.

•We have been told that the jackets should arrive here Jan. 3. When they are delivered we will communicate the distribution plan.

•The Cafeteria hours for Wednesday, Jan. 4 and Thursday, Jan. 5 will be 5:30 am – 8 am; 10 am – 12 noon; and 2 pm – 5:30 pm. The following week when 2nd shift start goes to 5:30 pm the hours will be 7 pm – 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm – 11 pm. (Day shift hours will remain the same)

•From the Community Services Committee: Thanks to everyone who adopted a child or donated money this year. We were able to give 110 children a Christmas they would not have had otherwise. The delivery of gifts was finished yesterday and you need to know that there were many grateful parents who got quite emotional as a result of your generosity. This truly is one of the best programs we participate in and you should feel good about brightening the Holiday season for some of the less fortunate members of the community.

•Here is the production schedule for January: The first week is Tuesday through Thursday, 10.7, 10.7 and 10.6. The second week is Monday through Thursday, 10 hours. The third week is Tuesday through Thursday, 10.7, 10.7 and 10.6. The fourth week is Monday through Friday, 10 hours.

•There have been some questions about when SUB pay kicks in for entry level workers. Per the National Agreement, Employees must have “had at least 1 year of seniority as of the Employee’s last day worked prior to the qualifying layoff.”

•From the Chaplaincy Committee: We would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

State of the Union December 15, 2011

Dec. 15, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

•    Reminder: There will be a meeting at the Union Hall today after first shift for members who transferred from Indianapolis and Messena. Remember to bring copies of the transfer paperwork you signed when you came to Wentzville.
•    The Red Cross blood drive will be tomorrow beginning at 9:30 am in the tour holding room. If you signed up to donate you should have been told when you are scheduled to give blood. If you haven’t you should see your group leader.
•    Last week the QNPM Spare Parts Team (Ken Phillips and Don Elam of the UAW and Marcus Sims and Jeanne Henderson of GM) performed an analysis of Wentzville’s spare parts operation. The team came away very impressed with the work done here and said that Wentzville is the company benchmark in many aspects of spare parts. Here are some of the analysis highlights:
o The 2008-10 time period shows a $790,000 average decrease in spare parts spending compared to the 2004-06 time frame.
o Spare parts storage area has been reduced by 16,620 square feet while storage locations have increased from 87 to 105 indicating quicker/easier access to parts throughout the plant with a smaller footprint
o Identified potential savings in the next 2 years of $677,883
o Excellent job of storing and labeling spare parts as well as creating a database so the location of parts could be found on any computer in the plant, saving time and inventory expense.
•    Wentzville Assembly received recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for achieving the Energy Star Challenge for Industry, which recognizes plants that achieve a 10% reduction in energy intensity within 5 years. In fact, our reduction was 22.49%! All the little things like turning off TV’s, lights, computers etc. have added up to make a big difference.
•    Everyone should be receiving a letter in the mail regarding the changes to FMLA this week. These changes will be effective Jan. 3, 2012. On back is the flow chart explaining the new process. If you have any questions prior to Jan. 3 you should contact Labor Relations.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

State of the Union December 14, 2011

Dec. 14, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

•    From Chairman Mike Bullock: There will be a special meeting for the Indianapolis and Messena transfers at the Union Hall this Thursday after first shift. Remember to bring copies of the transfer paperwork you signed when you came to Wentzville. Also, the changes that were negotiated in the National Agreement concerning the termination of mailing paychecks/paystubs will not take place until next fall. I know some of you were under the impression that these changes would be effective in January but that is not the case.
•    Team meetings are being suspended for the rest of the year. This will allow an extra 20 minutes to be added to next Thursday’s lunch period for team dinners and the remainder will be used to make up lost production (currently -111 for the month).
•    Reminder: All presents for the Adopt-A-Child program must be dropped off by the end of first shift this Friday, Dec. 16. You can drop them off at the Communications office next to the tour holding room or see Wanda Richard or Tina Hayes.
•    The annual Chassis Christmas Party will be this Friday, Dec. 16 after first shift at Maggie Malones (990 Wentzville Parkway in Wentzville). There will be raffles, prizes, free food and drink specials – you can get happy hour prices all night with your Union card or GM id. Everyone is welcome so come join the fun. For more info you can contact Sue Picou at column F-43.
•    From Reuters: General Motors Co suspended production on Monday afternoon at an Ohio plant that makes the Chevrolet Cruze compact car due to a supplier issue. Production at the Lordstown, Ohio, factory was halted around 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT). Workers on the first and second shifts worked shortened schedules, while the third shift was suspended, GM Lordstown spokesman Tom Mock said. GM spokesman Chris Lee declined to describe the nature of the supplier issue, saying only that the No. 1 U.S. automaker was looking to restart production as swiftly as possible. So far this year, the Cruze is the second-best-selling small car in the U.S. auto market and the 10th-best-selling vehicle overall as consumers seek more fuel efficient options.
•    From Wards Auto: Expect competition at the lower end of the U.S. passenger-car market to boil over next year, as revitalized Asian auto makers put the heat on a newly assertive General Motors and Ford in the compact segment. Just how aggressive pricing in the segment will become likely hinges on the fortunes of the Chevrolet Cruze and how desperate both domestic and Asian auto makers are to regain share. Through November, the new-for-’11 Cruze sedan led the small-car segment with a 10.1% share on deliveries of 215,057 units, according to WardsAuto data. But the Cruze’s share of the segment was down 8.1% from its 12.8% peak in July, as Toyota and Honda continued to rebuild inventories. Despite a scheduled down week, “There has not been a hint about eliminating a shift,” says Jim Graham, president of United Auto Workers union Local 1112 in Lordstown. “The (Cruze) is selling extremely well and we expect that to continue, regardless of what Ford, Toyota and Honda might do,” he tells WardsAuto. GM spokesman Jim Cain says the auto maker intends to maintain a stable production pace for the Cruze, calling it “a successful product that has established itself quickly.”
•    The startup plan for the first week of January for the addition of the second shift has been finalized. The plan is based on “build blocks”, which are blocks of time with standard activities. These blocks will run 30 minutes for Tuesday, Jan. 3 and Wednesday, Jan. 4 and will be 45 minutes Thursday, Jan. 5. We will cover each day’s schedule in this newsletter. Here is the schedule for Tuesday, Jan. 3:
•    13 Build Blocks 30 Minutes Each
o Production number will be based on the build – Max 25
o 6:00 – 8:00
    20 minute Team Meeting
    G/L visits each team
    T/L and T/M review Safety No Blip Pre Work Section
    Plan for UATs
•    8:20 - Begin Build Blocks
o First 10 minutes - line will run normally
    Use Andon
o Next 20 Minutes - Conveyors will turn off automatically
    Team Focus
    Review the jobs just built
    Training, Rundowns, Correct Parts, Electrical Connections, etc.
    Complete UATs
    Check for Mutilations
•    Breaks and Lunch at Normal Times
•    1:20 Team Meeting
•    2:30 G/L, S/L Escalation Meeting
•    3:00 GA S/L Daily Meeting
•    5:12 Shift Ends 10.7

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

State of the Union December 12, 2011

Dec. 12, 2011 online at
www.uawlocal2250.com

From Chairman Mike Bullock: Brothers and Sisters transferred here from Indianapolis or Massena – Bedford, Indiana is within Indianapolis’ “Area Hire/Former Community” transfer options. Tonawanda may be within Massena’s “Area Hire/Former Community”. You had the option of accepting the new “Modified Enhanced Relocation” package, the basic package or the enhanced package. I am trying to resolve “package issues” with the Corporation. There will be a special meeting at the Union Hall soon and we’ll let you know when it will be scheduled. We will need copies of the transfer paperwork you signed when you came to Wentzville when you contact us.

Here is this week’s build information: 24 E-26 vans; 815 cutaways; 209 slider doors; 128 15-pass vans; 22.4% 07 loop; 114 r/h door deletes; 130 exports; 116 diesels; 186 Onstar; 73 brake deck spare tire; 285 U-Haul; 269 Enterprise rent-a-car; 54 Penske; 86.3% white vans.

Reminder: All presents for the Adopt-A-Child program need to be turned in by Friday, Dec. 16. See Wanda Richard or Tina Hayes if you have any questions.

Due to high demand, the uniform store will be open daily from 8 am to 4 pm effective now through Thursday, Dec. 22.

Here are the winners of the Women’s Committee raffle: Million dollar board – Bob Greer; Scarves – Cleo Allen; Avon basket – Chas Wellman; Candle basket – Jon Dougherty. Thanks to everyone for their continued support.

The Ecotec 2.0L turbo I-4 engine that powers the all-new 2012 Buick Regal GS is one of WardsAuto World’s 2012 "10 Best Engines" for North America. The Ecotec 2.0L turbo’s 270 horsepower is the highest specific output of any GM production engine, and at 135 hp per liter, is the most power-dense engine certified by the Society of Automotive Engineers. "The turbocharged Ecotec 2.0L belongs on the list this year because it makes an outrageous 135 hp per liter in the Regal GS, and it’s a blast to drive," said WardsAuto World Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter. "This engine delivers a level of power and sophistication that redefines Buick." The Regal GS achieves 0-60 mph in less than 6.7 seconds and runs the quarter-mile in 15.2 seconds at 98 mph. Ward’s reviewed 35 engines from 15 automakers in this year’s competition. Winners were chosen based on several factors, including power; noise, vibration and harshness; fuel efficiency; new technology; and comparative data for similar engines.
This year’s winners and the applications tested:

o 3.0L TFSI Supercharged DOHC V-6 (Audi A6)
o 2.0L N20 Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (BMW Z4/528i)
o 3.0L N55 Turbocharged DOHC I-6 (BMW 335i coupe)
o 3.6L Pentastar DOHC V-6 (Chrysler 300S/Jeep Wrangler)
o 2.0L EcoBoost DOHC I-4 (Ford Edge)
o 5.0L DOHC V-8 (Ford Mustang Boss 302)
o 2.0L Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Buick Regal GS)
o 1.6L DOHC I-4 (Hyundai Accent/Kia Soul)
o 2.0L Skyactiv DOHC I-4 (Mazda3)
o 3.5L DOHC V-6 HEV (Infiniti M35h)

From Automotive News: Hyundai Motor's vice chairman said it would be difficult for the UAW to unionize workers at the South Korean automaker's plant in the United States. Hyundai factory workers in Alabama do not see the need to join the UAW because Hyundai gives them stable jobs, said Yoon Yeo-cheol, who is in charge of Hyundai's labor relations. "It will not be easy (for UAW to unionize Hyundai workers). Hyundai employees there don't like it," he told reporters in Seoul. Hyundai's plant in Montgomery, Ala., employs more than 2,500 people and produces the Elantra and Sonata sedans. Hyundai's South Korean sister company Kia Motors also has an assembly plant in West Point, Ga. UAW President Bob King has said he wants to target a Japanese, South Korean or German automaker with U.S. plants in its campaign to unionize workers at plants of non-U.S. automakers. The UAW protested at more than 80 Hyundai dealerships in the United States last week in support of a South Korean woman who filed a sexual harassment claim against one of the automaker's suppliers. "This has nothing to do with the domestic organizing campaign," Michele Martin, a UAW spokeswoman, said at the time. "Hyundai is not the target." The UAW earlier this week said it had changed plans and decided it would not pick a specific company to organize in the United States.

From the Detroit News: The last Ford Ranger for the U.S. market is expected to roll off the line by Dec. 19, marking the end of an era, with more than 6.6 million sold over 29 years. There are an estimated 800,000 Rangers still on the road. Drivers of the compact pickup acknowledge their solidarity by waving to one another. With the end of production and closing of the 86-year-old Twin Cities Assembly Plant in Minnesota, Ford Motor Co. will be out of the compact pickup business in North America. Meanwhile, crosstown rival General Motors Co. prepares to launch the next generation of the compact Colorado in 2013. And Chrysler Group LLC is working on a compact unibody pickup to replace the discontinued Dodge Dakota. At a time when automakers are introducing ever-smaller cars to meet fuel-efficiency regulations, Ford is killing its smallest truck and directing consumers to the full-size F-150 with a more efficient V-6 engine.Ford's rationale is that there is little price bump — less than $5,000 — to the larger F-150, and dwindling sales of the Ranger did not warrant making and selling the next-generation model in the U.S.

"It leaves a sweet spot wide open for GM for buyers who want a domestic smaller pickup," said analyst Dave Sullivan of Auto Pacific Inc. The Auto Pacific 2011 Brand Study showed 19 percent of Ranger owners would buy another compact pickup, so they would have to defect to the competition.

Monday, December 12, 2011

State of the Union December 8, 2011

Dec. 8, 2011 online at uawlocal2250.com
From Chairman Mike Bullock: Today will be the last day for 12 hour maximum line time to make up lost production due to the body shop breakdown on Monday. While there will still be some production to be made up, there will be no line times longer than 11 hours to make up this lost production.

Message from Joe Ashton and Cathy Clegg: As you know, during the 2011 Contract Negotiations, we agreed to a quality performance payout if we achieved our target for model year to date IPTV (Incidents per Thousand Vehicles) performance. We are pleased to report that our team achieved 98 percent performance, earning each eligible UAW-GM team member a bonus of $250, which will be in your December 16th check. The UAW-GM Team has always been known for building outstanding quality. Whether it is for stampings, power trains, components, service parts or vehicles, quality and customer service is at the heart of what we do every day in our operations. This year, our team has made outstanding progress. We have launched several successful vehicles, announced many product allocations, upgraded our manufacturing plants and created thousands of jobs. By the end of the year, we will also have all our team members back at work and begin bringing on new employees. Much of our success is due to the high quality we provide our customers. Congratulations and thanks again for your efforts. (Per the National Agreement: The eligibility date for this bonus was November 15. Eligible employees are defined as those with active seniority; on temporary layoff status; on leave pursuant to Family and Medical Leave Act; on one of the following leaves of absence which has not exceeded (90) days as of the eligibility date – Informal, Formal, Sickness and Accident, Military, and Educational)

Reminder: Tomorrow is the deadline to submit an employee referral. The phone number for logon ID or password reset help is 1-888-337-2400 (Opt 1-1-GMIN).

You are cordially invited to the UAW Local 2250 Christmas celebration to be held on Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Union Hall. Doors open at 6:30 pm and dinner is served at 7 pm. Snacks, beer and setups will be provided. Music, provided by Marlon “DJ” Brown, will run from 8 pm to midnight. Also on Dec. 10, Santa Claus will be coming to the Union Hall from 9 am to 11 am. Donuts, juice and coffee will be served. Bring your children and grandchildren and don’t forget your camera.

Contact Congress now! Today is National Call-In to Renew Unemployment Insurance Day! UAW members, tell your members of Congress to renew Unemployment Insurance for 2012. Call (888) 245-3381 or visit the unemployedworkers.orgcall-in feature on this page. Millions of hardworking Americans — nearly 2 million in January alone, and over 6 million in 2012 — will be cut off from the emergency lifeline of federal unemployment insurance, unless Congress acts to renew the program before it expires Dec. 31. In the past three years, federal unemployment insurance has helped more than 17 million Americans while they’ve looked for work in the toughest job market since the Great Depression. Recent U.S. Census Bureau figures show that federal unemployment insurance helped keep more than 3 million from falling into poverty last year alone. Congress has never allowed these programs to expire when unemployment was anywhere near this high for this long. Congress must act, and act now.

From the Detroit News: Ford Motor Co. wants to grow its lucrative commercial truck business as it shifts customers to a new line of vehicles. Ford is hoping E-Series (Econoline van) customers will seamlessly shift to a future version of the Ford Transit commercial van that will be built at the automaker's Kansas City plant and go on sale in 2013. Ford is investing more than $1 billion in the Kansas City plant to prepare for the Transit, add a stamping plant and add a second shift of F-Series production. The Transit will be 25 percent more fuel-efficient than a comparable E-Series in part because it will be more than 300 pounds lighter, said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's head of global product development. The move is in keeping with a sustainability plan Ford announced in 2006 that called for weight reduction of 250 to 750 pounds in all vehicles by 2020. The current Transit is built in Europe and sold everywhere but North America. About a dozen Transits are in the U.S. for a year of testing by fleet customers. The feedback will help ensure the next-generation Transit is a strong replacement for the E-Series, said Eric Guenther, general marketing manager for the Ford fleet. Even though the new Transit switches from body-on-frame to unibody construction, Ford is determined that durability will not be sacrificed, Kuzak said. For commercial customers, reliability and cost of ownership are paramount. Sullivan said Nissan's research before launching the NV commercial van found customers wanted body-on-frame on rough American roads. Like the E-Series it replaces, the Transit for North America will be rear-wheel drive. Big numbers are at stake. Ford has sold about 6 million Transits globally to date. Another 8 million E-Series have been sold since 1961, and 97 percent were to the commercial market, said Rod Stevens, commercial truck chief engineer. Ford is also investing $128 million to make its largest commercial vehicles at the Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake. The E-Series will be discontinued, but Ford will continue to make E-Series "cutaways" that are converted to motorhomes, U-Hauls and other service vehicles. The plant also will take over medium truck and motorhome chassis work that was being done in Mexico.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

State of the Union December 5, 2011

State of the Union Dec. 5, 2011 nline at www.uawlocal2250.com
The phone number for logon ID or password reset help is 1-888-337-2400 (Opt 1-1-GMIN). The deadline for referral submissions is Friday, Dec.9.

We have been informed that a letter regarding this year’s Quality Bonus will be forthcoming this week from National Labor Relations. As soon as it is received it will be communicated.

From Benefits: We recently received a communication from the UAW/GM Department. It said: The SUB changes are nearly complete and the 74% flat rate table will be implemented the week starting Dec. 12; Entry level life insurance increases went into effect on Oct. 3rd. Traditional changes will not take effect until March 1, 2012 and active members beyond age 65 will have life insurance maximums restored; Under dental insurance, new covered benefits began Oct. 3; All health care changes go into effect on Jan. 1st; Until the hearing aid network starts up (Audionet) you cannot take advantage of two hearing aids. If you have any questions regarding any of these items, contact your benefits.

You are cordially invited to the UAW Local 2250 Christmas celebration to be held on Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Union Hall. Doors open at 6:30 pm and dinner is served at 7 pm. Snacks, beer and setups will be provided. Music, provided by Marlon “DJ” Brown, will run from 8 pm to midnight. Also on Dec. 10, Santa Claus will be coming to the Union Hall from 9 am to 11 am. Donuts, juice and coffee will be served. Bring your children and grandchildren and don’t forget your camera.

Safety Reminder: As we all know, there have been a lot of transfers and new employees in the plant and that puts people in unfamiliar areas. So be extra careful when moving around the plant and stick to the pedestrian aisles. Make eye contact with any mobile equipment drivers and “wait for the wave”.

The plant has a new direct run rate target of 83.4. The target has dropped because two elements have been added into the calculations – front end alignment and headlight aim. The target will rise to 85 eventually.

From Community Services: Starting tomorrow and running for the rest of the week, people will be collecting money in General Assembly for Adopt-A-Child. All of the names have been taken so this money will be used to level the gifts for each child. As always, thanks for your generosity.

The startup plan for the first week of January for the addition of the second shift has been finalized. The plan is based on “build blocks”, which are blocks of time with standard activities. These blocks will run 30 minutes for Tuesday, Jan. 3 and Wednesday, Jan. 4 and will be 45 minutes Thursday, Jan. 5. Here is the schedule for Tuesday, Jan. 3:

13 Build Blocks 30 Minutes Each
- Production number will be based on the build – Max 25
- 6:00 – 8:00
- 20 minute Team Meeting
- G/L visits each team
- T/L and T/M review Safety No Blip Pre Work Section
- Plan for UATs
- 8:20 - Begin Build Blocks
- First 10 minutes - line will run normally
- Use Andon
- Next 20 Minutes - Conveyors will turn off automatically
- Team Focus
- Review the jobs just built
- Training, Rundowns, Correct Parts, Electrical Connections, etc.
- Complete UATs
- Check for Mutilations
- Breaks and Lunch at Normal Times
- 1:20 Team Meeting
- 2:30 G/L, S/L Escalation Meeting
- 3:00 GA S/L Daily Meeting
- 5:12 Shift Ends 10.7
Wednesday will run the same as Tuesday except the line will run for 15 minutes and be down for 15 minutes.

Here is the schedule for Thursday:
o 14 Build Blocks 45 Minutes Each
o Production number is Max 100
o 6:00 – 6:30 Team Meeting
o 6:30 Begin Build Blocks
o 1st shift normal breaks and lunch
o 12:00 – 12:30 Team Meeting
o 2nd shift starts @ 12:00 p.m. – Both Shifts Team Meeting
o 2:00 G/L S/L Escalation Meeting
o 2:30 GA S/L Meeting
o 4:30 2nd shift lunch
o 5:06 1st Shift Ends
o 7:20 Team Meeting
o 11:06 2nd Shift Ends

Friday, December 2, 2011

State of the Union December 2, 2011

Dec. 2, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifFrom Chairman Mike Bullock: All temporary employees will be made permanent effective Monday, Dec. 5. We have completed the national hire process (the last 18 will start Monday along with 53 new hires) and we will be hiring the rest of the second shift employees from the pool of referrals who passed all the tests and Delphi employees, who will be offered jobs here on a 1-for-1 basis with new hires per the National Agreement. So far the acceptance rate on the Delphi offers has been very low so we expect to do a lot of hiring which is why the referral system was reopened.
Regarding two items from yesterday’s State of the Union:
o The wage and benefit information applies only to entry level employees hired after the effective date of the agreement.
o The phone number for logon ID or password reset help should have been 1-888-337-2400 (Opt 1-1-GMIN). Apologies for the confusion.

We have been informed that a letter regarding this year’s Quality Bonus will be forthcoming next week from National Labor Relations. As soon as it is received it will be communicated.

Safety Reminder: As we all know, there have been a lot of transfers and new employees in the plant and that puts people in unfamiliar areas. So be extra careful when moving around the plant and stick to the pedestrian aisles. Make eye contact with any mobile equipment drivers and “wait for the wave”.
•    Here are the November sales results in the van segment (percentage changes are based on daily sales rates – there was one more sales day this year):

2011 2010 Change Share
Ford Econoline 7795 8026 -6.8% 48.1%
GM 6119 5709 +2.9% 37.8%
Nissan NV 1238 --- --- 7.6%
Mercedes Sprinter 1045 829 21% 6.5%
Ford Transit connect 2717 2773 -5.9%

Field supplies were up 1660 units for a 62 day supply. Chevy passenger vans are down to 14 days with a total passenger van supply (including GMC) of only 711. Chevy cargo vans are at 50 days and cutaway stocks are up nearly 1000 units.

From Automotive News: Freight railroads won new labor agreements with two unions, averting a strike in the holiday shipping season, after U.S. lawmakers said they were prepared to intervene in the dispute. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the American Train Dispatchers Association, representing 26,500 workers, reached tentative accords, the National Railway Labor Conference, a Washington-based group that bargains on behalf of railroads, said in an e-mailed statement last night. Winning the contract agreements ended the threat of a walkout that could have occurred as soon as Dec. 6, the Association of American Railroads trade group said in a statement. Another union, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, extended a "cooling off" period to Feb. 8. The agreements call for raises of more than 20 percent over six years, A. Kenneth Gradia, a labor conference official, said in the group's statement. Ten unions have tentative deals and two have ratified agreements. The maintenance-employees group said this week it plans to bargain into February. It speaks for 25,100 workers who build and maintain tracks, according to the labor conference.

From Bloomberg: Honda widened its biggest recall to fix flaws related to airbags in models including the Civic and Accord produced as long as a decade ago. The recall covers an additional 917,267 vehicles worldwide, said spokesman Keitaro Yamamoto. That brings the total to more than 2.77 million, the company's biggest recall for an individual flaw, he said. More than 90 percent of the affected vehicles are in the United States. "Affected driver's airbag inflators may deploy with too much pressure, which can cause the inflator casing to rupture and could result in injury or fatality," the company said in a statement. The models include the 2001 and 2002 Accord, the 2001 to 2003 Civic, the 2001 to 2003 Odyssey, the 2002 and 2003 CR-V, the 2003 Pilot, the 2002 and 2003 Acura 3.2 TL and the 2003 Acura 3.2 CL vehicles, according to the statement. Honda recalled more than 300,000 Pilot SUVs in September for seat-belt stitching that could unravel during a crash. The latest move is a blow to Honda, the only large carmaker to report a sales decline in the U.S. last month.

The 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist spends just 14 days on dealer lots nationally before being sold, and the mileage-boosting light-electrification technology moves quickly in all regions, including import-leaning California. Steven Radomski is one of those Golden State converts. A former Toyota Prius hybrid owner, Radomski commutes 100 miles a day, 95 percent on the highway where the LaCrosse’s EPA-estimated 36 mpg impressed him most. In mixed driving, he averages 30 mpg – between the EPA-estimated 25 mpg city and the highway estimate. Radomski said his list of wants and needs – comfort, space and highway fuel efficiency – are all met by the LaCrosse eAssist. “For the space in this car, 30 mpg is amazing,” Radomski said. “I could have bought one of the new diesels on the market, but the fuel costs more,” to say nothing of expensive fuel additives required to lower diesel emissions. “When you do the math, it’s an obvious choice. And my LaCrosse is working as advertised.”

Thursday, December 1, 2011

State of the Union December 1, 2011

Dec. 1, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

From the Civil Rights Committee: The deadline for submitting essays for the Martin Luther King scholarship awards is being extended one week. Therefore, all entries must be postmarked by next Thursday, Dec. 8 to be eligible.

Now that the referral window is open again, questions are coming in about entry level wages and benefits. The starting wage is $15.78 and will go up to $19.28 after 48 months of service. Health care coverage begins in the 8th month after becoming permanent and will feature unlimited office visits with a $25 co-pay, free annual wellness physicals, and no emergency room or urgent care center co-pays. Dental and vision coverage begins after 3 years. GM will contribute 4% of their earnings into a PSP and $1 an hour up to 40 hours a week (begins after 90 days). Entry level workers with 1-3 years seniority will qualify for 13 weeks of SUB, which at the starting wage will be around $470 a week. They will also qualify for up to $5000 tuition assistance for degree related courses and up to $2200 for job related courses work.

Due to the heavy volume of uniform requests, beginning Monday, Dec. 12 through Thursday, Dec. 22, the uniform store will be open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4 pm.

General Motors Co. today reported total sales of 180,402 vehicles in November, up 7 percent compared with November 2010. Retail deliveries were up 15 percent compared with the same month a year ago and accounted for 77 percent of GM sales. Deliveries to fleets were down 14 percent. “We are seeing a broad spectrum of customers return to the market,” said Don Johnson, vice president, U.S. Sales Operations. “Truck sales showed a very solid increase, as we expected, but the momentum building behind our most fuel-efficient vehicles was even stronger.” In November, combined sales of GM small and compact cars, led by the new Chevrolet Sonic and consistently strong-selling Chevrolet Cruze, were up 54 percent compared with a year ago. GM’s total passenger car sales increased 1 percent, crossover sales decreased 9 percent and sales of trucks, which include full-size pickups, vans and SUVs, increased 25 percent. Highlights for the month include a 34-percent increase in Chevrolet Silverado sales and a 22-percent increase in GMC Sierra sales. Other vehicles posting double-digit sales increases were the Chevrolet Cruze, Camaro, Avalanche, Colorado, Suburban, Tahoe and Express van, the GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, and the Cadillac SRX. Total van sales came in at 6119, up 7.2% over last November.

If you can’t remember your log on ID or need to reset your password to access the employee referral system you can call 1-800-337-2400 (Opt 1-1-GMIN). If you are having issues with My Socrates website call 1-888-337-2400. If you are having trouble with the referral system call 1-800-973-1465.

From the Detroit News: Automakers are growing increasingly concerned that a rail strike next month could cripple auto production and prevent thousands of cars from getting to dealers. General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. both sent letters to congressional leaders on Wednesday, warning that a work stoppage by three railroad unions "would cripple our nation's freight rail system." GM vice president for global public policy Robert E. Ferguson warned a strike could "immediately begin to impact production at several high-volume assembly plants." GM warned of a strike's impact in letters to House Speaker John Boehner; R-Ohio; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.; House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. GM ships 9,000 vehicles a day in North America; most travel on U.S. railroads. "Within several days, nearly every North American assembly center would be impacted due to a lack of ground space for storing finished vehicles, as our assembled cars could not be shipped out," Ferguson wrote. The unions could go on strike Tuesday unless a deal is reached or negotiations are extended. Both GM and Ford said Congress should consider passing legislation that would impose the terms recommended by the Presidential Emergency Board to immediately halt the threat of a rail strike. GM's letter noted that a strike could cost the U.S. economy $2 billion a day. "With the U.S. auto industry comprising roughly 5 percent of the U.S. (gross domestic product), the impact to the auto sector would be dramatic," Ferguson wrote. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a group representing Detroit's Big Three and nine others, is circulating a letter urging Congress to intervene to prevent a labor strike. The letter is expected to be sent Thursday and include other signers, including the National Automobile Dealers Association and Association of Global Automakers.

From Automotive News: The Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid has topped Consumer Reports’ latest owner-satisfaction survey after its first year on the market. The magazine said 93 percent of respondents who own a Volt said they would definitely purchase one again, making it the highest-rated car in the annual poll. Two second-place finishers, the V8-powered Dodge Challenger and the Porsche 911, drew the most-favorable grade from 91 percent of buyers. Consumer Reports said the Volt -- the subject of a stepped-up safety investigation this week by U.S. regulators -- had been in U.S. showrooms for only a few months when the survey was conducted. “It remains to be seen if the score will hold up as the car rolls out to a wider audience and owners spend more time with their vehicles,” the magazine said. “Still, early adopters of a new technology tend to be among the most enthusiastic buyers.” Scores are based on the percentage of respondents who answered “definitely yes” to the following question: “Considering all factors -- price, reliability, comfort, enjoyment, etc., -- would you get this car if you had it to do all over again?” Three models received Consumer Reports’ lowest rating, meaning fewer than half of the respondents said they would definitely buy the car again. The models are the Chevrolet Aveo, with just 37 percent of owners indicating they would buy it again, the all-wheel-drive Toyota Matrix (43 percent), and Chevrolet Colorado pickup (47 percent).