State of the Union January 10, 2012

Jan. 10, 2012 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

We have been informed that our jacket order is being delayed due to a shortage of medium size jackets. The projected delivery time is now early February. We are trying to get a picture of the jackets so you know what to expect. Any change in the status of our order will be communicated.

Reminder: The following job openings are posted at all 3 entrances and run through the end of the shift Tuesday, Jan. 10: 2 permanent openings in stamping; 2 permanent openings and 1 sick leave opening in body shop; 2 permanent openings in paint; 1 permanent opening in material; 2 permanent openings in quality. These openings are only valid to those employees who have not put in a 63B transfer in the last 6 months. Paragraph 63B transfers at to shift of choice seniority permitting. Paragraph 63B applications cannot be rescinded or refused once the application period closes. You should drop your applications in the HR-Labor drop box located at A-39 (outside of the personnel office).

The Goddard School in Wentzville is considering offering child care (6 mo.-6 years old) starting at 5:30 am for GM employees only if 4 or more families commit. There is a 10% discount for GM employees also. You can call 636-327-5991 if you are interested.

Here is this week’s build information: 14 E-26 vans; 437 cutaways; 202 slider doors; 96 15-pass vans; 30.6% 07 loop; 148 exports; 34 diesels; 98 r/h door deletes; 97 Onstar; 26 brake deck spare tire; .66% tan interior trim; 210 Entreprise rent-a-car; 169 U-Haul; 28 Penske; 81.2% white vans.

Here is the December sales breakdown for the van segment: 2011 2010 Change Share
Ford Econoline 13,074 9,774 +33.8% 48.6%
GM 10,991 7,624 +44.1% 40.9%
Mercedes Sprinter 1,595 1,379 +15.7% 5.9%
Nissan NV 1,230 --- --- 4.6%
Ford Transit Connect 3,910 2,811 +39.1% ---

With our biggest monthly sales in over 3 years, our field supplies are down
dramatically. Overall net field supplies are down over 1600 units to a 33 day supply and total stock is down over 4000 units. Chevy cutaways fell from a 228 day supply to 46 and Express passenger vans are at a 14 day supply. Chevy cargo vans are at a 30 day supply.

Here is some great feedback from the Women’s Center regarding the Adopt-A-Child program: “GM Employees – We cannot express how much we appreciate your generosity over the years in supporting our program, especially at the holidays. We are continually amazed by your thoughtfulness each year. Happy Holidays and many blessings in the New Year! Love, the Women’s Center”.

GM’s Chinese sales for 2011 were up 8.3 % to 2.55 million. GM sold 2.503 million in the U.S. in 2011, up 13%. (Ford said its sales grew 7 percent to 519,390 units) GM aims to double deliveries to 5 million units by 2015 and plans to focus on expanding its luxury car brand Cadillac and its sport-utility vehicle lineup.

Apparently we owe an apology to Toyota. WardsAuto had reported that Toyota had logged the highest recall total for 2011. Now comes word that it was, in fact, Honda who held that distinction. According to NHTSA (earlier disputed by Honda, then agreed to) Honda recalled 3.9 million vehicles in the U.S., eclipsing Toyota’s 3.5 million total and good for the top (bottom?) spot.

From the Detroit News: United Auto Workers President Bob King predicted Monday that Detroit's Big Three automakers will again grow market share against the foreign brands in 2012. They picked up about 2 percentage points in 2011, to end the year with 47 percent of the market in the U.S. "We're going to grow market share. We're providing the best value to consumers, the best quality, the best mileage, so I think you are going to see a strong resurgence of the American industry," King said in a Detroit News interview on the sidelines of the North American International Auto Show. "The energy is really different here. The mood is really upbeat." King reiterated that the UAW will not pick a target for organizing efforts among foreign automakers operating in the U.S. But he said the union is making progress on its efforts. "We're having back-channel, off-the-record discussions with a number of companies. All we want is a fair, democratic process for workers to decide if they want representation, if they want to form their local union," he said. "We're staying on that focus — putting a lot of energy and effort into it." He said he hoped the UAW won't have to pick a target, and that foreign automakers will allow workers to decide if they will join a union. "If companies really support the democratic rights of workers to decide if they want representation, there won't need to be any confrontation. If companies try to violate human rights, try to deny workers their right to freedom of association, the freedom of collective bargaining, then we're going to have to respond," King said.

From Automotive News: The redesigned GMC Sierra pickup may be repositioned as General Motors' premium pickup. GM is rethinking pricing and equipment levels for both the redesigned Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado. The pickups will go on sale next year. Sierra models would have a longer list of standard equipment and a higher sticker price than a comparable Chevrolet Silverado, Mark Reuss, GM president of North America, said on Monday. "Right now, there is about a $500 difference on a brand basis between the two," Reuss said during an interview at Detroit's North American International Auto Show. Additionally, the incentives are nearly identical between the two brands, he said. "I think you will see equipment and models attacked very differently because we should. If we are going to carry two brands, we are going to make them pay their way," he said. An effort will be made to differentiate the sheetmetal between the two pickups "as best we can do with a pickup truck. A pickup truck is a pickup truck," he said.