September 18, 2013 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
From the Veterans Committee: The 8th annual SOS (Support Our Soldiers) Rally is Sunday, Oct. 13. Registration begins at 10 am at the Union Hall and last bike out by noon. Cost is $10 per bike and $5 for each extra hand. All bikes and cages are welcome. The ride ends at Maggie Malones. Proceeds will benefit Heroes Care. For more information contact Steve Melson at 636-262-1234.
For those members who have spouses either working at or retired from GM, you can avoid paying double taxes on the imputed income related to Legal Services benefits by calling 800-521-7818, ext. 2389 to have your coverage changed to one of you. You need to call by Friday, Sept. 20. And remember, Legal Services will end Dec. 31 this year.
From TruckTrend: With Volkswagen's home market of Europe continuing to face hardships, the company is focusing its expansion and growth efforts outside of the Continent, specifically looking toward Southeast Asia and North America for growth. Jonathan Browning, VW's CEO of North American operations, said commercial vehicles "certainly represent an opportunity" for the company, in a report from Reuters, but remained non-committal about a specific timeframe or model offering. The most obvious prospects for VW's expansion into the commercial sector would be the midsize Amarok pickup, as well as the Caddy compact cargo van, which would compete with the Ford Transit Connect, the Nissan NV200, and the upcoming Fiat Doblo-based compact cargo van coming from Ram.
From Reuters: Volkswagen will not grant immediate union recognition to its U.S. workers and may take months to reach agreement on a German-style works council for its Tennessee plant, company officials said today. Talks with the UAW are likely to continue into next year, said Sebastian Patta, human resources chief at the Chattanooga factory. VW must resolve some complex legal issues before setting up a U.S. works council, Patta told Reuters. "This is a very sensitive subject and we have only just started the dialogue." VW still has to decide whether to recognize the union on the basis of the card count or go ahead with a ballot on whether to recognize the union. Granting recognition on the basis of the card count is "not a priority," said a Germany-based VW official involved in the discussions, echoing the Chattanooga executive's remarks. He declined to be identified because the talks are confidential. VW declined comment on the card count or the company's next move. U.S. operations chief Jonathan Browning said earlier this month the union negotiations "may or may not conclude with formal third-party representation" that would ultimately depend on a full vote.
The U.S. Treasury has sold another block of shares in General Motors Co., reducing its stake to 7.3 percent as it moves toward exiting its holdings in the automaker by the end of March. The Treasury sold more than 110 million shares between May 6 and Sept. 13, raising more than $3.82 billion, according to documents posted online on Tuesday. The Treasury confirmed its stake in the No. 1 U.S. automaker now stands at 101 million shares. The Canadian and Ontario governments on Sept. 10 said they would sell nearly a quarter of their common shares in GM as part of a longer term plan to exit stock acquired in the bailout. After raising $1.1 billion in that sale, the governments still hold more than 110 million shares.
From Consumer Reports: In a heavy-metal duel of two top pickups, the Chevrolet Silverado’s excellent road-test score of 81 makes it the top-rated truck. The Silverado edged the Ram in several areas important to many pickup owners. When typically configured, it has a significantly larger bed and more payload capacity, and it can tow more weight. The Silverado also has a lower step-in height than the Ram, aiding access. It handles a bit better in everyday driving (though no big pickup is particularly agile). And it delivers best-in-class fuel economy of 16 mpg overall, which is 1 mpg better than the Ram.
That could save you about 50 gallons of gas per year. For years the Silverado has scored well in our tests, and the redesigned 2014 model is the best yet. Handling is more carlike than in most trucks, the cabin is very quiet, and it provides impressive towing and payload capabilities. And at 16 mpg overall, our Silverado got the best fuel economy of any full-sized truck we’ve tested. With well-contained body lean and linear, responsive steering, this truck feels eminently controllable. The steering has good heft yet feels light enough at low speeds for easy maneuvering. When pushed to its limits the Silverado proved stable and secure. A counter spring makes it easy to raise or lower the tailgate with one hand, a nice convenience when loading cargo. Its relatively low ride height eases access, and the cabin stays amazingly quiet inside. The main gauges are large and easy to read, and the controls use big, well-labeled buttons and knobs. The automatic climate controls display the set temperature within their knobs, which is a nice, user-friendly touch. Chevy’s MyLink touch-screen radio system offers modern capabilities with simple controls for the basic functions. (Both trucks outscored the previously-tested Ford’s F-150 XLT, which 3.5-liter EcoBoost turbo V6 and 5.0-liter V8 versions rank third and fourth respectively)
If Consumer Reports giving top scores to the Impala and Silverado isn’t enough to make you question the nature of the universe, how about Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker declaring that he is NOT anti-union? Before you build that doomsday bunker, here’s the other part of the story that restores sanity: he IS anti-UAW. "[Some of the] employees that worked at my company were union [members]," he said. "And I carried a union card as a young man." But Corker called the UAW a "destructive force," and he said the union will damage the city’s ability to attract suppliers and will stifle potential economic growth. Corker did not identify which union’s card he carried.
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
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