Oct. 11, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
• From Chairman Mike Bullock: Second Shift Update – We are now in the process of filling job openings for team leaders and open operations within each department from those remaining in the department (not transferring out). Here are the details:
o All team leader applicants have been assessed but it appears there will be a shortage of team leaders in each department. Therefore, team leader applications will be accepted from Oct. 24 through Oct. 26, with testing on Oct. 27 & 28.
o 63b transfers are now closed. If you applied and your seniority will allow you to hold the department you applied for, you will be offered the transfer (there can be no refusal).
o All departments are leveling jobs by seniority with 1st and 2ndshift employees who remain in the departments. All primary job openings have been indentified and consist of those operations opened due to 63b transfers, shift preferences or any other primary opening. These jobs are open for bid to everyone in that department who remain by seniority. Secondary bids will be offered to group members during team meeting. We hope to have all of this accomplished by this Friday.
o A list of the job openings are available for you to view at the following locations: Stamping – column SA30; Body – column W27; Trim – trim trailer columns B/C37; Chassis – column B50; Quality – audit room; Final – column C60; Material – trim office at column N31. SOS sheets will be available for each opening (along with details on request).
o Monday, Oct. 17 we hope to give employees 63b transfer notices and choice if you have multiple applications in. You cannot be guaranteed choice of shift on 63b transfers – seniority will determine that.
We are moving quickly because we are trying to afford everyone in the plant the ability to go to the job of your choice before any transfers arrive. Thanks for your patience.
• The signing bonus will be paid on this week’s paycheck.
• From Automotive News: UAW President Bob King told local union leaders today that the UAW and Chrysler Group are still apart on a new labor agreement, a source familiar with negotiations said. King told the group he hoped an agreement could be reached by Wednesday and asked them to remain in Detroit, another source told Reuters. A UAW spokeswoman could not be immediately reached for comment, but the UAW's Chrysler bargaining team, on their Facebook page, said contract talks are continuing. "We are asking for a show of solidarity, as our negotiators continue to work diligently on a tentative agreement," the posting said. Chrysler and the UAW are apart on several economic issues, including the size of a signing bonus. Chrysler wants to be able to hire an unlimited number of entry-level workers through 2019 as the carmaker brings new products to U.S. factories, two sources have told Automotive News. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has said in recent days that the recent GM and Ford deals are too rich for Chrysler, which had to pay about $2 billion in debt service over the past two years for its government bailout loans. Ford's 41,000 hourly workers have begun voting on ratification. If a deal cannot be reached at Chrysler, UAW negotiations will be subject to binding arbitration. That's a risky prospect for the UAW because compensation at the transplant automakers, which tend to pay their workers less than the Detroit 3, would have to be considered in any arbitration decision. "Progress has been made. However, key issues are still being discussed," General Holiefield, head of the union's Chrysler department, said in comments on the UAW's Facebook page on Friday. "Your negotiators are as anxious as I am to attain a tentative agreement and bring home a contract that delivers the respect and dignity that our membership deserves."
• From the Detroit Free Press: The UAW and Chrysler are pushing toward a new labor agreement as tensions rise between Fiat, which owns Chrysler, and an Italian union that fears Fiat could shift production from Europe to North America. Fiom, Italy's largest metalworkers union, is planning a one-day strike Oct. 21 at all Fiat factories to protest what it sees as Fiat's gradual reduction of production in Italy. "We are striking to make Fiat stay in Italy," Maurizio Landini, the head of Fiom, told Fiat's union delegates in Rome on Saturday, according to Reuters. Chrysler already builds the Fiat 500 minicar in Mexico. Future Dodge and Chrysler vehicles will share their underpinnings with some Fiats. Last week, Fiat withdrew from the Italian employers' group Confindustria. Marchionne said a labor deal Confindustria signed with the Italian unions on Sept. 21 put Fiat at a disadvantage by weakening legislation meant to make it easier to hire and fire workers.
• More Automotive News: Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group LLC are accused of misleading advertising in complaints filed with the Federal Trade Commission by the Made in the USA Foundation. The California-based group claims the automakers are using misleading ads to market certain vehicles as made-in-the-United States when they are not. The foundation said it filed a complaint against Chrysler for its television and print ads for the Chrysler 300 in which the automaker uses the tagline "Imported From Detroit." The Chrysler 300 sedan is assembled in Brampton, Ontario, and often includes a Mexican-made engine, according to the foundation. Ford also faces a complaint from the foundation because of a radio ad for the mid-sized Ford Fusion. The foundation says Ford claims the Fusion is an American car in the radio spots. "The Fusion is made in Mexico and is not an American car," the foundation said in a statement Monday. "The Ford ad misleads and confuses the public and we have asked the Federal Trade Commission to stop the ads."
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
State of the Union October 10, 2011
Oct. 10, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
• Here is this week’s build information: There are no E-26’s; 196 slider doors; 389 cutaways; 18 15-pass vans; 121 diesels; 74 r/h door delete; 87 exports; 66 brake deck spare tire; 19 Onstar; 332 compressed natural gas (CNG) vans for AT&T; 154 Enterprise rent-a-car; 90.9% white vans.
• From Bloomberg: General Motors Co. is delaying plans to add a second shift at the factory that makes Chevrolet Volt electric cars. The company said Friday it has found ways to make one shift more efficient, so it can produce the same number of cars as two shifts. Spokesman Chris Lee says GM still will add 300 workers at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant -- but not a second shift -- by the end of this year to make more Volts. A second shift will be added, though, but not until the last half of 2012, when the plant starts building the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu midsize sedan in addition to the Volt. "This decision will significantly reduce costs, and has no impact on the plant's ability to make 60,000 Volts and Amperas," Lee said in a statement. "This approach is just a more efficient way to make the same number of vehicles." GM engineers figured out a way to clear several bottlenecks that were slowing down the Volt plant and increase its assembly-line speed, the company said. GM plans to add more than 200 jobs when the second shift arrives next year. The plant, which straddles the border between Detroit and the enclave of Hamtramck, now has about 1,000 workers. GM said in May that it would get another 2,500 jobs when second and third shifts are added. In addition to the Malibu and Volt, the plant is expected to build the new version of the Chevrolet Impala, a large front-wheel-drive sedan, for the 2013 model year. GM has said it will invest $69 million for equipment at the plant. The plant stopped making two other big cars at the factory, the Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne, in June. To accommodate the increased Volt production, GM will add a second shift at a plant that assembles Volt battery packs. The plant in Brownstown Township, Mich., south of Detroit, got 30 more workers who will start making battery packs this month, Lee said.
• From Automotive News: UAW and Chrysler negotiators continued bargaining this morning on a new wage and benefit agreement covering 23,000 workers ahead of a meeting today with union officials. "UAW Chrysler Negotiating Team is up and working," the union bargaining team said on its UAW-Chrysler Facebook page at about 5:00 a.m. local time. "It will get done, and it will get done right," the UAW bargaining team said on Facebook page Sunday morning. "If it takes a few more hours, a few more days, a few more weeks, your team will still fight on." If the UAW fails to reach a new labor accord with Chrysler Group by Monday, local union representatives called to Detroit will hear about "the dangers of going to arbitration," said a source familiar with negotiations.
Collective bargaining critical for America
By Bob King
The UAW recently reached agreements with both Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. that will create thousands of good jobs for American workers.
Working with the UAW, these companies agreed to bring production jobs back from Mexico, China, Japan and other nations — welcome news for communities from Tennessee to Indiana, Missouri to Michigan. These agreements illustrate the critical and positive role that collective bargaining plays in strengthening our middle class.
When the UAW bargaining teams sat down with management, their primary goal was jobs — to protect the jobs of our members; bring jobs back to the United States; and create new jobs. These agreements call for the creation of 6,400 more jobs at GM and 12,000 jobs at Ford.
Since each auto manufacturing job creates or supports another 10 jobs in other businesses, the two agreements at Ford and GM are helping to create nearly 170,000 jobs for Americans. The new investments in American plants and the transfer of work from factories abroad to our own communities will lift local economies during these difficult times.
In recent years, the right wing has demonized the process of collective bargaining. While targeting public sector workers, they have also attacked the right of private sector workers to organize and bargain. The right wing view is that bargaining is destructive to our economy or even un-American. Nothing could be further from the truth. Collective bargaining created the American middle class in the first place, and if we are to restore our middle class, it will be through expanding bargaining throughout our economy.
Collective bargaining is the vehicle through which working people have a voice at work. Too often without countervailing input, executives make decisions based on short-term profit seeking, not on what's best for the company or our nation, in the long term. No one has a stronger self-interest in the success of the company than the workers. CEOs come and go, often with lucrative golden parachutes; managers pursue their own career advantages; stockholders buy or sell to make the most money; but the workers are here for the long-run and have the most at risk if the company fails.
Through collective bargaining, workers have a check and balance on short-term corporate profit-seeking. This balance benefits not only workers but also our communities and even the company's shareholders.
Collective bargaining works. The UAW has demonstrated that by giving workers a voice, we can create jobs, rebuild the American manufacturing sector and restore the American middle class.
• Here is this week’s build information: There are no E-26’s; 196 slider doors; 389 cutaways; 18 15-pass vans; 121 diesels; 74 r/h door delete; 87 exports; 66 brake deck spare tire; 19 Onstar; 332 compressed natural gas (CNG) vans for AT&T; 154 Enterprise rent-a-car; 90.9% white vans.
• From Bloomberg: General Motors Co. is delaying plans to add a second shift at the factory that makes Chevrolet Volt electric cars. The company said Friday it has found ways to make one shift more efficient, so it can produce the same number of cars as two shifts. Spokesman Chris Lee says GM still will add 300 workers at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant -- but not a second shift -- by the end of this year to make more Volts. A second shift will be added, though, but not until the last half of 2012, when the plant starts building the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu midsize sedan in addition to the Volt. "This decision will significantly reduce costs, and has no impact on the plant's ability to make 60,000 Volts and Amperas," Lee said in a statement. "This approach is just a more efficient way to make the same number of vehicles." GM engineers figured out a way to clear several bottlenecks that were slowing down the Volt plant and increase its assembly-line speed, the company said. GM plans to add more than 200 jobs when the second shift arrives next year. The plant, which straddles the border between Detroit and the enclave of Hamtramck, now has about 1,000 workers. GM said in May that it would get another 2,500 jobs when second and third shifts are added. In addition to the Malibu and Volt, the plant is expected to build the new version of the Chevrolet Impala, a large front-wheel-drive sedan, for the 2013 model year. GM has said it will invest $69 million for equipment at the plant. The plant stopped making two other big cars at the factory, the Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne, in June. To accommodate the increased Volt production, GM will add a second shift at a plant that assembles Volt battery packs. The plant in Brownstown Township, Mich., south of Detroit, got 30 more workers who will start making battery packs this month, Lee said.
• From Automotive News: UAW and Chrysler negotiators continued bargaining this morning on a new wage and benefit agreement covering 23,000 workers ahead of a meeting today with union officials. "UAW Chrysler Negotiating Team is up and working," the union bargaining team said on its UAW-Chrysler Facebook page at about 5:00 a.m. local time. "It will get done, and it will get done right," the UAW bargaining team said on Facebook page Sunday morning. "If it takes a few more hours, a few more days, a few more weeks, your team will still fight on." If the UAW fails to reach a new labor accord with Chrysler Group by Monday, local union representatives called to Detroit will hear about "the dangers of going to arbitration," said a source familiar with negotiations.
Collective bargaining critical for America
By Bob King
The UAW recently reached agreements with both Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. that will create thousands of good jobs for American workers.
Working with the UAW, these companies agreed to bring production jobs back from Mexico, China, Japan and other nations — welcome news for communities from Tennessee to Indiana, Missouri to Michigan. These agreements illustrate the critical and positive role that collective bargaining plays in strengthening our middle class.
When the UAW bargaining teams sat down with management, their primary goal was jobs — to protect the jobs of our members; bring jobs back to the United States; and create new jobs. These agreements call for the creation of 6,400 more jobs at GM and 12,000 jobs at Ford.
Since each auto manufacturing job creates or supports another 10 jobs in other businesses, the two agreements at Ford and GM are helping to create nearly 170,000 jobs for Americans. The new investments in American plants and the transfer of work from factories abroad to our own communities will lift local economies during these difficult times.
In recent years, the right wing has demonized the process of collective bargaining. While targeting public sector workers, they have also attacked the right of private sector workers to organize and bargain. The right wing view is that bargaining is destructive to our economy or even un-American. Nothing could be further from the truth. Collective bargaining created the American middle class in the first place, and if we are to restore our middle class, it will be through expanding bargaining throughout our economy.
Collective bargaining is the vehicle through which working people have a voice at work. Too often without countervailing input, executives make decisions based on short-term profit seeking, not on what's best for the company or our nation, in the long term. No one has a stronger self-interest in the success of the company than the workers. CEOs come and go, often with lucrative golden parachutes; managers pursue their own career advantages; stockholders buy or sell to make the most money; but the workers are here for the long-run and have the most at risk if the company fails.
Through collective bargaining, workers have a check and balance on short-term corporate profit-seeking. This balance benefits not only workers but also our communities and even the company's shareholders.
Collective bargaining works. The UAW has demonstrated that by giving workers a voice, we can create jobs, rebuild the American manufacturing sector and restore the American middle class.
Friday, October 7, 2011
State of the Union October 7, 2011
Oct. 7, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
• From Chairman Mike Bullock: The local agreement passed with 82 % production in favor and 61% skilled trades in favor. I want to thank you for the strong “yes” vote and your support throughout this process. We have now secured the future of this plant for many years to come and will have a legacy of leaving it in a better position than when we arrived.
• With the revelation in the tentative agreement with Ford that the full-sized Transit van will be built in Kansas City and the Econoline will only carry on in cutaway form, the question becomes – what’s the timeline? According to examiner.com, 2200 Kansas City workers have been told that they will be temporarily laid off beginning in April next year for retooling in preparation for the launch of the Transit. However, no launch date was mentioned. The conversion will occur on what is now the Escape line (which is moving to Louisville) as the F-150 will still be produced there. Total investment is estimated at $1 billion, so it would seem that there will be quite a bit of construction. Regarding the Econoline, a lengthy article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer does not reveal an end to production date, saying only that it would cease “sometime during the contract’s duration”. Nor was a launch date for the replacement medium duty and motorhome chassis (currently built in Mexico) given.
• Information: If you want to check on the status of a referral, call 1-800-973-1465. There are no plans at this time for a second round of referrals. Also, to look up your GM paystub go to this website: https://ipay.adp.com. You will need to register to be able to use this website and the initial password to get the process started is: gm1-pay. Under the terms of the new national agreement, you will no longer receive a paper stub in the mail beginning next year, so you will need to use this website to view your paystubs.
• From the Detroit Free Press: General Motors has agreed to help pay half the cost of repairing faulty gas gauges in potentially hundreds of thousands of its model year 2005-2007 Chevy Trailblazers, Buick Rainiers, GMC Envoys and Saab 9-7s. The agreement to repair the problematic gauges was made to settle an investigation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which began a probe into the issue earlier this year. In April, NHTSA opened an investigation into nearly 900,000 vehicles that could have bad gas gauges – causing drivers to unexpectedly run out of fuel, resulting in an engine stall and possible crash.
• From Edmunds: The fact that GM intends to sell a next-generation midsize pickup – much less build it in the U.S. – is a notable strategic gamble given the segment’s astounding sales decline. The midsize truck market has been on a steady and precipitous slide since 2000, when, according to Edmunds.com data, more than 1 million midsize pickups were sold. By last year, midsize pickup sales plunged by nearly 75 percent to 264,206. Midsize-pickup market share in the U.S. hit a high mark of 8 percent in 1994, but was just 2.3 percent last year. It didn’t help when the once-compact pickups grew to be seven-eights-sized little brothers to fullsize pickups. When product developers decided that bigger would be better, even for “compact” pickups, they unwittingly erased much of the appeal of compact pickups’ smaller footprints and appreciably better fuel economy. And midsize pickups were selling at average transaction prices similar to the entry end of the fullsize range, while their fuel-economy advantages became negligible. As GM gears up to return a new version of an aging nameplate to a fading segment, chief rival Ford has yet to openly reverse what appears to be commitment to staying out. Ford’s midsize Ranger line – in continuous production since its launch in 1983 – is, for now, gone. There is no 2012 Ranger and the truck’s Twin Cities, MN, assembly plant will close as scheduled at the end of this year, said Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans. Meanwhile, Chrysler Group LLC’s Ram division ended production of its midsize Dakota in August.
• From Chairman Mike Bullock: The local agreement passed with 82 % production in favor and 61% skilled trades in favor. I want to thank you for the strong “yes” vote and your support throughout this process. We have now secured the future of this plant for many years to come and will have a legacy of leaving it in a better position than when we arrived.
• With the revelation in the tentative agreement with Ford that the full-sized Transit van will be built in Kansas City and the Econoline will only carry on in cutaway form, the question becomes – what’s the timeline? According to examiner.com, 2200 Kansas City workers have been told that they will be temporarily laid off beginning in April next year for retooling in preparation for the launch of the Transit. However, no launch date was mentioned. The conversion will occur on what is now the Escape line (which is moving to Louisville) as the F-150 will still be produced there. Total investment is estimated at $1 billion, so it would seem that there will be quite a bit of construction. Regarding the Econoline, a lengthy article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer does not reveal an end to production date, saying only that it would cease “sometime during the contract’s duration”. Nor was a launch date for the replacement medium duty and motorhome chassis (currently built in Mexico) given.
• Information: If you want to check on the status of a referral, call 1-800-973-1465. There are no plans at this time for a second round of referrals. Also, to look up your GM paystub go to this website: https://ipay.adp.com. You will need to register to be able to use this website and the initial password to get the process started is: gm1-pay. Under the terms of the new national agreement, you will no longer receive a paper stub in the mail beginning next year, so you will need to use this website to view your paystubs.
• From the Detroit Free Press: General Motors has agreed to help pay half the cost of repairing faulty gas gauges in potentially hundreds of thousands of its model year 2005-2007 Chevy Trailblazers, Buick Rainiers, GMC Envoys and Saab 9-7s. The agreement to repair the problematic gauges was made to settle an investigation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which began a probe into the issue earlier this year. In April, NHTSA opened an investigation into nearly 900,000 vehicles that could have bad gas gauges – causing drivers to unexpectedly run out of fuel, resulting in an engine stall and possible crash.
• From Edmunds: The fact that GM intends to sell a next-generation midsize pickup – much less build it in the U.S. – is a notable strategic gamble given the segment’s astounding sales decline. The midsize truck market has been on a steady and precipitous slide since 2000, when, according to Edmunds.com data, more than 1 million midsize pickups were sold. By last year, midsize pickup sales plunged by nearly 75 percent to 264,206. Midsize-pickup market share in the U.S. hit a high mark of 8 percent in 1994, but was just 2.3 percent last year. It didn’t help when the once-compact pickups grew to be seven-eights-sized little brothers to fullsize pickups. When product developers decided that bigger would be better, even for “compact” pickups, they unwittingly erased much of the appeal of compact pickups’ smaller footprints and appreciably better fuel economy. And midsize pickups were selling at average transaction prices similar to the entry end of the fullsize range, while their fuel-economy advantages became negligible. As GM gears up to return a new version of an aging nameplate to a fading segment, chief rival Ford has yet to openly reverse what appears to be commitment to staying out. Ford’s midsize Ranger line – in continuous production since its launch in 1983 – is, for now, gone. There is no 2012 Ranger and the truck’s Twin Cities, MN, assembly plant will close as scheduled at the end of this year, said Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans. Meanwhile, Chrysler Group LLC’s Ram division ended production of its midsize Dakota in August.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
State of the Union October 6, 2011
Oct. 6, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
From Chairman Mike Bullock: Today's message from the Plant Manager was something this membership has known for 2 weeks so I didn't see a need personally for me to get on the TV to tell you what you already know. You're smarter than that.
MORE 2ND SHIFT NEWS
Tomorrow is the last day to sign up for shift preferences and Par. 63b transfers. As of today this is the date to hold days in the following departments. This date could change if any employees rescind or apply for a shift preference. This date could also change when and if we get any extended area hire transfers who may want to stay on days and their seniority date is better than this date:
Chassis - it takes 2/09/2000 to hold days
Trim - it takes 8-30-1999 with last 4 of 5000 to hold days
Material - it takes 4/22/1985 with last 4 SSN of 9800 to hold days
Body - it takes 4/22/85 with last 4 SSN of 2200 to hold days
Paint - see the Business Manager
These dates are all tentative, and could change up or down.
Reminder: The ratification vote on the tentative local agreement is today. Polls will be open from 4 am to 7 pm. Informational meetings will be held at 1:15pm, 3pm, and 15 minutes after the longest line time.
From the benefits department: Employees will not be able to put the $5000 signing bonus in their PSP accounts.
New incentives are out for GM products. Extended cab and crew cab Silverado and Sierra pickups now have a total of $6505 in cash back for 2011 models (regular cabs are $6005). Here is a pricing example on a tuck in inventory at Cox & Cohea here in Wentzville: Silverado Crew Cab LT – 5.3 V8; 6-speed auto; 2wd; power seat, windows, door locks w/remote keyless entry; leather wrapped steering wheel w/radio controls; dual zone auto a/c; e-z lift locking tailgate; aluminum wheels; cruise & tilt; dual power heated osrv mirrors; uplevel split bench seats w/lumbar & locking storage; stabilitrak; xm radio with cd, usb port and 3 months free; bluetooth for phone; locking rear differential; trailering package; Onstar w/6 months free; side impact and head curtain airbags. This truck stickers at $34,125 and can be yours for $25,731.
GM released more details about the Chevrolet Colorado, which is launching this week in Thailand. Here are some of the highlights (actual production version pictured below):
o The 2.8-liter 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine is rated at 180 horsepower and 346 lb.-ft. of torque with an available six-speed automatic transmission. The 2.5-liter turbo diesel engine is rated at 150 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque.
o In a first for a Chevrolet pickup truck, the Colorado offers LED-illuminated tail lamps on high-level models.
o Segment-leading front- and second-row shoulder room, headroom and seat height.
o The use of LED backlighting in the instrument cluster and HVAC controls in Chevrolet’s trademark “Ice Blue” illumination.
o The regular cab has 16 storage locations, while the extended cab has 19 and the crew cab has 30.
o Seats feature flat-woven cloth fabric or optional leather on high-end models with matching instrument panel inserts. They carry sculpted edges and have dual-density foam construction. A front vinyl bench seat is available on base models.
o Convenience features like auxiliary power, auxiliary plugs and USB connectivity are standard across the range.
From Chairman Mike Bullock: Today's message from the Plant Manager was something this membership has known for 2 weeks so I didn't see a need personally for me to get on the TV to tell you what you already know. You're smarter than that.
MORE 2ND SHIFT NEWS
Tomorrow is the last day to sign up for shift preferences and Par. 63b transfers. As of today this is the date to hold days in the following departments. This date could change if any employees rescind or apply for a shift preference. This date could also change when and if we get any extended area hire transfers who may want to stay on days and their seniority date is better than this date:
Chassis - it takes 2/09/2000 to hold days
Trim - it takes 8-30-1999 with last 4 of 5000 to hold days
Material - it takes 4/22/1985 with last 4 SSN of 9800 to hold days
Body - it takes 4/22/85 with last 4 SSN of 2200 to hold days
Paint - see the Business Manager
These dates are all tentative, and could change up or down.
Reminder: The ratification vote on the tentative local agreement is today. Polls will be open from 4 am to 7 pm. Informational meetings will be held at 1:15pm, 3pm, and 15 minutes after the longest line time.
From the benefits department: Employees will not be able to put the $5000 signing bonus in their PSP accounts.
New incentives are out for GM products. Extended cab and crew cab Silverado and Sierra pickups now have a total of $6505 in cash back for 2011 models (regular cabs are $6005). Here is a pricing example on a tuck in inventory at Cox & Cohea here in Wentzville: Silverado Crew Cab LT – 5.3 V8; 6-speed auto; 2wd; power seat, windows, door locks w/remote keyless entry; leather wrapped steering wheel w/radio controls; dual zone auto a/c; e-z lift locking tailgate; aluminum wheels; cruise & tilt; dual power heated osrv mirrors; uplevel split bench seats w/lumbar & locking storage; stabilitrak; xm radio with cd, usb port and 3 months free; bluetooth for phone; locking rear differential; trailering package; Onstar w/6 months free; side impact and head curtain airbags. This truck stickers at $34,125 and can be yours for $25,731.
GM released more details about the Chevrolet Colorado, which is launching this week in Thailand. Here are some of the highlights (actual production version pictured below):
o The 2.8-liter 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine is rated at 180 horsepower and 346 lb.-ft. of torque with an available six-speed automatic transmission. The 2.5-liter turbo diesel engine is rated at 150 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque.
o In a first for a Chevrolet pickup truck, the Colorado offers LED-illuminated tail lamps on high-level models.
o Segment-leading front- and second-row shoulder room, headroom and seat height.
o The use of LED backlighting in the instrument cluster and HVAC controls in Chevrolet’s trademark “Ice Blue” illumination.
o The regular cab has 16 storage locations, while the extended cab has 19 and the crew cab has 30.
o Seats feature flat-woven cloth fabric or optional leather on high-end models with matching instrument panel inserts. They carry sculpted edges and have dual-density foam construction. A front vinyl bench seat is available on base models.
o Convenience features like auxiliary power, auxiliary plugs and USB connectivity are standard across the range.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
State of the Union October 5, 2011
Oct. 5, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
• From Chairman Mike Bullock: I want to thank everyone who came to the informational Q and A meetings yesterday. A lot of good information was shared from both sides. Two things the Joint Manpower committee is going to change:
o First: Team Leader applications are going to be frozen after the end of the shift TODAY. If you have any desire to be a team leader in the department you are currently in, your application must be in by the end of the shift today. The committee wants to make offers to those employees who want to be team leaders before the Par 63b offers. We will know the cutoff seniority date for Team Leaders in your department and when you are told you can hold Team Leader classification you will then be able to withdraw your Par 63b or Team Leader application before the cutoff on Friday end of shift if you so desire (remember there is no refusal if your offered).
o Second: The big question again, "can I hold days in my department?" I will have an updated seniority date in all the departments by the beginning of the shift on Friday, to help with your decision. I will calculate the shift preferences we have received as of Thursday end of shift in that calculation. Again, there is no guarantee that the date to hold days will not change again because of the addition of National Hire employees that we may receive.
Management has officially requested 404 National Hires. We don't know how many will accept or what their seniority date is until they get here.
There have been questions from the Highlight letter yesterday for the tentative Local Contract:
Alternative Work Schedule:Settled on the basis: In preparation of holiday week scheduling the parties will jointly discuss the options available for the scheduled working days. We will jointly establish a 3 day 11 hour max or a 4 day, 9 hour max schedule for those affected 4-day weeks. During holiday weeks that contain more than one scheduled day off, our production schedule will not exceed 9 hours per day.
• Reminder: Ratification vote will on the Local Agreement will be tomorrow. Polls will be open from 4 am to 7 pm. Informational meetings will be held at 7am, 1:15pm, 3pm, and 15 minutes after the longest line time. The Shop Committee recommends you vote “yes” on this agreement as the final step to secure a new product and the future of this plant and this membership for many years to come.
• There will be a televised announcement from Chairman Mike Bullock and plant manager John Dansby tomorrow morning at the beginning of day shift.
• Here are the September results for the van segment:
2011 2010 Change Share
Ford Econoline 8711 8711 +2.8% 44.7%
GM 8402 6156 +36.5% 43.1%
Mercedes Sprinter 1779 804 +121% 9.1%
Nissan NV 607 --- --- 3.1%
Ford Transit connect 2611 3571 -26.9% ---
• Taking a look at field supplies, while overall net stock was up 829 units, the increase in sales resulted in a drop to a 50 day supply versus a 61 day supply in August. Specifically, cargo vans accounted for virtually all of the increase, while cutaway supplies declined. Passsenger van supplies are still very lean with an 18 day supply for the Chevy and total supplies of only 679 units.
• According to the UAW/Ford agreement highlights, the Avon Lake, Ohio plant will only build cutaway versions of the Econoline when the full-size Transit comes aboard in Kansas City. No timeline was given, but that will leave our van and the (anemic) Nissan NV as the only body-on-frame full sized vans available in the US.
• Stop the presses! Consumer Reports has given the coveted “Recommended” designation to the Chevy Volt and not the Nissan Leaf. CR praised the Volt’s “instant acceleration”, fuel economy, quiet ride and crash test performance. Never content to let a GM product off the hook, they had to find something to criticize – rear seat accommodations, poor visibility and reduced EV range in cold weather (which is akin to complaining about lower mpg going uphill).
• From Automotive News: General Motors is taking more steps to boost production of the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain at the Canadian assembly plant that makes the popular crossovers, GM and a union official said today. GM is adding as many as 100 workers and will adjust the assembly line speed at its CAMI Automotive Inc. plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, said Dan Borthwick, president of Canadian Auto Workers Local 88, which represents workers at the plant. GM of Canada spokeswoman Faye Roberts confirmed the plans to add as many as 100 workers at the plant "to meet demand for the hot-selling Equinox and Terrain." The move will increase production by more than 50 vehicles a day, to more than 1,100, Borthwick said in an e-mail to Automotive News. The plant has been running three shifts and Saturday overtime shifts for nearly two years to meet high demand, Borthwick said
• From Chairman Mike Bullock: I want to thank everyone who came to the informational Q and A meetings yesterday. A lot of good information was shared from both sides. Two things the Joint Manpower committee is going to change:
o First: Team Leader applications are going to be frozen after the end of the shift TODAY. If you have any desire to be a team leader in the department you are currently in, your application must be in by the end of the shift today. The committee wants to make offers to those employees who want to be team leaders before the Par 63b offers. We will know the cutoff seniority date for Team Leaders in your department and when you are told you can hold Team Leader classification you will then be able to withdraw your Par 63b or Team Leader application before the cutoff on Friday end of shift if you so desire (remember there is no refusal if your offered).
o Second: The big question again, "can I hold days in my department?" I will have an updated seniority date in all the departments by the beginning of the shift on Friday, to help with your decision. I will calculate the shift preferences we have received as of Thursday end of shift in that calculation. Again, there is no guarantee that the date to hold days will not change again because of the addition of National Hire employees that we may receive.
Management has officially requested 404 National Hires. We don't know how many will accept or what their seniority date is until they get here.
There have been questions from the Highlight letter yesterday for the tentative Local Contract:
Alternative Work Schedule:Settled on the basis: In preparation of holiday week scheduling the parties will jointly discuss the options available for the scheduled working days. We will jointly establish a 3 day 11 hour max or a 4 day, 9 hour max schedule for those affected 4-day weeks. During holiday weeks that contain more than one scheduled day off, our production schedule will not exceed 9 hours per day.
• Reminder: Ratification vote will on the Local Agreement will be tomorrow. Polls will be open from 4 am to 7 pm. Informational meetings will be held at 7am, 1:15pm, 3pm, and 15 minutes after the longest line time. The Shop Committee recommends you vote “yes” on this agreement as the final step to secure a new product and the future of this plant and this membership for many years to come.
• There will be a televised announcement from Chairman Mike Bullock and plant manager John Dansby tomorrow morning at the beginning of day shift.
• Here are the September results for the van segment:
2011 2010 Change Share
Ford Econoline 8711 8711 +2.8% 44.7%
GM 8402 6156 +36.5% 43.1%
Mercedes Sprinter 1779 804 +121% 9.1%
Nissan NV 607 --- --- 3.1%
Ford Transit connect 2611 3571 -26.9% ---
• Taking a look at field supplies, while overall net stock was up 829 units, the increase in sales resulted in a drop to a 50 day supply versus a 61 day supply in August. Specifically, cargo vans accounted for virtually all of the increase, while cutaway supplies declined. Passsenger van supplies are still very lean with an 18 day supply for the Chevy and total supplies of only 679 units.
• According to the UAW/Ford agreement highlights, the Avon Lake, Ohio plant will only build cutaway versions of the Econoline when the full-size Transit comes aboard in Kansas City. No timeline was given, but that will leave our van and the (anemic) Nissan NV as the only body-on-frame full sized vans available in the US.
• Stop the presses! Consumer Reports has given the coveted “Recommended” designation to the Chevy Volt and not the Nissan Leaf. CR praised the Volt’s “instant acceleration”, fuel economy, quiet ride and crash test performance. Never content to let a GM product off the hook, they had to find something to criticize – rear seat accommodations, poor visibility and reduced EV range in cold weather (which is akin to complaining about lower mpg going uphill).
• From Automotive News: General Motors is taking more steps to boost production of the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain at the Canadian assembly plant that makes the popular crossovers, GM and a union official said today. GM is adding as many as 100 workers and will adjust the assembly line speed at its CAMI Automotive Inc. plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, said Dan Borthwick, president of Canadian Auto Workers Local 88, which represents workers at the plant. GM of Canada spokeswoman Faye Roberts confirmed the plans to add as many as 100 workers at the plant "to meet demand for the hot-selling Equinox and Terrain." The move will increase production by more than 50 vehicles a day, to more than 1,100, Borthwick said in an e-mail to Automotive News. The plant has been running three shifts and Saturday overtime shifts for nearly two years to meet high demand, Borthwick said
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
State of the Union October 4, 2011
Oct. 4, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
• From Chairman Mike Bullock: The Joint 2nd shift Manpower Committee will be having a meeting in the tour holding room on Tuesday, October 4 at 3:30, 4:30 and after day shift at 5:30 to answer any further questions you may have. Also, the seniority date to hold Trim if no one transferred to second shift is 4-14-1986 and the date to hold Chassis is 9-26-1994.
• Ford and the UAW have reached a tentative agreement. Details are still coming out, but news outlets are reporting that the signing bonus is $6000 and there will be $1500 annual inflation protection payments in lieu of COLA. There were no wage increases negotiated for traditional employees. There will also be attrition packages of $50,000 for production and $100,000 for skilled trades who are retirement eligible. The agreement also secures more than 12,000 jobs, including 7,000 previously announced - 6,250 hourly and 750 salaried - and 5,750 new jobs that will be added by the end of 2012 and pay an entry-level wage, starting at $15.51 an hour. Among the product announcements is the commitment of the Transit van to the Kansas City plant and a medium duty vehicle and frame for the Avon Lake plant that currently assembles the Econoline. It is unclear if the Econoline will still be built at that facility but there has been speculation that the Transit in all its variations will replace the Econoline.
• From Bloomberg: Automakers, while beating estimates for industry sales, reduced spending on incentives for U.S. customers in September by 3.5 percent to an average of $2,653 per vehicle, according to Autodata Corp. Ford Motor Co. cut spending on discounts and promotions by 6.6 percent from a year earlier to an estimated $2,845 per vehicle, Autodata said Monday in an e-mailed statement. Chrysler Group's incentives fell 5.7 percent to $3,425. Nissan Motor Co. reduced discounts by 5.7 percent to $2,748. Industrywide light-vehicle sales ran at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 13.1 million in September. That's the fastest pace since April's 13.2 million and exceeds the 12.8 million rate that was the average of 14 analysts' estimates. Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co., which returned to full output last month for the first time since Japan's tsunami in March, boosted incentive spending during the month. Honda increased spending by 6 percent to $2,337 per vehicle. Toyota raised incentives 5.5 percent to an estimated $2,238, Autodata said. General Motors Co. raised incentives 1.9 percent to $3,289 per vehicle. Through September, industrywide average spending on U.S. incentives fell 9.6 percent to $2,498 per vehicle.
• From Chairman Mike Bullock: The Joint 2nd shift Manpower Committee will be having a meeting in the tour holding room on Tuesday, October 4 at 3:30, 4:30 and after day shift at 5:30 to answer any further questions you may have. Also, the seniority date to hold Trim if no one transferred to second shift is 4-14-1986 and the date to hold Chassis is 9-26-1994.
• Ford and the UAW have reached a tentative agreement. Details are still coming out, but news outlets are reporting that the signing bonus is $6000 and there will be $1500 annual inflation protection payments in lieu of COLA. There were no wage increases negotiated for traditional employees. There will also be attrition packages of $50,000 for production and $100,000 for skilled trades who are retirement eligible. The agreement also secures more than 12,000 jobs, including 7,000 previously announced - 6,250 hourly and 750 salaried - and 5,750 new jobs that will be added by the end of 2012 and pay an entry-level wage, starting at $15.51 an hour. Among the product announcements is the commitment of the Transit van to the Kansas City plant and a medium duty vehicle and frame for the Avon Lake plant that currently assembles the Econoline. It is unclear if the Econoline will still be built at that facility but there has been speculation that the Transit in all its variations will replace the Econoline.
• From Bloomberg: Automakers, while beating estimates for industry sales, reduced spending on incentives for U.S. customers in September by 3.5 percent to an average of $2,653 per vehicle, according to Autodata Corp. Ford Motor Co. cut spending on discounts and promotions by 6.6 percent from a year earlier to an estimated $2,845 per vehicle, Autodata said Monday in an e-mailed statement. Chrysler Group's incentives fell 5.7 percent to $3,425. Nissan Motor Co. reduced discounts by 5.7 percent to $2,748. Industrywide light-vehicle sales ran at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 13.1 million in September. That's the fastest pace since April's 13.2 million and exceeds the 12.8 million rate that was the average of 14 analysts' estimates. Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co., which returned to full output last month for the first time since Japan's tsunami in March, boosted incentive spending during the month. Honda increased spending by 6 percent to $2,337 per vehicle. Toyota raised incentives 5.5 percent to an estimated $2,238, Autodata said. General Motors Co. raised incentives 1.9 percent to $3,289 per vehicle. Through September, industrywide average spending on U.S. incentives fell 9.6 percent to $2,498 per vehicle.
Monday, October 3, 2011
State of the Union October 3, 2011
Oct. 3, 2011 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
• From Chairman Mike Bullock: Your shop committee reached a tentative Local Agreement late Friday. We will be putting together highlight handouts today and hope to hand them out starting Tuesday and Wednesday morning. We believe that once you see what we have accomplished you will be very pleased with the contract. The shop committee will be having informational meetings on the Local Contract Thursday at 7am, 1:15pm, 3pm, and 15 minutes after the longest line time. The polls will be open from 4am to 7 pm on Thursday to vote.
About second shift staffing: An agreement with Management pursuant to Document 70 has been made to freeze all Paragraph 63b applications and shift preference applications as of the end of the shift on October 7. Any employee who wishes to transfer to another department needs to have their Par. 63b application on file in personnel by the end of shift October 7. The October 7 deadline also includes any employee who wants to withdraw any Par. 63b applications on file. Any applications received after this date will not be honored until January 3, 2012 .This will allow the Joint 2nd shift Manpower Committee the ability to facilitate everyone getting to their choice of department and shift. Department and shift choices cannot be guaranteed, as they will be filled by seniority. In body shop and stamping, any shift preference received by end of shift October 7 can choose whether to move now or you can indicate you want to move on January 3, 2012. In body and stamping, open jobs on 2nd shift will be bid to those on that shift first. All the Par. 63b moves will be accomplished before National Hire moves are made.
The biggest question I receive on the floor is "can I hold day shift?" With the reduction of line speed from 46 JPH to 32 JPH there is approximately 30% too many people on day shift right now. I'll give you some ideas of what seniority it would take to hold days IF NO ONE voluntarily moves from days to nights. Understand this is all tentative and is subject to change and is only offered here to help you make a decision.
Material - 84 people on days now, management says they will only need 67 people on one shift - when we go to two shifts, it would take 3/11/85 to hold days under that scenario
Body shop - 172 people on days now, management says they will only need 140 people on one shift - when we go to two shifts, it would take 4/01/85 to hold days under that scenario
Quality - 44 people on days now, management says they will only need 32 on one shift - when we go to two shifts, it would take 1/07/85 to hold days under that scenario
Paint - 50 people on days now, management says they will only need 39 on one shift - when we go to two shifts, it would take 4/15/85 to hold days under that scenario,
Paint is a little different because of the various classifications - this date could go up or down depending on the classification.
Stamping - 28 people on day shift now, it takes 4/01/85 to hold days now but there are numerous higher seniority on 2nd shift now, so stamping could go up or down depending on shift preferences, a partial crew on 3rd shift will be added to stamping. (continued on back)
• Final Process - 35 people on days now, management says they will only need 26 on one shift - when we go to two shifts, it would take 1/07/85 seniority to hold days. Again, this date could go up or down depending on if you are in DVT or Repair.
A survey form will be distributed to all employees indicating your desire to remain on your current job (seniority permitting) or voluntarily transferring to second shift (application needs to be turned in by October 7). Once all Par. 63b moves and shift preference moves are identified, each department will be bidding the open 1st shift Primary job openings (again by seniority). Those indicating a desire to transfer to 2nd shift will then be allowed to bid on the 2nd shift jobs before anyone who is forced to second shift (by seniority). We hope to accomplish all this by October 14 and before any National Hire employees arrive in Wentzville, so your cooperation and patience is important to facilitate this quickly.
The Joint 2nd shift Manpower Committee will be having a meeting in the tour holding room on Tuesday, October 4 at 3:30, 4:30 and after day shift at 5:30 to answer any further questions you may have.
Again, we cannot guaranteeshift or department, it all depends on seniority.
Both shifts will need additional Team Leaders. Anyone interested in a Team Leader position must first apply and be tested - applications are available in Personnel.
• Here is this week’s build information: 112 E-26 vans; 315 slider doors; 473 cutaways; 131 15-pass vans; 182 diesels; 145 r/h door deletes; 264 Enterprise rent-a-car; 186 exports; 86 YF7; 257 Onstar; 592 add. 3 gallons fuel; 29 brake deck spare tire; 82.2% white vans.
• General Motors today reported total sales of 207,145 vehicles in September, a 20-percent increase compared with September 2010. Retail deliveries were up 19 percent compared with the same month a year ago and accounted for 74 percent of GM sales. Deliveries to fleet customers increased 22 percent. In September, year-over-year passenger car sales increased 12 percent, crossover sales increased 7 percent and truck sales, which include full-size pickups and SUVs, increased 34 percent. Month-end dealer inventory in the United States was 558,157 units. GM’s full-size truck inventory was 208,650 full-size pickup trucks, which equates to an 88-days supply. GM is on track to meet its target of ending 2011 with a full-size pickup inventory of about 200,000 units.
o Chevrolet: In September, its 12 th month since going on sale, Cruze deliveries were 18,097 units, bringing its first full year of sales to 212,019 vehicles. Silverado sales increased 36 percent, Tahoe was up 63 percent and Equinox was up 33 percent.
o GMC: Sales have now increased for 24 consecutive months, year over year. Sierra sales were up 26 percent, Terrain sales were up 45 percent and Yukon was up 45 percent.
o Cadillac: Combined sales of the Cadillac CTS sedan, coupe and wagon increased 24 percent compared with September 2010. In addition, the Cadillac SRX was up 22 percent. Cadillac reduced its fleet sales by 54 percent.
o Buick: September was the brand’s 24th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains, with the Regal continuing to build momentum with sales up 87 percent. Enclave, which began the transformation of Buick, increased its sales by 10 percent.
o Van sales came in at 8402, up 36.5% over last September and the highest total since April this year.
• From Automotive News: The United Auto Workers called its local union plant officials to Detroit for a Tuesday meeting in anticipation of reaching an agreement with Ford Motor Co. on a new four-year contact. Michele Martin, UAW spokeswoman, said the union "hopes" it will have an agreement to present to the local union leaders at the Tuesday meeting. Martin said the union plant leaders were called on Sunday in order for them to travel to Detroit in time for the Tuesday meeting. She said there was no guarantee that there will be a deal in hand by Tuesday, however. On Sunday, UAW and Ford negotiators continued negotiations for the seventh consecutive day.
• From Chairman Mike Bullock: Your shop committee reached a tentative Local Agreement late Friday. We will be putting together highlight handouts today and hope to hand them out starting Tuesday and Wednesday morning. We believe that once you see what we have accomplished you will be very pleased with the contract. The shop committee will be having informational meetings on the Local Contract Thursday at 7am, 1:15pm, 3pm, and 15 minutes after the longest line time. The polls will be open from 4am to 7 pm on Thursday to vote.
About second shift staffing: An agreement with Management pursuant to Document 70 has been made to freeze all Paragraph 63b applications and shift preference applications as of the end of the shift on October 7. Any employee who wishes to transfer to another department needs to have their Par. 63b application on file in personnel by the end of shift October 7. The October 7 deadline also includes any employee who wants to withdraw any Par. 63b applications on file. Any applications received after this date will not be honored until January 3, 2012 .This will allow the Joint 2nd shift Manpower Committee the ability to facilitate everyone getting to their choice of department and shift. Department and shift choices cannot be guaranteed, as they will be filled by seniority. In body shop and stamping, any shift preference received by end of shift October 7 can choose whether to move now or you can indicate you want to move on January 3, 2012. In body and stamping, open jobs on 2nd shift will be bid to those on that shift first. All the Par. 63b moves will be accomplished before National Hire moves are made.
The biggest question I receive on the floor is "can I hold day shift?" With the reduction of line speed from 46 JPH to 32 JPH there is approximately 30% too many people on day shift right now. I'll give you some ideas of what seniority it would take to hold days IF NO ONE voluntarily moves from days to nights. Understand this is all tentative and is subject to change and is only offered here to help you make a decision.
Material - 84 people on days now, management says they will only need 67 people on one shift - when we go to two shifts, it would take 3/11/85 to hold days under that scenario
Body shop - 172 people on days now, management says they will only need 140 people on one shift - when we go to two shifts, it would take 4/01/85 to hold days under that scenario
Quality - 44 people on days now, management says they will only need 32 on one shift - when we go to two shifts, it would take 1/07/85 to hold days under that scenario
Paint - 50 people on days now, management says they will only need 39 on one shift - when we go to two shifts, it would take 4/15/85 to hold days under that scenario,
Paint is a little different because of the various classifications - this date could go up or down depending on the classification.
Stamping - 28 people on day shift now, it takes 4/01/85 to hold days now but there are numerous higher seniority on 2nd shift now, so stamping could go up or down depending on shift preferences, a partial crew on 3rd shift will be added to stamping. (continued on back)
• Final Process - 35 people on days now, management says they will only need 26 on one shift - when we go to two shifts, it would take 1/07/85 seniority to hold days. Again, this date could go up or down depending on if you are in DVT or Repair.
A survey form will be distributed to all employees indicating your desire to remain on your current job (seniority permitting) or voluntarily transferring to second shift (application needs to be turned in by October 7). Once all Par. 63b moves and shift preference moves are identified, each department will be bidding the open 1st shift Primary job openings (again by seniority). Those indicating a desire to transfer to 2nd shift will then be allowed to bid on the 2nd shift jobs before anyone who is forced to second shift (by seniority). We hope to accomplish all this by October 14 and before any National Hire employees arrive in Wentzville, so your cooperation and patience is important to facilitate this quickly.
The Joint 2nd shift Manpower Committee will be having a meeting in the tour holding room on Tuesday, October 4 at 3:30, 4:30 and after day shift at 5:30 to answer any further questions you may have.
Again, we cannot guaranteeshift or department, it all depends on seniority.
Both shifts will need additional Team Leaders. Anyone interested in a Team Leader position must first apply and be tested - applications are available in Personnel.
• Here is this week’s build information: 112 E-26 vans; 315 slider doors; 473 cutaways; 131 15-pass vans; 182 diesels; 145 r/h door deletes; 264 Enterprise rent-a-car; 186 exports; 86 YF7; 257 Onstar; 592 add. 3 gallons fuel; 29 brake deck spare tire; 82.2% white vans.
• General Motors today reported total sales of 207,145 vehicles in September, a 20-percent increase compared with September 2010. Retail deliveries were up 19 percent compared with the same month a year ago and accounted for 74 percent of GM sales. Deliveries to fleet customers increased 22 percent. In September, year-over-year passenger car sales increased 12 percent, crossover sales increased 7 percent and truck sales, which include full-size pickups and SUVs, increased 34 percent. Month-end dealer inventory in the United States was 558,157 units. GM’s full-size truck inventory was 208,650 full-size pickup trucks, which equates to an 88-days supply. GM is on track to meet its target of ending 2011 with a full-size pickup inventory of about 200,000 units.
o Chevrolet: In September, its 12 th month since going on sale, Cruze deliveries were 18,097 units, bringing its first full year of sales to 212,019 vehicles. Silverado sales increased 36 percent, Tahoe was up 63 percent and Equinox was up 33 percent.
o GMC: Sales have now increased for 24 consecutive months, year over year. Sierra sales were up 26 percent, Terrain sales were up 45 percent and Yukon was up 45 percent.
o Cadillac: Combined sales of the Cadillac CTS sedan, coupe and wagon increased 24 percent compared with September 2010. In addition, the Cadillac SRX was up 22 percent. Cadillac reduced its fleet sales by 54 percent.
o Buick: September was the brand’s 24th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains, with the Regal continuing to build momentum with sales up 87 percent. Enclave, which began the transformation of Buick, increased its sales by 10 percent.
o Van sales came in at 8402, up 36.5% over last September and the highest total since April this year.
• From Automotive News: The United Auto Workers called its local union plant officials to Detroit for a Tuesday meeting in anticipation of reaching an agreement with Ford Motor Co. on a new four-year contact. Michele Martin, UAW spokeswoman, said the union "hopes" it will have an agreement to present to the local union leaders at the Tuesday meeting. Martin said the union plant leaders were called on Sunday in order for them to travel to Detroit in time for the Tuesday meeting. She said there was no guarantee that there will be a deal in hand by Tuesday, however. On Sunday, UAW and Ford negotiators continued negotiations for the seventh consecutive day.
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