November 8, 2013 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
Monday, in honor of Veterans Day, we will be selling poppies at the entrances before 1st and 2nd shifts. Proceeds will be donated to the Wentzville VFW Post 5327. Thanks in advance for your support of our Veterans.
•Reminder: This Saturday, Nov. 9 is the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the inception of UAW Local 2250. Doors open at the Union Hall at 6:30 pm. Dinner will be served and music will be provided by Heath Walker with Tune in a Bucket Productions. Come out and enjoy an evening of fun with your Union brothers and sisters as we celebrate 30 years of Solidarity.
•Motor Trend announced yesterday that the 2014 Cadillac CTS sedan is its Car of the Year for 2014. “The all-new 2014 Cadillac CTS prevailed over one of the most competitive fields in recent memory because it best met our award’s key criteria. Our judges were particularly impressed by the CTS’s responsive powertrains and masterful balance of smooth ride and sporty handling,” said Motor Trend editor-in-chief Ed Loh. Motor Trend’s Car of the Year program is open to any all-new or substantially upgraded 2014 automobile. Rather than being compared against one another, contending vehicles are first put through Motor Trend’s full battery of performance tests to measure acceleration, braking, and limit handling. All contenders are then evaluated on three separate courses at a professional automotive test center before finalists are selected. Out of 22 contending 2014 models, Motor Trend’s judges picked seven Car of the Year finalists, in addition to the Cadillac CTS:
BMW 4 Series
Chevrolet Corvette
Jaguar F-Type
Kia Forte
Mazda3
Mazda6
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Each finalist is then driven on a real-world road loop that provides a range of surfaces and traffic conditions to evaluate ride and handling, engine and transmission smoothness and responsiveness, wind and road noise, and ergonomics. After 10 full days of testing, driving and deliberating, Motor Trend selected the CTS as its Car of the Year. “The all-new 2014 Cadillac CTS sedan delivers crafted design, thrilling performance and sophisticated technology,” said Bob Ferguson, General Motors’ senior vice president of Global Cadillac. “With Cadillac growing globally, driven by rising product credibility, the new CTS elevates the brand to a new level.”
•From the Detroit Free Press: The UAW’s influential Reuther Caucus has nominated Dennis Williams to be the union’s next president and chosen other members of its future leadership team. Williams, 60, has been the UAW’s secretary-treasurer since 2010 and served as a regional director based in Chicago for 10 years before that. He has negotiated with John Deere, Caterpillar and agricultural equipment-maker CNH. The Free Press first reported last month that Williams was the likely nominee. “This is very humbling,” Williams said Thursday. “I remember the days when I came home and I was on strike ... so this is very meaningful to me.” Williams is in line to replace Bob King, who at 67 is too old to serve another term under UAW bylaws. King said Williams has the right strategic skills and experience to carry the union forward. “I am extremely excited and proud of the UAW for picking Dennis to be the Reuther Caucus nominee,” King said. “Dennis was an integral part of the 2011 bargaining” with the Detroit Three. The Reuther Caucus also nominated Jimmy Settles, Cindy Estrada and Norwood Jewell to be vice president as well as Gary Casteel to succeed Williams as secretary-treasurer. Settles, 63, is head of the Ford department and is running for a third term. Estrada, 45, is running for a second term. Jewell, 56, is director of the UAW’s south-central Michigan region. Casteel is director of the UAW’s south region where he has led efforts to organize Nissan and Volkswagen workers in Tennessee and Alabama. The union announced Wednesday that Vice President General Holiefield decided he will retire in June after 40 years of service.
•From Automotive News: Tesla Motors Inc.'s Model S electric car has suffered its third fire in six weeks. The Tesla Motors Club Web site contains pictures and a story about another fire involving a Model S on Wednesday afternoon that a company spokeswoman confirmed. Tesla, whose shares fell 7.5 percent today to close at $139.77, said it has been in touch with the driver, who was not injured. "Our team is on its way to Tennessee to learn more about what happened in the accident," Tesla spokeswoman Elizabeth Jarvis-Shean said in a statement. "We will provide more information when we're able to do so."
The company said the fire was the result of an accident and was not a spontaneous event. The Tennessee Highway Patrol said the incident occurred on Interstate 24 in Smyrna around 1:30 pm. "It's possible that it ran over a piece of metal in the roadway," police dispatcher Kathy Bryant said. "There was extensive damage." On Tuesday, Tesla forecast a weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter profit and posted third-quarter Model S deliveries that disappointed some analysts. The first Model S fire occurred on Oct. 1 outside Seattle, when the car collided with a large piece of metal debris in the road that punched a hole through the armor plate protecting the battery pack. U.S. safety regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration later said they found no evidence to indicate a vehicle defect. In a statement today, NHTSA said it will contact local authorities about the latest fire "to determine if there are vehicle safety implications that merit agency action." The second fire took place later in the month in Merida, Mexico, when according to reports a car drove through a roundabout, crashed through a concrete wall and hit a tree. After the first fire, Tesla CEO Elon Musk defended the safety performance of electric cars. "For consumers concerned about fire risk, there should be absolutely zero doubt that it is safer to power a car with a battery" than a conventional gas-powered vehicle, he said in a blog post. Company executives called that first fire a "highly uncommon occurrence," likely caused by a curved metal object falling off a semi-trailer and striking up into the underside of the car in a "pole-vault effect."
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
Friday, November 8, 2013
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
State of the Union November 5, 2013
November 5, 2013 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
This Saturday, Nov. 9 is the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the inception of UAW Local 2250. Doors open at the Union Hall at 6:30 pm. Dinner will be served and music will be provided by Heath Walker with Tune in a Bucket Productions. Come out and enjoy an evening of fun with your Union brothers and sisters as we celebrate 30 years of Solidarity. Also, the Education Committee is selling commemorative T-shirts this week in the cafeteria. Prices are $15, with 2X and larger going for $20.
Tickets are still for sale from Community Services Committee, with the raffle proceeds going to supplement the upcoming Adopt A Child program. First place is an Amish Quilt. Second place is at $100 QT gas card. Third place is 2 Blues tickets to the Dec. 7 game. Tickets are $1 apiece or 6 for $5 and can be purchased from any committee member. Drawing will be held this Thursday, Nov. 7 at 10:30 am in the cafeteria. Thanks in advance for your support.
October was a decent month for van sales at 7552, up 14.9%. In fact it was the best October since 2008. As you may know, October is typically one of our slower months. For example, in 2005, we set an all-time van sales record of 162,350. But October that year was the only month to come in under 10,000. Let’s take a look at how the rest of the van segment fared:
You’ll notice a new entry – the Ram Promaster. This is the full size van Chrysler just launched in Mexico based on a Fiat model and one that bears watching as another direct competitor. Regarding field supplies, both overall supplies and days in the field were up from September. Specifically, net field stock was up 3268 units, equal to 60 days supply based on the daily sales rate. All categories were up, with cargo vans leading the way, rising over 2200 units.
What about midsize pickups? Toyota sold 12,351 Tacomas in October, up 1.3%. Nissan sold 5242 Frontiers, up a healthy 71.8%.
From Automotive News: Ford is recalling 3,095 F-series ambulances because of a potential defect that might cause the vehicles to stall and not restart for at least an hour. The recall affects 2011-12 ambulances with 6.7-liter diesel engines, including Super Duty F-350 and F-450 trucks. The ambulances were built at the Kentucky Truck Plant from Feb. 22, 2010, to Oct. 19, 2012. Ford notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Oct. 28 that a defective exhaust gas temperature sensor might cause some ambulances to stop and not be restarted for the minimum of one hour.
Much is being written and said about the restructuring of the auto industry that basically began 5 years ago. Apparently we had a lot more saviors than we realized. And of course, that would include one presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who tried to take credit during last year’s campaign. Not content just to fade away, Mr. Romney has written a book about his failed campaign titled, “Double Down: Game Change 2012”. The book reveals new details of the November 2008 New York Times op-ed in which Romney called for a managed bankruptcy restructuring of Detroit’s automakers that would “propel newly competitive and viable automakers, rather than seal their fate with a bailout check.” Romney wrote the op-ed on his BlackBerry on the beach in front of his new $12 million home in La Jolla, Calif. The piece, originally offered to and rejected by the Wall Street Journal, was a source of much consternation for Romney as he sought the presidency. According to the book, Romney thought reaction to his 2008 “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt” op-ed piece could have sunk his chances at winning the Republican nomination for president in 2012. “Guys, guys, this could be it,” he told aides. “This could sink me.” Romney came under scrutiny throughout the Michigan primary campaign over the op-ed. “That headline is killing me,” he told an adviser.
Another sub-plot of that time was a rumored merger between GM and Chrysler. Here is what former GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said recently about that plan: “Fritz Henderson and I were very enthusiastic about acquiring Chrysler from Cerberus. We could have put together a dynamite company and saved an unbelievable amount of money. We might have avoided Chapter 11 if we had done that. The operating people were all for it because we could see all the savings. Fritz and the finance guys worked it out. We figured in the first year alone we'd have saved $7 billion. There were some on the GM board who said: "We're doubling down on a UAW-controlled industry. We don't even want to look at the numbers." It was an emotion-driven decision that "no, we are not going to increase the risk by buying into another UAW-controlled company." I think it was a huge missed opportunity. It would be one superpowerful company today.”
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
This Saturday, Nov. 9 is the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the inception of UAW Local 2250. Doors open at the Union Hall at 6:30 pm. Dinner will be served and music will be provided by Heath Walker with Tune in a Bucket Productions. Come out and enjoy an evening of fun with your Union brothers and sisters as we celebrate 30 years of Solidarity. Also, the Education Committee is selling commemorative T-shirts this week in the cafeteria. Prices are $15, with 2X and larger going for $20.
Tickets are still for sale from Community Services Committee, with the raffle proceeds going to supplement the upcoming Adopt A Child program. First place is an Amish Quilt. Second place is at $100 QT gas card. Third place is 2 Blues tickets to the Dec. 7 game. Tickets are $1 apiece or 6 for $5 and can be purchased from any committee member. Drawing will be held this Thursday, Nov. 7 at 10:30 am in the cafeteria. Thanks in advance for your support.
October was a decent month for van sales at 7552, up 14.9%. In fact it was the best October since 2008. As you may know, October is typically one of our slower months. For example, in 2005, we set an all-time van sales record of 162,350. But October that year was the only month to come in under 10,000. Let’s take a look at how the rest of the van segment fared:
- 2013 2012 Change Share
- Ford Econoline 9508 8082 +17.6% 46.0%
- GM 7552 6575 +14.9% 36.5%
- Mercedes Sprinter 2038 1666 +22.3% 9.9%
- Nissan NV 1006 770 +30.6% 4.9%
- Ram Promaster 570 --- --- 2.8%
- Ford Transit connect 3169 2669 +18.7% ---
- Nissan NV200 639 --- --- ---
You’ll notice a new entry – the Ram Promaster. This is the full size van Chrysler just launched in Mexico based on a Fiat model and one that bears watching as another direct competitor. Regarding field supplies, both overall supplies and days in the field were up from September. Specifically, net field stock was up 3268 units, equal to 60 days supply based on the daily sales rate. All categories were up, with cargo vans leading the way, rising over 2200 units.
What about midsize pickups? Toyota sold 12,351 Tacomas in October, up 1.3%. Nissan sold 5242 Frontiers, up a healthy 71.8%.
From Automotive News: Ford is recalling 3,095 F-series ambulances because of a potential defect that might cause the vehicles to stall and not restart for at least an hour. The recall affects 2011-12 ambulances with 6.7-liter diesel engines, including Super Duty F-350 and F-450 trucks. The ambulances were built at the Kentucky Truck Plant from Feb. 22, 2010, to Oct. 19, 2012. Ford notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Oct. 28 that a defective exhaust gas temperature sensor might cause some ambulances to stop and not be restarted for the minimum of one hour.
Much is being written and said about the restructuring of the auto industry that basically began 5 years ago. Apparently we had a lot more saviors than we realized. And of course, that would include one presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who tried to take credit during last year’s campaign. Not content just to fade away, Mr. Romney has written a book about his failed campaign titled, “Double Down: Game Change 2012”. The book reveals new details of the November 2008 New York Times op-ed in which Romney called for a managed bankruptcy restructuring of Detroit’s automakers that would “propel newly competitive and viable automakers, rather than seal their fate with a bailout check.” Romney wrote the op-ed on his BlackBerry on the beach in front of his new $12 million home in La Jolla, Calif. The piece, originally offered to and rejected by the Wall Street Journal, was a source of much consternation for Romney as he sought the presidency. According to the book, Romney thought reaction to his 2008 “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt” op-ed piece could have sunk his chances at winning the Republican nomination for president in 2012. “Guys, guys, this could be it,” he told aides. “This could sink me.” Romney came under scrutiny throughout the Michigan primary campaign over the op-ed. “That headline is killing me,” he told an adviser.
Another sub-plot of that time was a rumored merger between GM and Chrysler. Here is what former GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said recently about that plan: “Fritz Henderson and I were very enthusiastic about acquiring Chrysler from Cerberus. We could have put together a dynamite company and saved an unbelievable amount of money. We might have avoided Chapter 11 if we had done that. The operating people were all for it because we could see all the savings. Fritz and the finance guys worked it out. We figured in the first year alone we'd have saved $7 billion. There were some on the GM board who said: "We're doubling down on a UAW-controlled industry. We don't even want to look at the numbers." It was an emotion-driven decision that "no, we are not going to increase the risk by buying into another UAW-controlled company." I think it was a huge missed opportunity. It would be one superpowerful company today.”
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
Friday, November 1, 2013
State of the Union November 1, 2013
November 1, 2013 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
**IMPORTANT CORRECTION NOTICE**
From the Benefits Department and Chairman Mike Bullock:
We received a letter from the National Benefit Center yesterday. This letter affects all Entry Level employees and is being sent to all Entry Level Employees at their address of record. We previously reported what was told to us by the National parties at the Annual Benefits Conference in September. At that time we were told that all seniority Entry Level employees would be getting complete Health Care coverage, including Dental and Vision, after their 91stday. It remains correct that seniority Entry Level employees will get health care on their 91st day:
“Effective January 1, 2014, the eligibility waiting period will change to 90-days, with health care medical coverage commencing on the 91st calendar day of Entry Level employment. This change not only significantly reduces the health care waiting period for Entry Level employees but coverage could become effective any day of the week, depending upon the date of hire.”
The letter we received changes what we were told and what we informed our membership concerning Dental and Vision. Page 2 states:
“Entry Level employees eligibility for dental and vision coverage remains as currently provided in the Program, with dental coverage commencing upon attaining three years seniority and vision coverage commencing upon attaining three years seniority for an examination only, and five years seniority for full vision coverage.”
We regret any inconvenience this may have caused our membership. When we report what we have learned and were informed of at the conferences we attend, we assume that this is what will be distributed and relayed to our membership by the National Parties. In this instance it was not. We know what we were told and are extremely disappointed that what we informed our membership, based on what we were told at the conference, was incorrect.
General Motors Co. dealers delivered 226,402 vehicles in the United States in October, up 16 percent versus a year ago. Retail sales were also up 16 percent and fleet sales were up 14 percent.
“Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick-GMC all performed well in the month, and the sales tempo really picked up after the government shutdown ended,” said Kurt McNeil, vice president, U.S. sales operations. “We are particularly pleased with our truck momentum. Chevrolet and GMC have the newest and best light duty trucks, sales are accelerating and we are gearing up for the second, third and fourth phases of our strategic truck plan.”
This month, the premium Chevrolet Silverado High Country and GMC Sierra Denali will hit showrooms, followed by a redesigned range of heavy-duty pickups in the first quarter of 2014. All-new Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac full-size SUVs also arrive in the first quarter, and later in the year, GM will introduce clean-sheet redesigns of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon mid-size pickups.
October Sales Highlights (vs. 2012)
Deliveries of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra were up 10 percent and 13 percent, respectively.
Sales of the new 2014 light duty Silverado and Sierra increased 62 percent from September 2013. They accounted for about 76 percent of GM’s light duty deliveries, per plan. Strong calendar-year-to-date sales have helped Chevrolet and GMC earn a 30 percent share of light-duty pickups priced $40,000 or above. That is up 5 percentage points versus 2012.
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
From the Benefits Department and Chairman Mike Bullock:
We received a letter from the National Benefit Center yesterday. This letter affects all Entry Level employees and is being sent to all Entry Level Employees at their address of record. We previously reported what was told to us by the National parties at the Annual Benefits Conference in September. At that time we were told that all seniority Entry Level employees would be getting complete Health Care coverage, including Dental and Vision, after their 91stday. It remains correct that seniority Entry Level employees will get health care on their 91st day:
“Effective January 1, 2014, the eligibility waiting period will change to 90-days, with health care medical coverage commencing on the 91st calendar day of Entry Level employment. This change not only significantly reduces the health care waiting period for Entry Level employees but coverage could become effective any day of the week, depending upon the date of hire.”
The letter we received changes what we were told and what we informed our membership concerning Dental and Vision. Page 2 states:
“Entry Level employees eligibility for dental and vision coverage remains as currently provided in the Program, with dental coverage commencing upon attaining three years seniority and vision coverage commencing upon attaining three years seniority for an examination only, and five years seniority for full vision coverage.”
We regret any inconvenience this may have caused our membership. When we report what we have learned and were informed of at the conferences we attend, we assume that this is what will be distributed and relayed to our membership by the National Parties. In this instance it was not. We know what we were told and are extremely disappointed that what we informed our membership, based on what we were told at the conference, was incorrect.
General Motors Co. dealers delivered 226,402 vehicles in the United States in October, up 16 percent versus a year ago. Retail sales were also up 16 percent and fleet sales were up 14 percent.
“Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick-GMC all performed well in the month, and the sales tempo really picked up after the government shutdown ended,” said Kurt McNeil, vice president, U.S. sales operations. “We are particularly pleased with our truck momentum. Chevrolet and GMC have the newest and best light duty trucks, sales are accelerating and we are gearing up for the second, third and fourth phases of our strategic truck plan.”
This month, the premium Chevrolet Silverado High Country and GMC Sierra Denali will hit showrooms, followed by a redesigned range of heavy-duty pickups in the first quarter of 2014. All-new Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac full-size SUVs also arrive in the first quarter, and later in the year, GM will introduce clean-sheet redesigns of the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon mid-size pickups.
October Sales Highlights (vs. 2012)
- Buick total sales increased 31 percent and retail sales were up 25 percent for the 18th consecutive month of year-over-year growth. Regal sales increased 47 percent.
- Cadillac’s sales increased 10 percent and have grown in each of the last 13 months thanks to the all-new XTS and ATS. In addition, the SRX is on track for its best year ever. Retail sales were up 12 percent for the brand and more than 60 percent of buyers did not trade in a Cadillac.
- GMC was up 16 percent. The Terrain had its best October sales ever.
- Chevrolet was up 15 percent. Thirteen nameplates posted double-digit increases, including every SUV and crossover nameplate.
- Retail sales of Chevrolet passenger cars were up 32 percent. Cruze had its best-ever October retail sales. Impala retail deliveries nearly doubled and Malibu retail sales increased 58 percent.
- Full size van sales were up 14.9 percent, coming in at 7552.
Deliveries of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra were up 10 percent and 13 percent, respectively.
Sales of the new 2014 light duty Silverado and Sierra increased 62 percent from September 2013. They accounted for about 76 percent of GM’s light duty deliveries, per plan. Strong calendar-year-to-date sales have helped Chevrolet and GMC earn a 30 percent share of light-duty pickups priced $40,000 or above. That is up 5 percentage points versus 2012.
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
State of the Union October 30, 2013
October 30, 2013 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
The Community Services Committee is having a raffle with the proceeds going to supplement the upcoming Adopt A Child program. First place is an Amish Quilt. Second place is at $100 QT gas card. Third place is 2 Blues tickets to the Dec. 7 game. Tickets are $1 apiece or 6 for $5 and can be purchased from any committee member. Drawing will be held next Thursday, Nov. 7 at 10:30 am in the cafeteria. Thanks in advance for your support.
GM announced financial results for the 3rd quarter this morning. A summary of the report is on the back, but we will cut to the chase: GM North America (the driver of our profit sharing payout) earned $2.2 billion, up from $1.7 billion last year. That brings the cumulative total for profit sharing this year to $5500.
The flu shot drawing was held yesterday. Good news – everyone who submitted an entry will receive a flu shot. A schedule for distributing the shots is being put together and will be communicated as soon as it is complete.
If you still need to buy Halloween candy, there are many good Union made options from our sisters and brothers in the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and United Farm Workers of America (UFW). They make dozens of tasty treats including favorites such as Hershey Kisses, Clark Bar, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher, Baby Ruth, Butterfinger and many, many more.
The November schedule is out. Beginning Monday, Nov. 18, the schedule goes from 544/8 hours to 652/9.6 hours for the remainder of the month (as always, this is subject to change). Once again, Wednesday, Nov. 27 is a scheduled day off, creating a 5-day weekend around Thanksgiving. Looking ahead, it has been confirmed that there will be extra downtime after the Christmas break, with production scheduled to resume on Monday, Jan. 13.
Chrysler also reported their 3rd quarter financial results today. Net income rose to $464 million in the third quarter as strong sales of pickups and SUVs offset delays in launching the 2014 Jeep Cherokee. The third-quarter profit was up 22 percent from the $381 million profit it posted during the same quarter of 2012, Chrysler said. It was Chrysler's ninth consecutive quarterly profit. The automaker's U.S. sales rose 8 percent to 603,000 vehicles in the quarter, compared to an industry average of 12 percent. Third-quarter revenue grew 13.5 percent to $17.6 billion. Revenue for the third quarter of 2012 was $15.5 billion.
General Motors Co. today announced third quarter net income to common stockholders of $0.7 billion or $0.45 per fully diluted share, down from $1.5 billion or $0.89 per fully diluted share a year ago. Improvement in operating performance during the quarter was more than offset by a net loss from special items and incremental tax expense. Net income to common includes a net loss from special items of $0.9 billion or $0.51 per fully diluted share, including $0.8 billion related to the repurchase of 120 million shares of Preferred Series A Stock. Results were also impacted by incremental tax expense of $0.5 billion or $0.29 per fully diluted share in the quarter compared to the third quarter of 2012.
Net revenue during the quarter was $39.0 billion compared to $37.6 billion in the third quarter of 2012. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) adjusted was $2.6 billion compared to $2.3 billion in the third quarter of 2012. “We made gains in the third quarter as we improved our North American margins and increased our global share on the strength of our Chevrolet brand," said Dan Akerson, GM chairman and CEO. “Our efforts to build great cars and trucks and deliver solid financial results were recognized this quarter by Moody’s investment grade rating.”
GM Results Overview (in billions except for per share amounts) Q3 2013 Q3 2012
Revenue $39.0 $37.6
Net income attributable to common stockholders $0.7 $1.5
Earnings per share (EPS) fully diluted $0.45 $0.89
Impact of special items on EPS fully diluted $(0.51) $(0.04)
EBIT-adjusted $2.6 $2.3
Automotive net cash flow from operating activities $3.3 $3.1
Adjusted automotive free cash flow $1.3 $1.2
Segment Results
GM North America reported EBIT-adjusted of $2.2 billion compared with $1.7 billion in the third quarter of 2012.
GM North American profit for the first three quarters of 2013 is $5.57 billion, which equates to $5500 in hourly profit sharing
GM Europe reported EBIT-adjusted of $(0.2) billion compared with $(0.5) billion in the third quarter of 2012.
GM International Operations reported EBIT-adjusted of $0.3 billion compared with $0.8 billion in the third quarter of 2012.
GM South America reported EBIT-adjusted of $0.3 billion compared with EBIT-adjusted of $0.2 billion in the third quarter of 2012.
GM Financial earnings before tax was $0.2 billion for the quarter compared to $0.2 billion in the third quarter of 2012.
Cash Flow and Liquidity
For the quarter automotive cash flow from operating activities was $3.3 billion and adjusted automotive free cash flow was $1.3 billion. GM ended the quarter with very strong total automotive liquidity of $37.3 billion. Automotive cash and marketable securities was $26.8 billion compared with $24.2 billion for the second quarter of 2013.
“During the quarter strong demand for new vehicles like the Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Onix and the all-new Chevrolet Silverado helped boost our top-line,” said Dan Ammann, GM executive vice president and CFO. “We also further strengthened our fortress balance sheet and reduced our cost of capital through our $4.5 billion refinancing of high cost obligations.”
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
The Community Services Committee is having a raffle with the proceeds going to supplement the upcoming Adopt A Child program. First place is an Amish Quilt. Second place is at $100 QT gas card. Third place is 2 Blues tickets to the Dec. 7 game. Tickets are $1 apiece or 6 for $5 and can be purchased from any committee member. Drawing will be held next Thursday, Nov. 7 at 10:30 am in the cafeteria. Thanks in advance for your support.
GM announced financial results for the 3rd quarter this morning. A summary of the report is on the back, but we will cut to the chase: GM North America (the driver of our profit sharing payout) earned $2.2 billion, up from $1.7 billion last year. That brings the cumulative total for profit sharing this year to $5500.
The flu shot drawing was held yesterday. Good news – everyone who submitted an entry will receive a flu shot. A schedule for distributing the shots is being put together and will be communicated as soon as it is complete.
If you still need to buy Halloween candy, there are many good Union made options from our sisters and brothers in the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and United Farm Workers of America (UFW). They make dozens of tasty treats including favorites such as Hershey Kisses, Clark Bar, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher, Baby Ruth, Butterfinger and many, many more.
The November schedule is out. Beginning Monday, Nov. 18, the schedule goes from 544/8 hours to 652/9.6 hours for the remainder of the month (as always, this is subject to change). Once again, Wednesday, Nov. 27 is a scheduled day off, creating a 5-day weekend around Thanksgiving. Looking ahead, it has been confirmed that there will be extra downtime after the Christmas break, with production scheduled to resume on Monday, Jan. 13.
Chrysler also reported their 3rd quarter financial results today. Net income rose to $464 million in the third quarter as strong sales of pickups and SUVs offset delays in launching the 2014 Jeep Cherokee. The third-quarter profit was up 22 percent from the $381 million profit it posted during the same quarter of 2012, Chrysler said. It was Chrysler's ninth consecutive quarterly profit. The automaker's U.S. sales rose 8 percent to 603,000 vehicles in the quarter, compared to an industry average of 12 percent. Third-quarter revenue grew 13.5 percent to $17.6 billion. Revenue for the third quarter of 2012 was $15.5 billion.
General Motors Co. today announced third quarter net income to common stockholders of $0.7 billion or $0.45 per fully diluted share, down from $1.5 billion or $0.89 per fully diluted share a year ago. Improvement in operating performance during the quarter was more than offset by a net loss from special items and incremental tax expense. Net income to common includes a net loss from special items of $0.9 billion or $0.51 per fully diluted share, including $0.8 billion related to the repurchase of 120 million shares of Preferred Series A Stock. Results were also impacted by incremental tax expense of $0.5 billion or $0.29 per fully diluted share in the quarter compared to the third quarter of 2012.
Net revenue during the quarter was $39.0 billion compared to $37.6 billion in the third quarter of 2012. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) adjusted was $2.6 billion compared to $2.3 billion in the third quarter of 2012. “We made gains in the third quarter as we improved our North American margins and increased our global share on the strength of our Chevrolet brand," said Dan Akerson, GM chairman and CEO. “Our efforts to build great cars and trucks and deliver solid financial results were recognized this quarter by Moody’s investment grade rating.”
GM Results Overview (in billions except for per share amounts) Q3 2013 Q3 2012
Revenue $39.0 $37.6
Net income attributable to common stockholders $0.7 $1.5
Earnings per share (EPS) fully diluted $0.45 $0.89
Impact of special items on EPS fully diluted $(0.51) $(0.04)
EBIT-adjusted $2.6 $2.3
Automotive net cash flow from operating activities $3.3 $3.1
Adjusted automotive free cash flow $1.3 $1.2
Segment Results
GM North America reported EBIT-adjusted of $2.2 billion compared with $1.7 billion in the third quarter of 2012.
GM North American profit for the first three quarters of 2013 is $5.57 billion, which equates to $5500 in hourly profit sharing
GM Europe reported EBIT-adjusted of $(0.2) billion compared with $(0.5) billion in the third quarter of 2012.
GM International Operations reported EBIT-adjusted of $0.3 billion compared with $0.8 billion in the third quarter of 2012.
GM South America reported EBIT-adjusted of $0.3 billion compared with EBIT-adjusted of $0.2 billion in the third quarter of 2012.
GM Financial earnings before tax was $0.2 billion for the quarter compared to $0.2 billion in the third quarter of 2012.
Cash Flow and Liquidity
For the quarter automotive cash flow from operating activities was $3.3 billion and adjusted automotive free cash flow was $1.3 billion. GM ended the quarter with very strong total automotive liquidity of $37.3 billion. Automotive cash and marketable securities was $26.8 billion compared with $24.2 billion for the second quarter of 2013.
“During the quarter strong demand for new vehicles like the Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Onix and the all-new Chevrolet Silverado helped boost our top-line,” said Dan Ammann, GM executive vice president and CFO. “We also further strengthened our fortress balance sheet and reduced our cost of capital through our $4.5 billion refinancing of high cost obligations.”
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
Monday, October 21, 2013
State of the Union October 21, 2013
October 21, 2013 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
The Diversity Celebration has been rescheduled for this Thursday, Oct. 24. It will be held in the cafeteria and feature displays from various ethnic groups and free popcorn.
Weekly build options: 33 E-26 vans; 643 cutaways (24%); 372 slider doors; 24 r/h door deletes; 134 15-pass vans; 59 diesels; 6 YF7s; 37 brake deck spare tire; 428 Onstar; 5.29% AWD; .99% tan interior trim; 44 exports (37 Mexico); 52 CNG vans; 28 Enterprise; 50 AT&T; 118 U-Haul; 5 government; 86.4% white vans.
From Automotive News: With the White House seeking to finalize a trade treaty deal by year end, Japanese automakers and the Detroit 3 are embroiled in a good old-fashioned trade war. Japanese manufacturers see a trade agreement as a chance to get rid of the "chicken tax," a 25 percent U.S. tariff that makes it uneconomical to import pickup trucks from Japan. But U.S. automakers are resisting, arguing that Japan should not be rewarded when its car market is virtually closed to U.S. imports. Last month, spurred by automakers such as Ford Motor Co., 60 U.S. senators signed a letter that called on the White House to take a hard line on currency manipulation in trade deals -- a veiled jab at Japan, which has taken anti-inflationary measures that have weakened the yen and helped its exporters.
"You will never find American politicians talking about changing the value of the dollar to spur exports," said Matt Blunt, the former Missouri governor who as head of the American Automotive Policy Council is leading the charge in Washington on behalf of the Detroit 3. "It happens all the time in Japan." Japanese brands hit back last Tuesday, in the form of a letter to the president from Rep. Alan Nunnelee of Mississippi and Rep. Pete Gallego of Texas, spotlighting the economic value of the U.S. dealerships and assembly plants that Japanese brands support. Both lawmakers represent districts that are home to Toyota assembly plants. The Japanese companies have less at stake on the tariff question than they did in the 1970s, now that they make most of their U.S.-bound vehicles in North America. But every month that those tariffs stay in place costs them millions of dollars. Consider the Toyota Prius, one of the best-selling cars in the United States still exclusively produced outside North America. Toyota sold 186,756 units of the Prius, Prius C and Prius V through the first nine months of 2013. All three variants are imported from Japan and face a 2.5 percent passenger-car tariff at U.S. ports. Assuming an average taxable value of $25,000 for the cars, Toyota's tariffs for the Prius nameplate would average $625 per car, or nearly $117 million in the first nine months of this year alone.
From the Detroit Free Press: While Bob King will be president of the UAW for another nine months, preparations are already under way to select his successor and the most likely candidate is Dennis Williams. Attention is shifting to Williams because of a meeting scheduled next month by the union’s administrative caucus, which is essentially a political party charged with selecting nominees for all the union’s top offices. Williams, 60,has been the UAW’s secretary-treasurer since 2010 and served as a regional director based out of the Chicago area for 10 years before that. “I think (Williams) is a very capable leader. He is somebody who has a larger vision. And he is somebody who knows how to realize that vision,” said Harley Shaiken, professor of labor studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Jimmy Settles, vice president of the union’s Ford department, was once viewed as a possible successor to King, but he is no longer seeking the position. “I am not a candidate,” Settles told the Free Press last week. “At one time I was interested. I am not now.” UAW spokeswoman Michele Martin declined to comment. Several UAW officials and other UAW insiders told the Free Press that Williams is widely viewed as a leading candidate to become the union’s next president because of his achievements as regional director, the respect he has earned over the last four years and his ties to the administration of President Barack Obama. In addition, Williams has played a key role in the UAW’s organizing efforts with Asian and German automakers. In 1989, Williams negotiated the union's first contract with Mitsubishi Motors at the company's Normal, Ill., plant. He also was part of the team that negotiated contracts with Caterpillar in 2011 and 2004. In 2007, Williams played a central role in then-Sen. Barack Obama’s upset win in the Iowa caucuses that launched his successful presidential candidacy, according to his official UAW biography. “He met and worked with Barack Obama at a much earlier point in his career and was one of the first labor leaders who endorsed him,” Shaiken said. The union needs to elect a new president because King is 67 and UAW bylaws prohibit anyone older than 65 from taking elected office. That provision also eliminates Joe Ashton, the 65-year-old vice president of the union’s General Motors department.
From Agence France-Presse: The United Auto Workers is ratcheting up pressure on Nissan in the hopes it may finally succeed at organizing the Japanese automaker's plant in the typically anti-union southern US state of Mississippi. It has taken its campaign to the world stage in a bid to pressure Nissan to cease what the UAW has called union-busting tactics. The UAW 's efforts have won the endorsement of Nissan's Japanese unions and sympathetic unions have staged demonstrations protesting Nissan's tactics in Brazil and at the Geneva auto show. The UAW is hoping to gain the backing of the powerful French unions of Nissan's partner Renault by bringing workers to Paris this week to describe their plight. "The UAW's approach in Mississippi has been very innovative and very patient," said Harley Shaiken, a labor expert from the University of California, Berkley. The aggressive campaign comes as the UAW celebrates a big break in its decades-long efforts to organize the plants of foreign automakers. Volkswagen is currently engaged in talks with the UAW about how to get employees at its Tennessee plant a seat on the German automaker's works council. The UAW has never managed to organize workers at the plants of foreign automakers except in a handful of joint ventures with unionized General Motors, Ford or Chrysler. But UAW president Bob King insists the tide is finally turning. "We've never been this far along in an organizing drive in the South," King said in a recent interview. "It's going really well."
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
The Diversity Celebration has been rescheduled for this Thursday, Oct. 24. It will be held in the cafeteria and feature displays from various ethnic groups and free popcorn.
Weekly build options: 33 E-26 vans; 643 cutaways (24%); 372 slider doors; 24 r/h door deletes; 134 15-pass vans; 59 diesels; 6 YF7s; 37 brake deck spare tire; 428 Onstar; 5.29% AWD; .99% tan interior trim; 44 exports (37 Mexico); 52 CNG vans; 28 Enterprise; 50 AT&T; 118 U-Haul; 5 government; 86.4% white vans.
From Automotive News: With the White House seeking to finalize a trade treaty deal by year end, Japanese automakers and the Detroit 3 are embroiled in a good old-fashioned trade war. Japanese manufacturers see a trade agreement as a chance to get rid of the "chicken tax," a 25 percent U.S. tariff that makes it uneconomical to import pickup trucks from Japan. But U.S. automakers are resisting, arguing that Japan should not be rewarded when its car market is virtually closed to U.S. imports. Last month, spurred by automakers such as Ford Motor Co., 60 U.S. senators signed a letter that called on the White House to take a hard line on currency manipulation in trade deals -- a veiled jab at Japan, which has taken anti-inflationary measures that have weakened the yen and helped its exporters.
"You will never find American politicians talking about changing the value of the dollar to spur exports," said Matt Blunt, the former Missouri governor who as head of the American Automotive Policy Council is leading the charge in Washington on behalf of the Detroit 3. "It happens all the time in Japan." Japanese brands hit back last Tuesday, in the form of a letter to the president from Rep. Alan Nunnelee of Mississippi and Rep. Pete Gallego of Texas, spotlighting the economic value of the U.S. dealerships and assembly plants that Japanese brands support. Both lawmakers represent districts that are home to Toyota assembly plants. The Japanese companies have less at stake on the tariff question than they did in the 1970s, now that they make most of their U.S.-bound vehicles in North America. But every month that those tariffs stay in place costs them millions of dollars. Consider the Toyota Prius, one of the best-selling cars in the United States still exclusively produced outside North America. Toyota sold 186,756 units of the Prius, Prius C and Prius V through the first nine months of 2013. All three variants are imported from Japan and face a 2.5 percent passenger-car tariff at U.S. ports. Assuming an average taxable value of $25,000 for the cars, Toyota's tariffs for the Prius nameplate would average $625 per car, or nearly $117 million in the first nine months of this year alone.
From the Detroit Free Press: While Bob King will be president of the UAW for another nine months, preparations are already under way to select his successor and the most likely candidate is Dennis Williams. Attention is shifting to Williams because of a meeting scheduled next month by the union’s administrative caucus, which is essentially a political party charged with selecting nominees for all the union’s top offices. Williams, 60,has been the UAW’s secretary-treasurer since 2010 and served as a regional director based out of the Chicago area for 10 years before that. “I think (Williams) is a very capable leader. He is somebody who has a larger vision. And he is somebody who knows how to realize that vision,” said Harley Shaiken, professor of labor studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Jimmy Settles, vice president of the union’s Ford department, was once viewed as a possible successor to King, but he is no longer seeking the position. “I am not a candidate,” Settles told the Free Press last week. “At one time I was interested. I am not now.” UAW spokeswoman Michele Martin declined to comment. Several UAW officials and other UAW insiders told the Free Press that Williams is widely viewed as a leading candidate to become the union’s next president because of his achievements as regional director, the respect he has earned over the last four years and his ties to the administration of President Barack Obama. In addition, Williams has played a key role in the UAW’s organizing efforts with Asian and German automakers. In 1989, Williams negotiated the union's first contract with Mitsubishi Motors at the company's Normal, Ill., plant. He also was part of the team that negotiated contracts with Caterpillar in 2011 and 2004. In 2007, Williams played a central role in then-Sen. Barack Obama’s upset win in the Iowa caucuses that launched his successful presidential candidacy, according to his official UAW biography. “He met and worked with Barack Obama at a much earlier point in his career and was one of the first labor leaders who endorsed him,” Shaiken said. The union needs to elect a new president because King is 67 and UAW bylaws prohibit anyone older than 65 from taking elected office. That provision also eliminates Joe Ashton, the 65-year-old vice president of the union’s General Motors department.
From Agence France-Presse: The United Auto Workers is ratcheting up pressure on Nissan in the hopes it may finally succeed at organizing the Japanese automaker's plant in the typically anti-union southern US state of Mississippi. It has taken its campaign to the world stage in a bid to pressure Nissan to cease what the UAW has called union-busting tactics. The UAW 's efforts have won the endorsement of Nissan's Japanese unions and sympathetic unions have staged demonstrations protesting Nissan's tactics in Brazil and at the Geneva auto show. The UAW is hoping to gain the backing of the powerful French unions of Nissan's partner Renault by bringing workers to Paris this week to describe their plight. "The UAW's approach in Mississippi has been very innovative and very patient," said Harley Shaiken, a labor expert from the University of California, Berkley. The aggressive campaign comes as the UAW celebrates a big break in its decades-long efforts to organize the plants of foreign automakers. Volkswagen is currently engaged in talks with the UAW about how to get employees at its Tennessee plant a seat on the German automaker's works council. The UAW has never managed to organize workers at the plants of foreign automakers except in a handful of joint ventures with unionized General Motors, Ford or Chrysler. But UAW president Bob King insists the tide is finally turning. "We've never been this far along in an organizing drive in the South," King said in a recent interview. "It's going really well."
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
Thursday, October 17, 2013
State of the Union October 17, 2013
October 17, 2013 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
The Diversity Celebration has been rescheduled for next Thursday, Oct. 24. It will be held in the cafeteria and feature displays from various ethnic groups and free popcorn.
General Motors will announce 3rd quarter earnings Wednesday, Oct. 30. In case you’re wondering, accumulated profit sharing year-to-date is $3250.
From Bloomberg: The UAW Chrysler Health Care Trust said its assets grew by $1.58 billion last year, more than half of which came from the rising value of its Chrysler holding. The trust’s net assets grew by 18 percent in 2012 to $10.3 billion, according to its 2012 financial statement, filed Oct. 11. Almost $900 million of the gain resulted from an increase in the value it placed on its Chrysler stake. Expenditures for benefits rose less than 0.1 percent to $631.1 million.
Health-care trusts for retirees from General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. also reported increases, a reversal after the three funds showed losses for 2011. Chrysler’s trust, organized as voluntary employee beneficiary plan, or VEBA, had lost $733.6 million a year earlier. Its liabilities more than doubled last year to $349.6 million. The GM UAW retiree health-care trust ended 2012 with almost $30 billion in net assets, 5.8 percent increase from the beginning of the year, according to records filed with the U.S. Department of Labor on Oct. 11. The trust completed 2012 with a net income of $1.65 billion compared with a $4.7 billion loss in 2011. The GM VEBA paid $2.48 billion in benefits and reported $170 million in administrative expenses. In September, Detroit-based GM said it plans to buy back almost half of the trust’s preferred shares in the automaker for $3.2 billion. The Ford UAW retiree health care trust ended 2012 with $15.9 billion in net assets, a 5.4 percent increase from the beginning of the year, according to its filing. The trust ended the year with net income of $806.8 million compared with a $973 million loss in 2011. The Ford VEBA paid $1.05 billion in benefits and $75.8 million in administrative expenses.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has been adamant that VW’s flirtation with union representation is bad for business in his state and is causing some companies to reconsider moving operations there. “Companies… have said that in looking at Tennessee, ‘that is a concern of ours.’ I am not anti-union. I think it will have repercussions on additional job development in Tennessee.” Ironically, he made this statement at a news conference announcing that South Korean tire maker Hankook Tire Co. plans to invest $800 million in the state on a brand new tire plant.
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
The Diversity Celebration has been rescheduled for next Thursday, Oct. 24. It will be held in the cafeteria and feature displays from various ethnic groups and free popcorn.
General Motors will announce 3rd quarter earnings Wednesday, Oct. 30. In case you’re wondering, accumulated profit sharing year-to-date is $3250.
From Bloomberg: The UAW Chrysler Health Care Trust said its assets grew by $1.58 billion last year, more than half of which came from the rising value of its Chrysler holding. The trust’s net assets grew by 18 percent in 2012 to $10.3 billion, according to its 2012 financial statement, filed Oct. 11. Almost $900 million of the gain resulted from an increase in the value it placed on its Chrysler stake. Expenditures for benefits rose less than 0.1 percent to $631.1 million.
Health-care trusts for retirees from General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. also reported increases, a reversal after the three funds showed losses for 2011. Chrysler’s trust, organized as voluntary employee beneficiary plan, or VEBA, had lost $733.6 million a year earlier. Its liabilities more than doubled last year to $349.6 million. The GM UAW retiree health-care trust ended 2012 with almost $30 billion in net assets, 5.8 percent increase from the beginning of the year, according to records filed with the U.S. Department of Labor on Oct. 11. The trust completed 2012 with a net income of $1.65 billion compared with a $4.7 billion loss in 2011. The GM VEBA paid $2.48 billion in benefits and reported $170 million in administrative expenses. In September, Detroit-based GM said it plans to buy back almost half of the trust’s preferred shares in the automaker for $3.2 billion. The Ford UAW retiree health care trust ended 2012 with $15.9 billion in net assets, a 5.4 percent increase from the beginning of the year, according to its filing. The trust ended the year with net income of $806.8 million compared with a $973 million loss in 2011. The Ford VEBA paid $1.05 billion in benefits and $75.8 million in administrative expenses.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has been adamant that VW’s flirtation with union representation is bad for business in his state and is causing some companies to reconsider moving operations there. “Companies… have said that in looking at Tennessee, ‘that is a concern of ours.’ I am not anti-union. I think it will have repercussions on additional job development in Tennessee.” Ironically, he made this statement at a news conference announcing that South Korean tire maker Hankook Tire Co. plans to invest $800 million in the state on a brand new tire plant.
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
State of the Union October 14, 2013
October 14, 2013 online at www.uawlocal2250.com
Union meeting is this week: 15 minutes after longest 2nd shift linetime of Tuesday’s shift; Wednesday at 7:15 am, 2:45 pm, and 15 minutes after longest 1st shift linetime.
The Community Services Committee will be having a meeting Thursday, Oct. 17 between shifts in the cafeteria. As always, anyone wishing to become a member is welcome to attend.
We’ve all heard about the new GM Employee Discount: Bigger, Simpler, Better. But is that really true? SOTU did an apples to apples comparison to find out. A 2013 Chevrolet Traverse LTZ stickers at $42,220.
Under the old discount format, there was a “preferred price”, consumer cash and employee vehicle allowance (EVA), with all of this culminating in your employee price. For this vehicle, the preferred price was $40, 278.77. On Sept. 17, the consumer cash amount was $1500 and the EVA was another $1500, resulting in a final price of $37,278.77. This is a total discount of $4942 or 11.7%. This same vehicle now has an employee price of $38,273.99 and comes with $2000 consumer cash for a final price of $36,273.99. That’s a discount of $5947 or 14.1%. Based on this comparison, the answers to all three claims is true. And GM has just announced bonus cash on several 2013 and 2014 vehicles of $600 to $3000 depending on the model. The 2014 Chevy Impala that is currently in the cafeteria is the recipient of $1000 bonus cash. And that Traverse gets another $1000.
This offer is good through the end of the month. More details are available at gmfamilyfirst.com. And remember, temporary employees get the discount along with aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
From Reuters: Volkswagen AG's top executives are divided over whether and how workers at the company's Tennessee assembly plant should be represented by a union, but ultimately will insist on a formal vote by those employees, a person with knowledge of the VW board's thinking said. While VW's U.S. executives are hostile to the UAW, the eight-member management board may still ask the union to help set up a German-style employee board at the Chattanooga plant, said the person, who asked not to be identified. The top executives feel that any final decision must be approved by the workers in a secret ballot to protect VW's reputation and assuage investors and U.S. politicians, said the source, who did not identify the VW executives. UAW leaders have said such a vote would allow anti-union forces to scare workers into voting against the union. The UAW has said it has support of the majority of the 1,567 hourly workers at the Tennessee plant.
UAW President Bob King told Reuters last month the union, seeking to avoid what it fears would be a divisive election process, would like the German automaker to voluntarily recognize the union as the plant's bargaining unit. Critics argue such an approach would be undemocratic. An employee in the plant's paint shop, Mike Burton, said he has gathered more than 600 signatures from VW Chattanooga hourly employees on an anti-UAW petition. A VW spokesman declined to comment beyond the company's past confirmation of talks with the UAW and that any decision would be made by the employees. VW's U.S. executives have said in the past, however, that the plant workers would need to vote on such a decision. Gary Casteel, director for the UAW region that includes Tennessee, said on Thursday that the union continues to have ongoing discussions with Volkswagen, adding that he has not heard of any decision by the VW management board on whether it will recognize the UAW.
Weekly build options: 43 E-26 vans; 559 cutaways (21%); 421 slider doors; 27 r/h door deletes; 106 15-pass vans; 95 diesels; 28 YF7s; 12 brake deck spare tire; 438 Onstar; 5.16% AWD; .49% tan interior trim; 76 exports (37 Mexico, 31 Israel); 50 CNG vans; 154 Enterprise; 50 AT&T; 113 U-Haul; 43 government; 87.3% white vans.
From Automotive News: As Nissan completes the first redesign of its Titan full-sized pickup, the company hopes to broaden the truck's appeal with more configurations aimed at fleet buyers. But attracting fleet and basic work truck customers will require more of a value pitch this time -- in contrast to the more upmarket focus of the first Titan. "Increased variation is important," says Rich Miller, Nissan's chief product specialist in charge of the next Titan. "The current Titan just didn't hit the work customer as strongly as it should have," Miller says. "We had one engine, a premium V-8. "It's hard for a work truck customer to consider that. They shop price and capability, and usually in that order. When you don't offer a regular-cab, six-cylinder, stripped-down truck, you're out of that market. That's where we need to go in the new generation." It will be an uphill fight. General Motors has become the industry leader in truck product quality, according to J.D. Power and Associates' 2013 Initial Quality Study. And setbacks and delays in the Titan's product schedule have left Nissan holding its place with a pickup that Consumer Reports calls "lackluster" and "dated."
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
Union meeting is this week: 15 minutes after longest 2nd shift linetime of Tuesday’s shift; Wednesday at 7:15 am, 2:45 pm, and 15 minutes after longest 1st shift linetime.
The Community Services Committee will be having a meeting Thursday, Oct. 17 between shifts in the cafeteria. As always, anyone wishing to become a member is welcome to attend.
We’ve all heard about the new GM Employee Discount: Bigger, Simpler, Better. But is that really true? SOTU did an apples to apples comparison to find out. A 2013 Chevrolet Traverse LTZ stickers at $42,220.
Under the old discount format, there was a “preferred price”, consumer cash and employee vehicle allowance (EVA), with all of this culminating in your employee price. For this vehicle, the preferred price was $40, 278.77. On Sept. 17, the consumer cash amount was $1500 and the EVA was another $1500, resulting in a final price of $37,278.77. This is a total discount of $4942 or 11.7%. This same vehicle now has an employee price of $38,273.99 and comes with $2000 consumer cash for a final price of $36,273.99. That’s a discount of $5947 or 14.1%. Based on this comparison, the answers to all three claims is true. And GM has just announced bonus cash on several 2013 and 2014 vehicles of $600 to $3000 depending on the model. The 2014 Chevy Impala that is currently in the cafeteria is the recipient of $1000 bonus cash. And that Traverse gets another $1000.
This offer is good through the end of the month. More details are available at gmfamilyfirst.com. And remember, temporary employees get the discount along with aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
From Reuters: Volkswagen AG's top executives are divided over whether and how workers at the company's Tennessee assembly plant should be represented by a union, but ultimately will insist on a formal vote by those employees, a person with knowledge of the VW board's thinking said. While VW's U.S. executives are hostile to the UAW, the eight-member management board may still ask the union to help set up a German-style employee board at the Chattanooga plant, said the person, who asked not to be identified. The top executives feel that any final decision must be approved by the workers in a secret ballot to protect VW's reputation and assuage investors and U.S. politicians, said the source, who did not identify the VW executives. UAW leaders have said such a vote would allow anti-union forces to scare workers into voting against the union. The UAW has said it has support of the majority of the 1,567 hourly workers at the Tennessee plant.
UAW President Bob King told Reuters last month the union, seeking to avoid what it fears would be a divisive election process, would like the German automaker to voluntarily recognize the union as the plant's bargaining unit. Critics argue such an approach would be undemocratic. An employee in the plant's paint shop, Mike Burton, said he has gathered more than 600 signatures from VW Chattanooga hourly employees on an anti-UAW petition. A VW spokesman declined to comment beyond the company's past confirmation of talks with the UAW and that any decision would be made by the employees. VW's U.S. executives have said in the past, however, that the plant workers would need to vote on such a decision. Gary Casteel, director for the UAW region that includes Tennessee, said on Thursday that the union continues to have ongoing discussions with Volkswagen, adding that he has not heard of any decision by the VW management board on whether it will recognize the UAW.
Weekly build options: 43 E-26 vans; 559 cutaways (21%); 421 slider doors; 27 r/h door deletes; 106 15-pass vans; 95 diesels; 28 YF7s; 12 brake deck spare tire; 438 Onstar; 5.16% AWD; .49% tan interior trim; 76 exports (37 Mexico, 31 Israel); 50 CNG vans; 154 Enterprise; 50 AT&T; 113 U-Haul; 43 government; 87.3% white vans.
From Automotive News: As Nissan completes the first redesign of its Titan full-sized pickup, the company hopes to broaden the truck's appeal with more configurations aimed at fleet buyers. But attracting fleet and basic work truck customers will require more of a value pitch this time -- in contrast to the more upmarket focus of the first Titan. "Increased variation is important," says Rich Miller, Nissan's chief product specialist in charge of the next Titan. "The current Titan just didn't hit the work customer as strongly as it should have," Miller says. "We had one engine, a premium V-8. "It's hard for a work truck customer to consider that. They shop price and capability, and usually in that order. When you don't offer a regular-cab, six-cylinder, stripped-down truck, you're out of that market. That's where we need to go in the new generation." It will be an uphill fight. General Motors has become the industry leader in truck product quality, according to J.D. Power and Associates' 2013 Initial Quality Study. And setbacks and delays in the Titan's product schedule have left Nissan holding its place with a pickup that Consumer Reports calls "lackluster" and "dated."
Tom Brune
UAW/GM Communications Coordinator
Wentzville Assembly
636-327-2119
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