[elegant]

Today, the UAW at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant is voting whether to strike. Results are expected to be known tonight, but even if the workers vote to strike, regional and national union councils must so authorize, and even if the local UAW union were to vote "yes," there are plenty of opportunities and time for issues to be worked out without a strike.

Problems simmering inside the General Motors plant in Bowling Green, Ky., have prompted the United Auto Workers to schedule a strike vote on Tuesday, although the action might not lead to a work stoppage right away, union officials said.

"Our people are being mistreated, and there is inequity in discipline and problems with quality and safety that aren't being addressed by management," said Eldon Renaud, president of Local 2164, which represents the plant's 800 assembly workers. "Our members are tired of it."

The plant has been the exclusive assembly site for the Chevrolet Corvette since 1981, and was retooled last year to produce the redesigned, seventh-generation model of the sports car.

Renaud said rank-and-file workers are hoping that a new plant manager who took over in March might make the changes necessary to appease the workers.

Jeff Lamarche replaced Dave Tatman as plant manager on March 1. Tatman had been in charge of the plant since August 2010, and had overseen construction of a body shop and other facilities over the past couple of years in preparation for production of the new Corvette Stingray.

"Hopefully we can get the problems corrected without a strike," Renaud said. "The strike vote doesn't necessarily mean we will strike, but it does give us the authorization to (strike)."

He said workers also have issues with the plant's personnel director and with some of the contractors and subcontractors working in the facility.

Before a strike could be called, it would also have to be authorized by key regional and national union officials, including Region 8 Director Gary Casteel, based in Lebanon.

"The membership has to vote to strike, but it's just a step in the process," Casteel said. "It's purely a local situation, though. They are having some issues with the local management."

Members will vote at the union hall during the day Tuesday, and results should be available around 7 p.m., Renaud said.

UAW to hold strike vote at GM's Corvette plant

 

[Charlie Dog]

This is not what those of us with orders pending want to hear. Lets hope they do not strike.

 

[regguy1]

Sounds like the workers are on the side of trying to build a better car.
My guess is GM will make a good effort to avoid any shutdown, halting production of a hot selling car isn't in their best interest.

 

[mjw930]

I agree with regguy1.

This is a standard negotiation ploy used by the union. Without at least the threat of a strike hanging over management's head the unions negotiation position is weakened. This vote authorizes a strike, it doesn't call one.

The issues at play are pretty standard except for the comment about quality, that one raises an eyebrow and perhaps explains why some cars with misaligned panels and ridiculous orange peel found their way to dealer's lots. However, it could mean something entirely different, we simply don't know. Overall I imagine the stress of running the factory at close to 100% capacity has taken it's toll on existing processes and the union wants those issues addressed now, not when the contract comes up for renewal. The comments also reinforce the idea that the GB workers take a lot of pride in the product they produce and are disheartened that they are not being either treated or recognized for that loyalty.

BTW, I am not pro-union, far from it, but I understand the dynamics and process quite well.

 

[vortex]

At least the timing almost coincides with the 2014 price increase so GM won't be out of pocket as much...

 

[Ragtop]

Believe me, I will freaking cry if a strike ruins my long awaited delivery and vacation, but I will stand by the union's decision, as I know what it's like to be walked on by management. As my brother said to me this morning, "what do you think about unions now?" I swallowed hard and said, "what do you think about your 40 hour week, having weekends off, etc. etc.".

I have a feeling this will be resolved. They never mentioned grievances over pay/benefits, just certain working conditions.

 

[mjw930]

I have a feeling this will be resolved. They never mentioned grievances over pay/benefits, just certain working conditions.

There's a reason they don't mention pay/benefits. As I understand it, as part of the government bailout and subsequent bankruptcy the unions conceded their right to strike over pay or benefits until the contract renewal in 2015. It was that or potentially have no job at all, I think they made the right decision. Working conditions and mistreatment are the only grievances they can legally strike over under the current contract. September 2015 should be interesting.

 

[elegant]

This news, that there is even a vote of whether to strike, is clearly unnerving to that who have an order in the pipeline. There could well be a positive vote to strike later today, as when local union leadership calls for a strike vote, the results are usually "yes." Even with a yes vote, we all hope that the issues are resolved easily in the next few days or weeks, and the strike is avoided. The union has work and safety issues of significant concern to them. They could also be testing the brand new BGAP Manager Jeff LaMarche's response to their quality and safety concerns. A strike vote starts stepped negotiations toward trying to resolve these issues.

Here's another article about the issues at the Plant.

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky — Union workers at the General Motors plant in Kentucky that assembles Corvettes are casting ballots on whether to authorize a strike.

Voting began early Tuesday and continues into early evening for about 800 members of United Auto Workers Local 2164 at Bowling Green.

Local union President Eldon Renaud says the issues involved deal with safety and the elimination of certain quality control positions, which the union thinks affects the integrity of the plant's quality procedures.

If workers authorize a strike, Renaud says he hopes it results in stepped up negotiations with the company.

The plant says the safety of its employees and the quality of its products are at the forefront of every decision. It says it's confident that management and the union can work together.

I like the sound of the last sentence, which reflects, IMO, Jeff LaMarche's desire to reach a positive compromise on all issues before an actual strike were to occur.

 

[rdslon01]

It is almost guaranteed that the vote today will be to pursue the option of a strike.

I just wish we knew the specifics of the quality/safety issues, and what their grievances are with management.

 

[rdslon01]

Here is some more information:

UPDATE: Bowling Green UAW Members Vote On Strike Authorization

 

[rdslon01]

And the results were released one minute ago: 93% voted to authorize a strike.

 

[fpetricca]

Gotta hand it to UAW...
Their timing is perfect. Threat to Stop building the hottest car in America during the summer months.
Great stuff!
The big corvette dealers must be freaking out.
Another price increase is now a certainty!



Alias Frankie!

 

[rdslon01]

Frankie, my friend, you are like a fresh bar of soap: it's not hard to get you all worked up and foaming...

 

[fpetricca]

Frankie, my friend, you are like a fresh bar of soap: it's not hard to get you all worked up and foaming...

Worked up? Maybe so!

I always get worked up for the guy on the line. The guy that comes to work day after day forced to sometimes adhere to poor working conditions or forced to build cars they know are substandard or unsafe.

By the way -

I promise you my friend that if there's a strike it won't be me foaming...
Lol.




Alias Frankie!

 

[mjw930]

Posturing, nothing more. There won't be a strike and things will change at the plant and I think that's a good thing. From the sound of it some things were changed lately that weren't necessarily for the better. Eliminate QC positions and override final inspectors while you are shipping cars back to the plant to replace poorly painted panels and the forums awash in paint, misaligned and loose panel issues!!!!!! It reminds me of the bean counter idiots that tried to get every C7 shipped by rail because it saved a few bucks. Remember that debacle?


Sent from my iPad using Corvette Stingray Forum

 

[elegant]

A strike is no good for anyone, especially not those on our forum awaiting their StingRays. Instead of saying "I won't be the one foaming," let's have compassion for our forum friends, and let's hope both sides work this out, in a mutual compromise, WITHOUT a strike.

 

[regguy1]

If they want GM to give them the carrot they need a stick as leverage, otherwise they have no leverage.
You can't negotiate from total weakness, this just posturing at this point.

 

[fpetricca]

A strike is no good for anyone, especially not those on our forum awaiting their StingRays. Instead of saying "I won't be the one foaming," let's have compassion for our forum friends, and let's hope both sides work this out, in a mutual compromise, WITHOUT a strike.

Elegant please don't put words in my mouth...
First of all that comment was not directed to our forum friends. Please understand I'm still waiting for my car to be built.
That comment was for GM executives that will certainly have earnings problems especially with all of the unrelated litigation bad publicity in Washington.
This could be a double whammy for upper management hence "foaming"

That's why they will eventually compromise and come up with an agreement to satisfy everyone.

Again
Timing couldn't be better for these guys.



Alias Frankie!

 

[rdslon01]

Posturing, nothing more. There won't be a strike and things will change at the plant and I think that's a good thing. From the sound of it some things were changed lately that weren't necessarily for the better. Eliminate QC positions and override final inspectors while you are shipping cars back to the plant to replace poorly painted panels and the forums awash in paint, misaligned and loose panel issues!!!!!!

These are my thoughts as well.

 

[davelv]

I wouldn't want to have any Corvette built from now until the strike conditions are fixed. Unions in past events have intentionally misbuilt vehicles to put pressure on the company. Why would this time be any different?