Friday, December 21, 2012

State of the Union December 21, 2012

December 21, 2012 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

•From Chairman Mike Bullock: I’ve got a couple of quick items to pass along: I signed off on retaining our temporary employees through February (they were originally scheduled to be laid off this week); and the in-plant eyeglass store is closing and safety glasses will be handled by the Eye Care Center of O’Fallon beginning in January. Also, layoff instruction forms are available at the entrances. Finally, I want to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday season and we’ll see you back on Jan. 22
•With this being the final edition of the State of the Union for 2012, we thought we’d take a look back at what was a very eventful year. It began with the long awaited return of the second shift and the addition of 430+ employees. December 2011 sales were reported and we sold nearly 11,000 that month. And we booked our first large order for CNG vans – 1200 for AT&T.
February saw the production ramp up continue and the beginning of Friday overtime production on the 2 on, 1 off cadence. The plant hit full line rate at the end of February. We also found out that we would receive a record profit sharing payout of $7000.
In March the overtime continued apace. There were 24 of our skilled trades members who accepted the special attrition package and retired at the end of the month. Unfortunately, we also announced a recall of 6000 vans because of a steering shaft defect.
In April we started the first ever Weight Loss Challenge. Chevrolet unveiled the redesigned Impala, continuing the remake of the Chevy car lineup that began with the Cruze, Malibu and Sonic. Nissan introduced the passenger version of their fullsize van to a collective yawn. In the meantime, a Chevy Express 4500 was pitted against an Econoline 450, each cutaways with identical boxes loaded to the max, in real world testing. ”Frankly, we were very surprised at the large gap in performance between these two trucks,” said Guy Mangiamele, AMCI Director of Vehicle Testing. “As the data clearly shows, the Ford E-450 simply had very little performance reserve at these weights compared to the Chevy 4500. And when you consider the Chevy’s real-world fuel economy advantage in percentage terms, it has cost-of-ownership implications over the lifetime of the vehicle.” On cue, the Express took home the Vincentric Best Fleet Value award for the 5th consecutive year. The month ended with our annual Earth Day, a successful gate drive ($4400) for March of Dimes March for Babies and our best ever torque audit – 100% compliance in every category.

In May we finally had our official groundbreaking ceremony for the new body shop, hosting Gov. Jay Nixon among others and garnering a lot of positive media coverage. Chevrolet announced plans to sell a large rear-wheel drive sedan to be called the SS, which will also double as the NASCAR entry. Van sales once again topped 10,000 units. And GM reported North American earnings of $1.7 billion.
June continued the upward trend of van sales, once again topping 10,000 and rising 33% over the previous year. We hosted nearly 100 upfitter representatives at the plant and gave them and the marketing team a tour of the shop. GM announced that they would be shutting down the Impala assembly line at Oshawa, Canada and move the production to Hamtramck, as well as moving some Equinox production from Canada to Spring Hill as contract talks with the CAW approached.
Van sales peaked in July, coming in just shy of 12,000 – up a whopping 82% and the best result since 2006. The plant passed an ISO recertification audit with only 2 minor non-conformances (other plants were getting 8 or more). GM reported 2nd quarter North American earnings of $2 billion.
In August we acknowledged a milestone of sorts with 5 of our members achieving 45 years of seniority. We finally got to model change and with it the highly anticipated 4 weeks of shutdown. During that time 700+ contractors descended on the plant for major projects in paint, frame schedule and to the conveyors along the 40 aisle. This ultimately wound up being 6 weeks as van sales softened in August and plummeted in September to 4886. And sadly, our longtime Regional Director (and 2250’s first shop chairman) Jim Wells unexpectedly passed away.
October was audit month with both the ISO environmental audit and the UAW-GM Health and Safety audits occurring – both of which turned out very well. GM announced 3rd quarter North American earnings of $1.8 billion. Plant manager John Dansby announced his retirement and Nancy Laubenthal was named as his replacement – the 9th plant manager here since 2000. October van sales recoverd a little but were still down 10% from 2011.
In November, with vital support from the UAW, President Barack Obama was reelected as well as Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and Senator Claire McCaskill. We welcomed back over 8o of our brothers and sisters from Fairfax. November van sales were about the same as October at a bit over 7000. GM announced that the salaried pension plan will be transferred to Prudential in the form of a $25 billion annuity.
Which brings us to December, when we sponsored 155 needy children with the Adopt-A-Child program. Five of our vans were upfitted for wheelchairs and donated to veteran’s hospitals, including John Cochran in St. Louis. The new body shop roof is nearly complete as all of the main columns are in place. Another 4 weeks of downtime awaits as the paint shop will have the other color booth torn apart and rebuilt with state-of-the-art equipment in preparation for the Colorado/Canyon. More conveyor work will occur on the 40 aisle. So let’s enjoy our time off with family and friends over this extended holiday season. Be safe and come back rested and refreshed. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

State of the Union December 18, 2012

December 18, 2012 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

· From Chairman Mike Bullock: We received a clarification from General Motors and the International Union pertaining to entry level wage and pay progression. Here it is:
Group 1: 1) Employees on roll prior to 10/3/2011
2) Pay rate at ratification is based on service date, not number of weeks worked
3) Additional pay increases will be 9/15/2012 and 9/15/2013
4) Pay progression does not apply to group 1
5) Wage rate will be $19.28 for all group 1 employees on 9/15/2013
Group 2:
1) Employees hired on or after 10/3/2011 or employees that have had a change in employement status after that date such as temp to entry level.
2) Pay rate and progression does apply to group 2 and is based on 52 weeks worked to advance to next step
3) New hire $15.78
After 52 working weeks $16.66
After 104 working weeks $17.53
After 156 working weeks $18.41
After 208 working weeks $19.28

A working week is defined as a week an employee will receive one week’s credit toward acquiring the maximum base rate of the job classification provided the employee had worked in the given week. Credit will not be given for any week during which for any reason the employee does not work except as provided in paragraph 108 (work comp leave of absence) and when the Christmas holidays consists of a full week, provided the employee would otherwise have been scheduled to work. Notwithstanding other provisions of this agreement, full weeks of time lost for vacation during the plant vacation shutdown week(s), bereavement, military duty and family medical leave act, if the employee would otherwise have been scheduled to work, will be considered as time worked. Each increase shall be effective at the beginning of the first pay period following the completion of the required number of weeks of employment. (paragraph 98(6) national agreement)
· Also: We have been told by the National Benefits Center that all employees with 1 year or more seniority are entitled to Sub Pay and Short Work Week benefits per the National guidelines.
· Attention: It is very important to make sure you have updated contact information for General Motors (address, phone number etc.). This must be done online. Go to MySocrates at www.mygm.gm.comand click on the “Personal” tab. If you do not have an account you must set one up.
· We have been informed that effective the first pay period of January, 2013 there will be a new payroll system. Here is the notification from GM Payroll Services:
Hourly Payroll Changes
Effective with the first pay in January 2013, GM US Hourly Payroll will migrate to a new payroll system. Access to employee online pay statements (iPAY) will remain active and unchanged. In addition to paper copies mailed to each employee, the 2012-W2 will be available online through iPAY by the end of January 2013. Employee questions can be directed to the GFSS Call Center at
HOURLYTIMEKEEPINGCENTER@gm.comor 866-245-5957.
Also, effective January 1-2013 GM FSS-Payroll Services will pay Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) and Sickness and Accident (S&A) benefits. Payroll will pay SUB and Hourly S&A payments on the same direct deposit or pay card as the regular payroll. Please note that CISA and Sedgwick will continue to administer the programs. Questions concerning eligibility for payments should be directed to Fidelity at 1-800-489-4646. All other questions can be answered by the GFSS Call Center at HOURLYTIMEKEEPINGCENTER@gm.comor 866-245-5957.
· The UAW and General Motors will present a van to the VA St. Louis Health Care System this Thursday morning. These vans are specially adapted to accommodate veterans using wheelchairs or who have other mobility issues and will be used for transporting veterans to medical appointments and other activities.
· From Automotive News: UAW President Bob King said he expects few defections by his members when Michigan's right-to-work law takes effect in March. Unionized workers at parts suppliers will be among the first to test King's confidence. As supplier contracts with the UAW expire and are renewed or negotiated after the law takes effect, employees will be able to leave the union. King said the union is providing value to members, as evidenced by the fact that 90 percent of UAW-represented auto workers in right-to-work states have chosen to stay in the union. "We're going to continue doing the best job we can and be rewarded with the loyalty of the membership," King said. He spoke by phone from Geneva, where he was attending a meeting of global union federations. King said the best way to keep members from leaving the union is to bargain hard for wages and benefits and continue to represent worker interests in health, safety and work rules. "That's why there's solidarity in the workplace," King said.
· Ford has released more information about the full-size Transit van slated to replace the Econoline. Scheduled for sale in the fall of 2014, The Transit will arrive with a choice of three body lengths, two wheelbases and three roof heights. In its maximum passenger-carrying specification, the Transit will carry 15 people. It will be offered in van, wagon, chassis cab and cutaway versions. Engine choices will include Ford's 3.7-liter V6, the EcoBoost V6 and a new 3.2-liter Power Stroke diesel – no V8 engines.
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

December 12, 2012 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

There will be a CAP Committee meeting today between shifts at the Union Hall. There will also be a Civil Rights Committee meeting Monday, Dec. 17 at 3 pm at the Union Hall. In both cases, all are welcome.
A total of $914 was raised with the Pre-trim bake sale for Adopt-A-Child. This year employees have “adopted” 155 children. Thanks to everyone who has supported this great cause.
For 2nd shift VAP drivers, Pat Workman will be working a split shift this week to help you get signed up for your overnight drive vehicle. See Pat at the suggestions office through 7:30 p.m. to fill out your driver’s pass.
The annual Chassis Christmas Party will be this Friday, Dec. 14 after first shift at Maggie Malones (990 Wentzville Pkwy, Wentzville). There will be free food from 4 pm – 6 pm, drink specials, prizes, live music and a visit from Santa! All are welcome. For more info contact Susan Daniel (Picou) at column F43.
From the International Union UAW: More than 17,000 Michigan residents from all walks of life rallied Tuesday outside the State Capitol building as anti-worker legislators heeded Gov. Rick Snyder’s call to divide Michigan by ramming through a so-called “right-to-work” bill which promises to kill jobs, lower wages, crush workers’ rights and unravel the middle class. Snyder, who seemingly misled the public by announcing he would sign the bill Wednesday, waited until the thousands who had gathered outside the capital returned home before calling a last-minute press conference and bill signing on Tuesday night. Earlier this year, Snyder called the legislation “divisive” and “not part of his agenda.” Now, after his party lost seats in the Michigan House of Representatives, Snyder rushed the bill through in just six days, with no public hearing. The bill reverse decades of balanced labor law in Michigan, which has yielded stable industrial relations, good middle-class jobs, and broadly shared prosperity. Studies have shown that workers in so-called “right to work” states earn an average of $1,500 less annually. Continued citizen protests are expected throughout the state in coming days and months. Workers are weighing political, legal and legislative options as well, including putting the measure on the ballot in 2014 (the same year that Snyder is up for re-election), a move similar to what Ohio voters did in 2011 when they overturned an anti-worker law championed by their governor.

Wards Auto has named their 10 Best Engines for 2013. This year’s winners:
  • 3.0L TFSI Supercharged DOHC V-6 (Audi S5)
  • 2.0L N20 Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (BMW328i)
  • 3.0L N55 Turbocharged DOHC I-6 (BMW 135is coupe)
  • 3.6L Pentastar DOHC V-6 (Ram 1500)
  • 2.0L EcoBoost DOHC I-4 (FordFocus ST/Taurus)
  • 5.8L Supercharged DOHC V-8 (Ford Shelby GT500)
  • 2.0L Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Cadillac ATS)
  • 2.4L DOHC I-4 (HondaAccord Sport)
  • 3.5L SOHC V-6 (Honda Accord)
  • 2.0L FA DOHC H-4 Boxer (Subaru BRZ)

Here’s what they had to say about the Cadillace 2.0L : Another stout 2.0L direct-injection turbocharged 4-cyl. that muscles its way back into the winners’ circle with a remarkable 136 hp/L comes from General Motors, in the all-new rear-wheel-drive Cadillac ATS. This engine replaces a similar 2.0L Ecotec turbo that won a Ward’s 10 Best Engines award last year in the front-wheel-drive Buick Regal GS. But the new version reduces engine friction some 16%; incorporates a more-active continuously variable valve timing system for better breathing; boosts highway fuel economy 4 mpg (1.7 km/L); and positions the ATS to compete head-on with well-established German brands. GM developed the 2.0L turbo alongside a new naturally aspirated 2.5L 4-cyl., which also was a contender, and the two engines share some componentry, which makes both engines more profitable than those they replace. That’s smart engineering. Installation volumes also will be higher for both engines, which power the ATS and new Chevrolet Malibu.
From Automotive News: Ram will appoint more dealerships to handle a growing lineup of commercial pickups, chassis cabs and vans, brand chief Fred Diaz says.
About one quarter of Chrysler Group's 2,400 U.S. dealerships have the BusinessLink designation. They can sell and service Ram's commercial vehicles and promise to give service priority to commercial customers. Dealerships must "have next-available-bay service, because if something's wrong, you have to be able to get [commercial customers] in and get them out," Diaz said last month at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Ram is preparing a re-engineered lineup of heavy-duty pickups and chassis cabs in early 2013 as well as a rebadged Fiat Ducato full-sized van that it will call the Ram ProMaster later in the year. The van will allow Ram to compete for commercial customers who need pickups and vans. Chrysler Group hasn't had a full-sized commercial van since the Sprinter went to Mercedes in January 2010 after Chrysler's trip through Bankruptcy Court in 2009.
When the Ram ProMaster van is introduced in the third quarter of 2013, it will be the only full-sized commercial van in its segment with front-wheel drive. This will give it a lower load floor than competitors but could reduce traction if the van's load is placed at the extreme rear of the vehicle. Diaz said fwd is an advantage, especially in snowy climates. "I think it's something that we're going to tout, particularly in those northern states and snow states where front-wheel drive is far more acceptable than it is in other parts of the world." At least one other commercial van is in the works. In September, Chrysler trademarked the name ProMaster City for potential use on a smaller commercial van from Fiat, the Doblo. Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

State of the Union December 5, 2012

December 5, 2012 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

The annual Pre-Trim bake sale will be Monday, Dec. 10. The sale will begin at first break on both shifts and continue until all items are sold. It will be held at the team center at column T-49. Proceeds will go to support the Adopt-A-Child program. Anyone wishing to donate bakery items can drop them off at the team center.
If you were chosen for an overnight drive (VAP) you need to see Pat Workman at the Suggestions office to fill out your driver’s pass and receive instructions about the guidelines of the program. You will need to present your driver’s license at that time as well. The master schedule is posted in the cafeteria. We also recommend that you familiarize yourself with the vehicle before hitting the road as some of the vehicles have technology and controls that you haven’t used before.
As reported, van sales rose 14.7% in November, the best result for that month since 2008. Here is how the rest of the segment fared:
  2012 2011 Change Share
Ford Econoline 8400 7795 +7.8% 46.4%
GM 7021 6119 +14.7% 38.8%
Mercedes Sprinter 1630 1045 +56% 9.0%
Nissan NV 1042 1238 -15.8% 5.8%
Ford Transit connect 2853 2717 +5% ----
---
Field supplies as measured in days was virtually unchanged at 61. Overall units in the field were up almost 1500, with cargo vans accounting for the bulk of the increase. Passenger van supplies continue to be very low, with a little less than 1100 total (GM has 4400 dealers).
TrueCar.com a research and forecasting company, estimated the average transaction price for light vehicles in the U.S. in November totaled $30,832, which is up $335 or 1.1% from November 2011 and up $346 or 1.1% from this past October. TrueCar also estimated the average incentive is $2,764, which marks an increase of $117 or 4.4% from the year-earlier period and a jump of $447 or 19% from alst October.2012. The estimated ratio of incentives to average transaction prices wass 9% in November, which is up from 8.7% a year earlier and up from 7.6% in October 2012.
From the Wall Street Journal: General Motors Co. plans to drive the styling of its top-selling pickup trucks away from the rough and rugged looks of the past decade when it launches redesigned models next year, the head of the auto maker's North American operations said on Wednesday.
Redesigned large Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups are due out next year, to be followed by a new line of smaller pickups in 2014 to lure customers who are willing to accept less towing power or payload capacity for better fuel economy. The large pickups are GM's highest-volume models in the U.S., and analysts estimate they generate an outsize share of the auto maker's global profits.
Mark Reuss, head of GM's North American operations, said the company's new large trucks will mark a departure from recent years during which GM and its leading rivals in the segment-F ord Motor Co.'s F-series trucks, Chrysler Group LLC's Ram line, Toyota Motor Corp.'s Tundra and Nissan Motor Corp.'s Titan-all strove to project tough images with "big, big chrome grilles" and front ends that borrowed the looks of long-haul Class 8 trucks.
"When you see our [new] trucks, they'll look powerful, but not overdone," Mr. Reuss said. "The truck market is changing. People are ready to see something beautiful, refined and highly engineered."
Mr. Reuss also elaborated on GM's strategy to use two different truck lines to respond to consumer demand for greater fuel efficiency. GM archrival Ford has scored a hit with a version of its F-150 pickup that uses a turbocharged, six-cylinder engine-b randed "EcoBoost"-to achieve a rating of 22 highway miles on a gallon of gasoline, better than either the six- or eight-cylinder engines offered in the current Silverado.
Mr. Reuss said GM's new smaller trucks should outdo the EcoBoost, and give GM a truck it can use to compete with Toyota's popular Tacoma model, which appeals to people who want a "lifestyle" truck for play rather than work. These customers "want 90% of the duty cycle, and 120% of the fuel economy" of a large pickup such as the Silverado, Mr. Reuss said.
GM is also looking at offering a diesel engine in its new light-duty trucks-a move that could yield better fuel-efficiency numbers. Mr. Reuss didn't offer details.
During the first 10 months of this year, sales of Ford's F-series lineup have grown 11%, driven in part by demand for the EcoBoost models, while Silverado sales have risen just 1.3%, according to Autodata Corp. Mr. Reuss indicated he expects that trend to change.
"We've had the oldest trucks in the market," Mr. Reuss said. "And now we'll have the newest."
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119