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In a blow to the economic poverty of low wages long promoted by US southern states formed under slavery, the UAW posted an historic and crushing union win at a Volkswagen plant last week when 73% of the workers voted to unionize. It was the last VW operation globally without a union. (AutoInformed: Labor Day – UAW Struggles Are Key to The American Dream; VW Chattanooga UAW Vote Set for April 17-19)
The battle with VW management – a later day version of the Ford Rouge +Battle of the Overpass – included outrageous interference by VW management instead of the neutrality stipulated under US labor laws. The Chattanooga plant has now become the symbol and rallying point of the tough fight for workers’ rights, bringing national or global attention* to the struggles and potential of unionizing in the South. Daimler Truck is next. (AutoInformed: UAW Practice Picketing at Daimler Truck in the US South) Continue reading
IIHS Toughens Front Crash Prevention Testing
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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said today that it is updating its vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention test to address crashes that occur at higher speeds and those in which the struck vehicle is a motorcycle or large truck.* Only one of the first 10 small SUVs evaluated earns a good rating under the new protocol.
“This is a vital update to one of our most successful test programs,” IIHS President David Harkey claimed. “The vast majority of new vehicles now come with automatic emergency braking, and our research shows the technology prevents as many as half of all front-to-rear crashes. This new, tougher evaluation targets some of the most dangerous front-to-rear crashes that are still happening.” Continue reading →