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.
To make its Power Trio more influential, Nissan Motors entertained significant upgrades and enhancements for it. The Power Trio – composed of the Titan, Pathfinder and the Armada – is delivered by the automaker not only to attract enthusiasts but to make these aficionados succumb to its excellence.
Upgrades and enhancements include the addition of the new Titan Long Wheelbase King Cab and Crew Cab models, a new 5.6-liter V8 engine for the Pathfinder, and new exterior and interior designs for the Armada. The three new 2008 Nissan vehicles are scheduled to be available at Nissan dealers nationwide beginning in spring this year.
“The addition of the Titan Long Wheelbase models and the first-ever V8 engine ever offered in the 22-year history of Pathfinder expand the available choices for buyers of these two popular vehicles,” said Larry Dominique, the vice president of Product Planning for Nissan North America, Inc.
Dominique added, “The extensive makeover of Armada, which has topped J.D. Power and Associates’ APEAL study for the Large SUV class in 2005 and 2006, adds up to an even more attractive, more premium and more complete Armada package for 2008 – one that we think will continue to make Armada stand out in the full-size SUV class.”
Modifications were not only limited to improving Nissan antenna masts and other parts accessories. The fact that the auto industry is plagued with so many rivals and burdened by notable fluctuations, Nissan intends to improve its lineup to get a rewarding share of the market.
The 2008 Nissan Titan is offered in four models – XE, SE, PRO-4X and LE; in 4×2 and 4×4 drive configurations; in two body styles – King Cab and Crew Cab; four bed sizes – 5’5”, 6’5”, 7’ and 8’; and with the Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) capability. It also features freshened styling, a powerful 5.6-liter DOHC Endurance V8 engine which is rated at 317 horsepower and 385 lb-ft torque, 5-speed automatic transmission and utmost towing capacity.
The well-liked Nissan Pathfinder expands its lineup to cover a new 300-plus horsepower 5.6-liter V8, the first V8 offered in its 22-year history in the United States market. This more powerful option offers a significant increase in torque, rated at 300-plus lb-ft, to achieve 7,000 lbs of maximum towing capacity. Other alterations include exterior styling and refined interior. The Revised Nissan Navigation System with 9.3-gigabyte Music Box hard drive (available on LE only) is now integrated to the vehicle.
The 2008 Nissan Armada also comes with new colors and styling, more luxurious amenities and enhanced car technology. The vehicle also features new option packages. Notable auto technology advancements include the Intelligent Key with twist start, Bluetooth® hands-free phone system, Bose® sound system with 9.3-gigabyte Music Box hard drive and 3rd row speakers and amplifier, Nissan Navigation system with an XM NavTraffic™ system with real-time traffic information, and an 8.0-inch screen for the optional DVD Entertainment Package.
“The 2008 model year is already shaping up to be a tremendous year for Nissan with the previously announced Altima Coupe and all-new Rogue crossover SUV – and now new Titan, Pathfinder and Armada,” said Dominique. “Attendees at the Chicago Auto Show will have five great new reasons to visit the Nissan display.”
While taking your kids for a long drive on their vacations in your favorite car, you might have come across the nuisances of engine overheating at times, followed by desperate search some coolant – preferably water. Further, if you are on a deserted highway, the situation gets dicier, as you would unlikely to find any suitable coolant immediately. Being an auto amateur, the situation often seems to be messier to you, and all you can do is to wait for a tow truck with the opened hood, and steam blowing out of it. However, in spite of your low familiarity with automobile intricacies, you can do a lot to ward off the curse of overheating. Here are some handy tips that would help you in countering the overheating issues effectively.
? Always keep observing the temperature gauge, and see if it is crossing the optimal mark. Don’t drive continuously for hours, and few minutes rest is recommended after some specific time period.
? One of the major causes of overheating is improper circulation of antifreeze within the engine assembly. The coolant pays a vital role in keeping the engine of your vehicle cooler during warm season. So, it is advisable that you keep checking for any impurities into the antifreeze periodically. Also make sure that it should be at an optimum level.
? If the engine gets heat up while on the move, just turn up the heat in the car to its maximum temperature, this would drop the temperature by far, and hence checks overheating.
? If you know about the antifreeze compartment, then just pour half-a-cup water into it. This will dilute the antifreeze, and help in its smooth circulation into the assembly.
? Sometimes overheating also occurs because of poorly fitted hoses into it. This can be fixed by replacing those ill-fitted hoses by new ones. This can be temporarily corrected by proper torquing of those hoses. Sometimes the hose may get blocked or dislocated, in this situation, just take out the hose and clear up the debris deposited into it, which can be done with the help of flowing water through it.
? In case of heavy traffic, just keep fair distance from the other vehicles, as congested traffic blocks the airflow into your car’s assembly, and thus causes overheating.
? Check out the radiator’s overflow tank to find if it’s empty, in this case, your car is demanding extra coolant. Moreover, if you observe boiling coolant into the tank then it is an alarming situation for the thermostat of your car.
? If your radiator’s overflow tank is fitted with the non-pressurized cap over it, you can anytime add water into it. Don’t put-off the cap when the engine is hot, and wait for the engine to cool down by turning the keys off.
In addition to these useful tips, it is suggested that you always keep few essential things, such as – water, flashlight, breaking liquid, antifreeze, etc – in your car. Additionally, keep your tool box full of necessary instruments to deal with various issues.
Car Reviews March 6th 2010
