State of the Union May 1, 2012

May 1, 2012 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

•    From the Chaplaincy Committee: Thursday, May 3 is the 61stAnnual National Day of Prayer. We will hold services at the flagpoles in the front of the plant at 5:30 am, 1st shift lunch time, 5 pm and 2nd shift lunch time. All are welcome to attend. You can access the flagpoles through the tour holding room doors for your convenience.

•    The annual Women’s Committee Benefit Golf Tournament will be held Saturday, June 30 at Country Lake golf course in Warrenton. It is a three person scramble with a 1:30 pm shotgun start. The cost is $70 per person/$210 per team. The first 3 places in 3 flights will be paid. There will also be a longest drive, closest to the pin and a skin game. Food and beer will be served after the tournament. The proceeds will go to “Turning Point”. Entry forms are available at the entrances.

•    General Motors Co. today reported April sales of 213,387 vehicles in the United States. Retail sales were essentially equal to April 2011. GM’s fleet sales declined 25 percent due to the timing of rental customer deliveries, as previously indicated. As a result, total sales were down 8 percent. Based on higher than expected first quarter industry sales and expectations that the U.S. economy will continue to grow, GM is increasing its full-year light vehicle sales forecast to 14.0 million – 14.5 million units from 13.5 million – 14.0 million units. “We expect gradual improvement in the economy going forward,” said Don Johnson, vice president, U.S. Sales Operations. “Over time, strength in the manufacturing sector and strong retail sales will lead to more job creation. That will help more consumers put the recession behind them, gain even more confidence and drive vehicle sales higher for both the industry and GM.” GM’s two newest vehicles, the Chevrolet Sonic and the Buick Verano, continue to perform well. Chevrolet Sonic sales were 38 percent higher than the vehicle it replaced. Buick Verano sales reached 2,989 units and have increased each month since it went on sale in late November 2011. In addition, Chevrolet Volt sales of 1,462 units were strong nationally but limited by availability of vehicles in California, where GM is launching a model that qualifies for high-occupancy vehicle lane access. Other highlights include a 7 percent year-over-year increase for the Cadillac CTS sedan, a 20 percent increase for the GMC Sierra, a 9 percent increase for the GMC Terrain, a 5 percent sales increase for the Chevrolet Silverado and a 7 percent increase for the Chevrolet Equinox. On a selling-day adjusted basis, GM total sales were up 3 percent and retail sales were up 12 percent (there were 3 fewer selling days this April versus last April). Van sales came in at 8941, a 3.1% increase over last April.

UAW says it's time for action on Workers Memorial Day

Workers Memorial Day is the annual anniversary of when working people and their unions pay tribute to those who have been hurt or killed on the job.

The UAW will join other unions across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico on Saturday to observe Workers Memorial Day by remembering workers who have suffered and died on the job and to renew the fight for safe workplaces. In Canada, union members observe a special National Day of Mourning, while trade unionists around the world mark April 28 as an international day of remembrance.

On a typical work day in the United States, an average of 12 workers lose their lives as a result of workplace injuries, and another 137 workers die from occupational diseases. Despite the UAW's success in setting workplace safety standards, five UAW members were killed on the job in tragic workplace incidents since we last observed Workers Memorial Day in 2011. This is a reminder to all of us that our work isn't finished.

The UAW, along with the entire labor movement, has a strong record of fighting for safety in the workplace, and creating health and safety standards that employers throughout the country have followed. For the more than 40 years since the Occupational Safety and Health Act was enacted, over 400,000 workers' lives have been saved on the job due to improved safety protections in the workplace. In Michigan, that law was strengthened further in 1975 when the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration was established, providing even further advocacy for health and safety for all workers.

Sadly, these health and safety protections are in jeopardy with right-wing opponents working on state and federal levels to dilute or eliminate hard-won worker safety laws - not to mention all collective bargaining rights - under the guise of job creation. These same opponents continue to work to decrease funding of critical health and safety oversight agencies which, in many cases, provide the only assurance that health and safety laws are being adhered to by employers. Contrary to opponents' arguments, health and safety protections are not job killers, but unsafe workplaces kill and maim workers.

The UAW will never stop its efforts to protect and fortify safe and healthy workplaces for all workers in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. UAW members will be involved in a variety of activities throughout North America on Workers Memorial Day. We urge you to join their fight for a safe and healthy workplace. Workers everywhere deserve to labor in safety. That's why workplace health and safety is the UAW's concern every day of the year, including April 28.

Tom Brune UAW/GM Communications Coordinator Wentzville Assembly 636-327-2119