Auto Dealers

General Motors is the lead target of the United Auto Worker union for their potential strike target in the contract conciliation with the Detroit Three, said two local officials of the group last Thursday.

Requesting for anonymous identity because the negotiations are considered confidential, the two UAW officials said that their local members have already received a notice last Thursday afternoon saying that GM in fact will be the lead.

Expiration of UAW contract with GM, Chrysler LLC, Ford Motor Co, is due on Friday midnight.

In regular conditions, the union talks with the lead company, in behalf of the other two. According to auto industry analysts, GM has the healthiest financial condition among the three.

Ford and Chrysler spokespersons said last Thursday that their companies have compromised for indefinite extensions with the UAW. The extensions can be canceled with three days prior notice.

“We’re going to continue to work together,” said Marcey Evans, spokeswoman for Ford.

Bargaining had formally begun last July and had been going since then, even before but not on formal conditions. Until Thursday, the talks are said to be successful but according to some union members at GM plants (where auto floor mats are made), they are told to prepare in case the need for a strike arises.

Halls to be strike headquarters are under preparation like one in a Cadillac assembly. Workers had also been preparing picket lines, according to the union president of UAW local 652 Chris Sherwood.

Sherwood had been thoroughly updated on how the negotiations had been doing by one of the members of the bargaining committee he is continuously in touch with. According to his source, the compromise had some bad turn last Wednesday night.

“Apparently from last night until this morning, everything’s changed,” Sherwood said. “I’ve never been asked to get my hall ready for a strike in the last four contracts.”

Comments from top persons involved like GM spokesman Tom Wickham and UAW international spokesman Roger Kerson have not been given.

For Harley Shaiken, an expert of Labor issues in the University of California in Berkeley, it’s hard to tell if the strike preparation is a drama or not.

“There’s a fine line between theater and substance in negotiations,” Shaiken said.

“Given the stakes, given the complexity, given the tension, you’ve got a temporary derailment. It’s unclear whether it’s more serious than that.”

For David Cole, the chairman of Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, either side cannot manage a strike.

“I would expect some tension down near the end. At some point in any of these negotiations you get to a point where there’s some tough talk. It just normally arrives a lot earlier than this,” he said.

There were no strikes that occurred during contract renewals in 1999 and 2003. In 1996, there were individual strikes at two GM plants but there had been no nationwide strikes during negotiations since 1976 because of the closing of some Ford plants.

In 2003, the union agreed to settle with the three companies and not choosing a strike target until now. In 1998, GM workers walked out for 54 days in two GM plants costing the company $2.2 billion.

The three Detroit-based auto makers had lost $15 billion combined last year making this year’s negotiation with the UAW a critical one. There had been sales losses due to high gasoline prices. The result, they have made thousands of their workers jobless in an effort to compete with Japanese automakers.

Many who are interested in getting an education from an automotive school are unsure about the job security an automotive career can offer. There are a wide variety of jobs available to graduates of automotive school programs. Because car ownership and usage has only expanded in the past few decades, and continues to increase dramatically by the year, anyone with an automotive background is virtually assured a job.

Oil and lube technicians

Cars require a lot of regular maintenance, such as oil changes, a service that each car owner will need done every three months or less. As a result, there are many oil and lube shops that provide these services. The tight time schedule many of these shops adhere to ensures plenty of jobs for technicians who have the knowledge and experience to perform these tasks quickly and easily. Any graduate of an automotive school will be able to easily defeat the competition for these positions.

Automotive technicians

Automotive technicians are often hired by shops that provide more services than oil changes, air filter replacements, and other simple maintenance. Automotive technicians may be hired to mount and dismount tires, balance wheels, change brake pads, and perform tune ups, in addition to changing the fluids and filters in cars.

Mechanics

Mechanics tend to have more responsibilities than technicians, therefore requiring more education and experience. Mechanics may do all of the jobs often assigned to automotive technicians, but they also perform more complex repairs. Important components, such as shocks and struts, drive shafts, alternators, starters, etc. are usually replaced by mechanics. Additionally, more complex or critical maintenance tasks, such as readjusting the valve clearance in an engine, replacing the timing belt, and performing other engine work, are done by mechanics. Any good automotive school will provide the education and hands-on training necessary to perform maintenance of this caliber.

Master mechanics

The title of master mechanic is one any automotive school graduate would be proud to hold. Many schools include more advanced degree programs, providing the education and hands-on training necessary to be a master mechanic. Master mechanics can find jobs at almost any high quality automotive shop, garage, or dealership maintenance department. Naturally, the pay for a master mechanic position is considerably higher than that of an automotive technician or mechanic.

Auto body and paint specialists

Most have noticed the increased number of accidents you see on the road today. Someone has to repair all of that damage. Auto body and paint specialists are therefore in quite high demand. Auto body technicians are responsible for replacing exterior body parts and repairing the damage caused in accidents. Paint technicians paint the car once the damage has been repaired and the necessary parts replaced.

Parts sales people

There are, of course, the brave car owners who attempt to keep up on their cars’ maintenance and repairs on their own. Therefore, there are also many parts stores and dealership parts departments to keep up with this demand. Graduates of automotive school programs make great additions to parts sales teams, because they have the ability to do more than just look up a part number and grab the part off the shelf: they can discuss problems with the customers, try to help diagnose, and tackle the problems that occur when parts catalogues are wrong and computers fail. Most part sales departments like to have at least one very knowledgeable person on their team.

Automotive sales people

Just as with parts sales, there isn’t a better person to sell a car than someone who knows a lot about them. If you have an education from a good automotive school and you have a knack for selling just about anything, you will always be guaranteed a job at any car dealership. Dealerships love to have knowledgeable, smooth-talking salespeople on their team. A person to represent the dealership’s interests and also knows cars inside and out.

Automotive manufacturing

There are more and more cars on the road every year. Although there are many unskilled positions in automotive manufacturing, there are also many openings for people who know a lot about cars. An automotive degree will give you the knowledge and experience necessary to quickly climb the ladders in automotive manufacturing.

Automotive design and engineering

Cars change more than their looks each year. Technology is constantly making them better, faster, and more reliable. One of the most prestigious jobs in the automotive world is to be one of the concept designers or engineers who make those new cars possible. Designers and engineers must have a solid understanding of automotive theory, as well as engineering practices. This advanced education begins at a good automotive school.

These are only a few of the many jobs available to automotive school graduates. The automotive industry is a demanding field that includes many different positions, from the creation and sales of brand new cars, to the upkeep and repair of cars that are currently in use. An automotive degree will ensure that you always have a place in this exciting and constantly expanding industry.

What is a Government Auto Auction and How Can You Benefit from One?

Have you ever known a guy who suddenly becomes the owner of a fancy sports car even though you know that he couldn’t possibly afford such an expensive car? Well obviously, something fishy is going on here. How could he possibly have a better car than you and how can you get your hands on such an awesome ride?

In truth, that guy probably didn’t win the lottery nor did he sell his soul to the devil for a new car. Ask him where he got his car and he’ll probably say that he got it at a government auto auction.

There are lots of tales going around about government auto auctions. You might have heard about people getting outrageous deals for Ferraris, or some other similar story, but how much of this is true?

What is a government auto auction? How do the cars and various other vehicles end up there? Most importantly, how can you take advantage of a government auto auction and get a good deal on a car?

It is common practice for the government’s many different agencies, such as the FBI or IRS, to seize the various belongings of criminals and tax evaders. This can include wide array of stuff like real estate, furniture, antiques, artwork, and of course cars and various other vehicles.

This government seized property is then put up for auction, allowing the more law abiding people to purchase these items, often for far less than their general market value.

Government auto auctions have been around for some time now and is experiencing an ever increasing rise in popularity. People have caught on to the many advantages that can be gotten from getting a car through an auction.

They have realized that although it may not be as glamorous as buying a brand new car straight from the dealership, it can be a more practical and economical approach, especially considering the skyrocketing prices of cars these days.

Vehicles can end up in a government auction from a variety of ways. They can be the vehicles that once belonged to criminals or were used an some sort of illegal act. This means that you can be the new owner of a genuine getaway truck!

They can also be the repossessed cars of the poor souls who couldn’t pay their numerous government loans or taxes and ended getting raided by the IRS. Because all these cars come from such a variety of different sources, the pre-owned cars put up for auction tend to be very diverse.

Cars can be of all sorts of make and models, and since crime lords tend to drive some pretty slick rides, you can sometimes find some really exotic luxury car models like Cadillac, Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Jaguar, and Porsche among others. Occasionally, there might even be a rare vintage car or custom jobs that can’t be found anywhere else.

One thing about pre-owned cars in government auctions is that they’re sold as-is. This means that the vehicles can, and often do, have some flaws in them. Some caution and a fair bit of inspection should go into buying from an auction.

The other type of cars found in auctions are retired government fleet vehicles. Since the government likes to regularly renew their fleet vehicles, they put the old ones up for auction. These can be made up of old service vehicles or retired police cars but nothing mad for military use, so those looking to bid for a tank will be disappointed.

The government also auctions off any surplus vehicles that are no longer needed in order to save on maintenance cost. While none of these vehicles are as exotic as repossessed ones, they are very well maintained and are generally safer buys.

Government auto auctions are conducted regularly and in most areas. Check your local newspaper or the internet for information and lists of upcoming auctions.

While it is possible to get a really great deal at an auction, it’s unrealistic to expect to buy a Lamborghini for $100. Most vehicles have minimum price, and anything for less than $500 has some problem or is just a piece of junk. There are also the used car salesmen, who often frequent these events, to compete with.

All in all, a government auto auction can be a tricky affair. Be sure to do your homework regarding the vehicles and auctions in general before you jump into one. Doing so will greatly increase your chances of getting a really good bargain.