Thursday, July 17, 2014

State of the Union July 17, 2014

July 17, 2014 online at www.uawlocal2250.com

• From the Veteran’s Committee: There are sign-up sheets posted at all three entrances for those interested in helping out with the SOS Ride on September 27, 2014. We will need people to work at the Hall and at each check-point along the ride. Anyone interested in joining the UAW 2250 Motorcycle Riders Club see Steve Melson.

• The CAP Committee would like to thank everyone who bought raffle tickets to support V-CAP. The winners are: 1st prize (Microsoft Surface tablet) – George Ferguson; 2nd prize (wireless sound cube) – Zach Luechtefeld; 3rd prize ($50 gas card) – Mike Bridgins.

• As you would expect following another big sales month, van field supplies fell again. Net field stock as measured in days dropped to 27 from 32 at the end of May. At just under 14,000 units, this is the lowest number of vans in the field since we’ve been reporting this metric. Cargo vans in particular are in short supply with only 26 days of Chevy cargos and 18 days of GMC cargos (for comparison sake, last June there were 10,239 Chevy cargo vans in the field – this year there are 5,170). Passenger vans have fallen below 700 total while cutaways are roughly the same as May.

• Spy photographs have surfaced of what appears to be a midsize pickup that is believed to be a Fiat Chrysler product for the Ram truck division. Speculation, based on the photographs taken, is that it is a version of the Fiat Strada pickup built in Brazil and sold overseas. If that is the case it would follow a familiar playbook where a Fiat truck product is modified to be sold in the U.S. (think Ram ProMaster full size van, based on the Fiat Ducato). The Strada is decidedly smaller than our pickup and is a unibody vehicle. The current powertrains for the Strada are all 4 cylinder engines ranging from the 1.3 liter turbodiesel to the 1.8 liter gas engine. A recent test drive of a Strada with the diesel by the website Autoblog gave the specifications for engine as 94 horsepower and 148 pound feet of torque. This propels the truck from 0-60 mph in a leisurely 13 seconds and produces a top speed of 99 mph. No word from Fiat Chrysler on if, or when, they may make this trucklet available in the U.S.

The UAW announced the formation of UAW Local 42, a new local union providing representation for employees at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga.
Organized by Volkswagen employees, Local 42 offers workers the opportunity for a voice in the workplace through the German automaker’s “works council” approach to employee engagement. Volkswagen’s business model is premised on employee representation, and Local 42 will represent any interested employees who join the local as members. No employees will be required to join.
“Earlier this year, the UAW was gratified to earn the confidence and support of many Volkswagen team members,” said Dennis Williams, president of the UAW. “At that time, we said we would not give up on these committed and hard-working employees. We’re keeping our promise.”
Gary Casteel, the UAW’s secretary-treasurer, who previously served as director of UAW Region 8 covering the South, emphasized: “Local 42 will be run by, and for, the employees at Volkswagen.”
“We’ve had ongoing discussions with Volkswagen and have arrived at a consensus with the company,” Casteel said. “Upon Local 42 signing up a meaningful portion of Volkswagen’s Chattanooga workforce, we’re confident the company will recognize Local 42 by dealing with it as a members’ union that represents those employees who join the local. As part of this consensus, the UAW is committed to continuing its joint efforts with Volkswagen to ensure the company’s expansion and growth in Chattanooga.”
UAW officials reiterated the reasoning for recently withdrawing objections to the February election at the plant, which was tainted by outside interference. “As Volkswagen’s works council partner, the UAW’s role is to encourage job creation and promote job security so that Volkswagen employees can achieve the American dream and Chattanooga’s economy can prosper,” Casteel said. “We withdrew objections to end the controversy and put the focus where it belongs: obtaining the economic incentives necessary to ensure the growth of Volkswagen in Chattanooga and the addition of a new product line.”
Volkswagen employees formally announced Local 42 at an afternoon news conference, and immediately began communicating with fellow team members and with the plant’s management about next steps in advancing the works council partnership.
“Being part of the creation of an American-style works council is a chance to do something new and different,” said Michael Cantrell, a Volkswagen paint technician. “This is about securing good jobs for the future of the plant and Chattanooga, and building lasting partnerships between management and team members.”
Additionally, Local 42 members pledged to get involved in the community — as UAW members have done in other communities across the country — to support charitable causes, youth programs and other local needs. “I see Local 42 as an opportunity to give back to Chattanooga and southeast Tennessee,” said Myra Montgomery, a quality inspector in the Volkswagen plant. “As our membership grows, people are going to see us very active in this community.”
Local 42 members declared workforce development to be a top priority, and said they would work with Volkswagen and the UAW to organize job-training opportunities so that employees can continually expand their skills as new technologies emerge and manufacturing processes change.
“Having access to the UAW’s expertise and support will keep the plant competitive and will keep our workforce on the cutting edge of productivity and quality,” said Jonathan Walden, who works in the Volkswagen plant’s paint department. “The members of Local 42 are ready to roll up our sleeves and focus on the future.”

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