Monday, March 31, 2008 Chrysler cuts white-collar retiree life insurance Eric Morath / The Detroit News Chrysler LLC’s white collar retirees are losing free life insurance benefits but are eligible for an up to a $4,000 one-time pension boost, according to a letter retirees should receive this week. Previously retirees were covered by a $50,000 [...]
Monday, March 31, 2008 GM opens new truck plant in Qindao, China Associated Press DETROIT — General Motors Corp. has begun production at a new manufacturing plant in Qindao, China. The plant is GM’s second manufacturing facility in the coastal city. Production began today. The plant will make small work trucks for GM’s joint venture [...]
UAW STRIKE AT AMERICAN AXLE Axle strike threatens GM’s hot-selling Malibu queryvar=”axle,strike,threatens,gm’s,hot-selling,malibu”; David Barkholz and Robert Sherefkin Automotive News | March 31, 2008 – 5:24 pm EST DETROIT — General Motors will have to shut production by mid-April of its hot-selling Chevrolet Malibu if supplier American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings [...]
Saturday, March 29, 2008 UAW lost 73,500 members in 2007 Ranks hit lowest level since 1941 David Shepardson / The Detroit News WASHINGTON — Membership in the United Auto Workers dropped sharply last year to a new post-World War II low, reflecting a dramatic retrenchment of the U.S. auto industry and widespread buyouts at Detroit’s [...]
UAW membership falls 13.6% in 2007 queryvar=”uaw,membership,falls,136%,in,2007″; Philip Nussel Automotive News | March 28, 2008 – 4:24 pm EST DETROIT — The UAW’s membership, beset by a wave of automaker buyouts, last year fell by more than 73,000 workers to a new post-World War II low. In its annual report to [...]
Thursday, March 27, 2008 Buy American, get Chinese engine In global supply era, old way of thinking on parts has become quaint. Ian Austen / New York Times OSHAWA, Ontario — General Motors car engines were once the stuff of American legend. The Beach Boys sang, "nothing can touch my 409," about a powerful Chevy [...]
Marketing giant Hal Riney dead at 75 ‘Paul Bunyan’ of advertising created legendary Saturn campaign queryvar=”marketing,giant,hal,riney,dead,at,75″; Alice Z. Cuneo Automotive News | March 26, 2008 – 11:39 am EST SAN FRANCISCO — Hal Riney, the legendary adman whose work influenced presidential campaigns and whose vision helped shape auto marketing and many [...]
Wednesday, March 26, 2008 No end in sight to strike against Axle Eric Morath / The Detroit News DETROIT — The longest automotive strike in a decade turns 1 month old today, leaving American Axle losing millions, striking workers scrimping on $200 weekly strike pay — and no end in sight. But while both American [...]
Wednesday, March 26, 2008 Dispute cited in top Chrysler engineer’s departure Man leading midsize effort reportedly clashed with senior managers. Dee-Ann Durbin / Associated Press DETROIT — One of Chrysler LLC’s top engineers left the company Tuesday because of a dispute with senior managers, a person with knowledge of the situation said Tuesday. Mike Donoughe [...]
CAW says it won’t accept two-tier wages Automotive News | March 25, 2008 – 5:30 pm EST TORONTO (Reuters) — The Canadian Auto Workers will not accept a U.S.-style two-tier wage deal when it meets with the "Big Three" automakers this summer for contract negotiations, union President Buzz Hargrove said on Tuesday. "We are [...]
Key Chrysler product developer Donoughe quits Company denies there was clash with senior management queryvar=”key,chrysler,product,developer,donoughe,quits”; Bradford Wernle Automotive News | March 25, 2008 – 7:34 pm EST DETROIT — Barely two months after being named to a key Chrysler product development post, one of Chrysler’s top vehicle engineers has left the [...]
CAW seeks to organize three Dana plants queryvar=”caw,seeks,to,organize,three,dana,plants”; Ryan Beene Automotive News | March 24, 2008 – 4:38 pm EST Meetings are expected to be held on Thursday and Friday to decide if about 550 hourly workers at three Dana Canada Corp. plants will join the Canadian Auto Workers Union. Tentative agreements [...]
Authorities back XM-Sirius satellite radio tie queryvar=”authorities,back,xm-sirius,satellite,radio,tie”; Automotive News | March 24, 2008 – 3:24 pm EST WASHINGTON (Reuters) — U.S. antitrust authorities today approved a proposed $4.38 billion purchase of XM Satellite Radio by Sirius Satellite Radio , the Justice Department said on Monday. The deal is also being examined by the [...]
Monday, March 24, 2008 Bringing up the rear: Ford to revive rear-wheel drive in U.S. Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News Ford Motor Co. is bringing rear-wheel-drive development back to the United States from Australia. The automaker also has green-lighted a vehicle platform that will provide the basis for a new generation of rear-wheel-drive [...]
Monday, March 24, 2008 Mileage at top of car buying list Survey shows consumers also want tougher regulations on fuel economy. Scott Burgess / The Detroit News With the price of a fill-up hovering at record highs, gas mileage has become the number one consideration for American consumers in choosing a new vehicle, even topping [...]
