UAW Council Meeting

As you may know, all UAW Presidents and Chairpersons from across the country representing all GM, Ford and Chrysler Facilities were called to Detroit yesterday for an unprecedented joint council meeting.
At this meeting we were given the latest highlights and statistics about the current state of the Big three financial picture. To say the least the situation is grave for all three companies and all stakeholders are being asked to come to the table to help get through this current situation. President Gettelfinger mentioned that “the problems of the past pale in comparison to what is happening right now.”

The International Executive Board stressed to us that they are ensuring that all stakeholders are contributing in some way and that it is not just labor making adjustments. The International Executive Board offered three recommendations that they felt were vital to helping the companies succeed:

1. Revise the 2010 VEBA pay schedules and allow them to defer payments to a later date. (This will not cause any harm to our current Retirees.)
2. In accordance with Volume I (pg 202) of the UAW Ford master agreement, Suspend the Job Bank program. The Individual departments will work to implement the changes to this program.
3. Engage all elected National Bargaining Committee members at each department to return to meetings with the company to see where any modifications might be made to the current agreement.

The International Executive Board was clear that they do not want to re-open the current agreement, but will look at modifications. If there are any modifications made to the agreement it will be brought to the membership for a ratification vote before changes are implemented.
The National Ford Department is looking for ways that each plant can run more efficiently or cost effectively. If you have a constructive idea or suggestion please contact us and let us know so that we can relay that information to the National team.

Those are the details that we have as of right now. As information becomes more available we are both committed to letting members know as expeditiously as possible via letters and/or the website. Thank you for your continued support through these difficult times and please remember to call your elected officials in Washington D.C. to let them know you support Manufacturing!