Category Archives: people

Bill Ford Asks UAW to Choose His View of the Right Path

“We can stop this now and I call on my great UAW colleagues, some of whom I’ve known for decades, many are close personal friends. We need to come together to bring an end to this acrimonious round of talks. I still believe in a bright future, one that we can build together. I still believe the automobile industry is a major force for good in our country and we will continue to be there when America needs us most. Continue reading

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UAW Shifts Tactics – No New Strike Actions Today

Shawn Fain in a Facebook Live broadcast this morning once again caught the Detroit Three Automakers napping when he said “We’re entering a new phase of this fight, and it demands a new approach. We’re not announcing expansion of our strike, but we are prepared at any time to call on more locals to stand up and walk out… So tomorrow, I’m calling all of our UAW members and our allies to head to a picket line,” in a show of support for all workers. Continue reading

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New Car Prices Up 34% in last Four Years. UAW Pay 6%

The video also shows that Big Three price gouging, not UAW pay, has been responsible for rising car prices in recent years. Average new car prices went up 34% over the last four years while pay for UAW members rose just 6%. The cost of labor for the Big Three is ~4-5% of total operations. The video notes that Ford, General Motors and Stellantis could double UAW wages, not raise car prices and still make billions of dollars. Continue reading

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Oh Canada! – GM Rejects Pattern Agreement – Unifor Strikes

“This strike is about General Motors stubbornly refusing to meet the pattern agreement. The company knows our members will never let GM break our pattern – not today – not ever,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “The company continues to fall short on our pension demands, income supports for retired workers, and meaningful steps to transition temporary workers into permanent, full-time jobs.” Continue reading

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SEC Sues Musk for Blatant Refusal of Subpoena

The filing in US Court for the Northern District of California concerns an ongoing investigation by the SEC regarding, among other things, potential violations of various provisions of the federal securities laws in connection with Musk’s 2022 purchases of Twitter stock, and Musk’s 2022 statements and SEC filings relating to Twitter. According to the filing, the SEC seeks Musk’s testimony to obtain information not already in the SEC’s possession that is relevant to its legitimate and lawful investigation. Continue reading

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One-Third of UK Motorists Name Their Car

One in three UK motorists have given a nickname to their car based on its registration plate, color, or the make and model; and 34% of nickname-givers say cars without a light-hearted epithet are “missing something.” This come from a Volkswagen survey released today on National Name Your Car Day in the UK. Among amusing car nicknames British motorists have adopted are The Beast, The Flying Banana – and Flo – because its plate started with FL0. The poll of 1500 motorists found 32% believe a car can have “a real personality.” Continue reading

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Bentley Motors Unveils the Belonging Bentayga

Bentley Motors today revealed the ‘Belonging Bentayga.’ This is  a hand painted Alpine Green Bentayga Hybrid with different skylines and well-known buildings from all across the world, such as New York, London, Paris, Rome, Milan, Venice, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Each side of the car depicts a different continent. The art piece that displays 29 different landmarks is drawn from memory by Stephen Wiltshire* MBE, a British architectural artist and autistic savant, who is known for his ability to draw a landscape after seeing it just once. Continue reading

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Canadian Unifor Workers Ratify Ford Contract

 “This contract will change lives in a profound way. It fundamentally transforms pension plans, provides protections during the EV transition and includes the highest wage increases in the history of Canadian auto bargaining,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. Continue reading

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UAW on Strike at Select Ford, GM, Stellantis Plants

At all of the US Big Three companies – as of now – their new or slightly revised offers when made public are so far short of the UAW requests that they might as well be non-existent. We will have to wait as things unfold. Big Three executives appear to have thought that business as usual would allow them to continue to do business. Well, not today,,,

Moreover there are signs that a resurgent labor movement in other sectors will support the UAW with selective strikes. Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said today “The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, including our members in the carhaul industry, stand in solidarity with the United Auto Workers to get the best contract possible from America’s biggest automakers. Just as the Teamsters saw at UPS, record profits at any company must result in record contracts for the workers who make those profits possible…. All UAW members deserve respect at work and dignity in retirement. They deserve strong wages in a new contract that rewards them for everything they do for the Big Three and to keep this country moving. You can be sure there is no division in America’s labor movement today. And you are urged to remember that Teamsters don’t cross picket lines.” Continue reading

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Elena Ford and William Clay Ford III in New Roles at Ford Motor

Ford also announced that Lisa Materazzo, previously Toyota’s top marketing executive in North America, is joining Ford as global chief marketing officer effective today, reporting to Ford President and CEO Jim Farley. At Toyota, Materazzo also held positions at Lexus and Scion. At Ford, Materazzo will lead advanced product planning and all marketing activities across Ford Blue, Ford Model e and Ford Pro. She will also oversee Ford Performance and Lincoln. Senior Marketing positions have experienced some churn at Ford recently. Continue reading

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UAW Says First Stellantis Contract Offer is Deeply Unfair

“This is a responsible and strong offer that positions us to continue providing good jobs for our employees today and in the next generation here in the U.S. It also protects the company’s future ability to continue to compete globally in an industry that is rapidly transitioning to electric vehicles. Because we know this is important to you and your families, we remain committed to bargaining in good faith and reaching a fair agreement,” Stewart said. Continue reading

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Labor Day – UAW Struggles Are Key to The American Dream

Let us pause here to remember and reflect on Walter P. Reuther (1907 – 1970). “There is no greater calling than to serve your fellow man. There is no greater satisfaction than to have done it well,” he famously said. Reuther built the United Automobile Workers into one of the most awakened and progressive forces in American history. A fierce champion of collective bargaining, Reuther also had a much larger vision of the American society then many of our mere politicians. He viewed the labor movement in the context of community – the whole community. Led by him the UAW fought for civil rights, health care, affordable housing, environmental protections among other things. Continue reading

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Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat and HEMI Favorites Among Thieves

“If you own a Hellcat, you better check your driveway,” said HLDI Senior Vice President Matt Moore. “These numbers are unbelievable.” AutoInformed also recommends checking your rear-view mirrors when driving any performance car for flashing blue lights. Continue reading

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Generative Artificial Intelligence – An Automaker Challenge

Absent in the following is what needs to be an extensive discussion of the public policy, employment, human challenges, and the effect on what traditionally are high paying jobs in the global auto industry. In AutoInformed’s view GlobalData can and likely will play a role in this. Continue reading

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UAW and Big Three Makers – Biden Wants a Fair Deal

The Biden Administration – facing more than its fair share of critics,  insurrectionists, white supremacists and election deny-ers, among others – has to be wary of an age-old Democratic party tradition as well. When Democrats form a firing squad, they usually stand in a circle. However, the Administration has proven deft at ducking bullets – remember the UPS strike that was going to upend commerce – widely predicted and welcomed by some on the right? It didn’t happen. And Bidenomics has proven so successful that some of the Republicans who voted against it are now taking credit for the jobs and economic activity it is producing in their home states. So much for the red wave, unless it’s waving good bye to civilized discourse and the common good of We The People. Continue reading

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