Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[REPORT: Next UAW president to be Ford lead negotiator King]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/14/report-next-uaw-president-to-be-ford-lead-negotiator-king/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/14/report-next-uaw-president-to-be-ford-lead-negotiator-king/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/14/report-next-uaw-president-to-be-ford-lead-negotiator-king/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Ron Gettelfinger, the United Auto Workers' (UAW) president during the recent tumult, is moving on from his post, and has thrown his support behind Bob King. King is currently a vice president in the union and manages the relationship with Ford.

While the outlook is positive for King's nomination, he's going to have some reconciliation to do. In the last go-round with Ford, King asked his membership to agree to concessions that took strikes off the table, which the UAW's rank and file promptly denied. Despite the contention, King has been thought of as Ron Gettelfinger's replacement for some time, and the union hopes King will be a tougher customer in the throes of negotiation.

[Source: Wall Street Journal - Sub. Req.]

REPORT: Next UAW president to be Ford lead negotiator King originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bob kingbob king uawBobKingBobKingUawRon GettelfingerRon GettlefingerRonGettelfingerRonGettlefingeruawUAW contractuaw forduaw presidentuaw president gettelfingerUawContractUawFordUawPresidentUawPresidentGettelfingerMon, 14 Dec 2009 08:01:00 EST<![CDATA[REPORT: Three Ford plants vote down new contract with UAW]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/needs-image-three-ford-plants-vote-down-new-contract-with-uaw/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/needs-image-three-ford-plants-vote-down-new-contract-with-uaw/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/needs-image-three-ford-plants-vote-down-new-contract-with-uaw/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Pattern bargaining is how things tend to be done in Detroit, a strategy which ensures that one automaker doesn't tend to get a plum deal at the expense of the other car builders in town. General Motors and Chrysler negotiated pretty hard with the United Auto Workers as part of the bailouts, and Ford's now in the process of securing new agreements with its labor force. While the Blue Oval didn't need government money to stay afloat (well, aside from those low interest technology loans, anyway), it wants parity with its rivals workforce deals.

Several Ford plants have approved the new deal, in which Dearborn has asked for the same concessions that its rivals have already secured. Most recently, however, three Ford facilities have voted down the plan to hold firm entry-level pay and benefits, limits on the union's right to strike over wages and benefits, and consolidates skilled trades. Those opposed to Ford's new agreement argue that the true spirit of pattern agreements would lift Chrysler and GM up to where Ford's current agreements are. Kansas City's F-150 plant slapped down the proposed contract by 92%, but Ford will await the final tally before conceding defeat - or celebrating successful negotiations. Contentious labor dealings are certainly not something Ford wants to deal with at this precarious moment. Even while business has been trending up lately, there's still a long way to go, and if labor puts a skip in the get along, it could be a nail in the coffin of a successful recovery.

[Source: Automotive News - sub req. | Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]

REPORT: Three Ford plants vote down new contract with UAW originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fordford uawford uaw rejectionFordUawFordUawRejectionuawUAW contractuaw fordUAW Ford contractUAW Ford negotiationsuaw rejectionUawContractUawFordUawFordContractUawFordNegotiationsUawRejectionTue, 27 Oct 2009 11:39:00 EST<![CDATA[Ford's UAW deal nets $2 billion savings]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/19/fords-uaw-deal-nets-2-billion-savings/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/19/fords-uaw-deal-nets-2-billion-savings/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/19/fords-uaw-deal-nets-2-billion-savings/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ford is arguably the domestic maker in the most trouble, and it appears the UAW has allowed more concessions for Ford than for either of the other two domestic car car makers in its contract negotiations. With combined savings from the end of health care obligations, revised rules on hiring, salaries, and classifications, Ford will be able to put $2 billion more in its coffers every year.

The largest lump came from Ford -- as with GM and Chrysler -- earning a release from its health care obligations by contributing to a VEBA. Ford's contribution of $13.6 billion will rid itself of the $23.7 billion health care shadow it stood in. That is less than the other two of the Big Three contributed, and once approved will save Ford $1 billion per year.

The other savings come from the UAW's flexibility in allowing Ford to make more than 20-percent of its workforce lower-paid hourly workers, who get up to $50 less per hour than other UAW workers. The UAW is also doing things like reclassifying skilled trades categories, reducing them from 350 to 22. In return, Ford has stepped back from plans to idle some plants, is bringing some outsourced jobs back in-house, and is making plants more flexible so that they can build different cars more easily, instead of being shut down.

In a related article, Automotive News (Sub. Req.) is reporting that the extra cash will be used to revamp Ford's North American product line in the next few years, including the accelerated development of several new models.

[Source: Detroit News, Automotive News]

Ford's UAW deal nets $2 billion savings originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ford turnaroundford turnaround planFordTurnaroundFordTurnaroundPlanuawuaw contractuaw ford contractUawContractUawFordContractMon, 19 Nov 2007 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Six UAW locals (so far) reject contract with Chrysler]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/22/six-uaw-locals-so-far-reject-the-uaw-contract-with-chrysler-ll/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/22/six-uaw-locals-so-far-reject-the-uaw-contract-with-chrysler-ll/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/22/six-uaw-locals-so-far-reject-the-uaw-contract-with-chrysler-ll/#commentsFiled under: , ,

And then there were six: the UAW's tentative contract with Chrysler has been turned down by six UAW locals so far. The latest is the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit, which follows nay votes by workers in Fenton, MO, Newark, DE, and Twinsburg, OH, among other places. The count so far is 11,000 against, 6,500 for.

UAW brass has been working to get the contract approved, even though the UAW's chief Chrysler negotiator is against the contract. The plant in Fenton voted against the contract even though that plant makes the Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, and has, relatively speaking, a secure future.

In total, 45,000 UAW workers will be voting on the contract, and it needs a simple majority to be ratified. If the UAW can't convince another 16,001 workers to go for it, then it'll return to the table with Chrysler. It's the first time such a thing would have happened since 1982 -- ironically, with Chrysler workers that time, as well.

[Source: Detroit News]

Six UAW locals (so far) reject contract with Chrysler originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Oct 2007 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chrysleruawuaw chrysler agreementuaw chrysler contractuaw contractuaw rejects chrysler contractuaw rejects contractUawChryslerAgreementUawChryslerContractUawContractUawRejectsChryslerContractUawRejectsContractMon, 22 Oct 2007 08:58:00 EST<![CDATA[UAW-GM "white book" contract released on web]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/01/uaw-gm-white-book-contract-released-on-web/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/01/uaw-gm-white-book-contract-released-on-web/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/01/uaw-gm-white-book-contract-released-on-web/#commentsFiled under: ,

It turns out the 24-page document we showed you last week was not the full UAW-GM contract the two parties negotiated after an historic 40-hour strike, but rather a highlights booklet to make the nuts and bolts of the deal easier for the union's rank and file to digest. The real contract, called the "white book" by union members, has also now hit the web. We found it hosted at Factoryrat.com, all 82 pages of legalese. Some mainstream outlets found the "white book" too and began sifting through its jargon to determine if anything in the official contract conflicted with what the highlights booklet contained. It turns out that what was initially reported by insiders as firm commitments to allocate the production of particular vehicles at certain plants, thus guaranteeing job security through the four-year life of the contract, are actually worded as "opportunities" instead of allocations. That has some worried their job security isn't as iron clad as they believed it would be last week.

Here's a link to a Detroit Free Press article that analyzes the "white book" in more detail because, well, it's Monday and our ADHD attention spans don't permit for in-depth contract analysis.

[Source: Factoryrat.com]

UAW-GM "white book" contract released on web originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Oct 2007 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For any of you with more than a passing interest in what actually settled the strike, the full contract between GM and the UAW has been posted. It's 24 pages of minutiae, from relocation allowances to health insurance and, of course, pay. It speaks for itself -- and for the UAW and GM. Some will find things to criticize, others to defend, the union. Either way, let the commenting begin.

[Source: The Wall Street Journal]

In case you were interested: The unabridged official UAW-GM contract originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Sep 2007 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UPDATE: According to Automotive News, the deal also stipulates GM agrees to new-vehicle programs at 16 U.S. plants.

This morning local UAW leaders that represent plants from around the country unanimously voted to approve the contract offered by General Motors that came at the end of a 40-hour strike by union workers this week. Official details of the contract have been revealed, and we now know that GM's contribution to the Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) will be $29.9 billion, plus another $5.4 billion in what The Detroit News calls "pre-VEBA costs". That's significantly less than the upwards of $50 billion we heard was being offered, but UAW president Ron Gettelfinger insists it should last the union some 80 years.

While the contract was unanimously approved this morning by UAW local leaders, it's the 73,000 union rank and file that still need to vote on the contract. That vote is expected to come by October 10th, and despite a $3,000 signing bonus for those who vote to approve the contract, there are some union members who argue that their leadership has betrayed them. A small but vocal group specifically disagrees with the VEBA and the fact that GM is now off the hook for health care costs. There are many who also dislike the new two-tier wage system that starts off thousands of new hires at a much lower $18/hour rate of between $14 and $16.23/hour. Despite protestations, however, we expect the majority of the UAW's GM workers to fall in line and vote this thing through.

Check out official details of the UAW-GM contract after the jump.

[Source: The Detroit News, Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Continue reading UAW-GM contract details revealed, local leaders vote unanimously to approve

UAW-GM contract details revealed, local leaders vote unanimously to approve originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Sep 2007 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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