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Wednesday, March 3, 2010
CHAIRMAN / PRESIDENT REPORT
Brothers & Sisters,
BARGAINING UPDATE
Your local union leadership along with the UAW International requested a response from the company in a letter dated February of 2010 regarding the Union’s proposals. The company informed your leadership and the UAW International that they are willing to make some changes to the proposed Retention Package. The company also notified the union that Tetsuro Hitoshi, Vice President & Executive Advisor of Human Resources, Legal, Indirect, Purchasing, and Corporate Planning, would be his last day at NUMMI and the rest of the Company’s bargaining team would remain the same and Ron Holland will assume the role of lead negotiator.
On February 16, 2010 the Company submitted a letter with a revised proposal on all Retention Package changes that reflect the Company’s current positions on the remaining open issues in the proposed Shutdown Agreement, General Releases, the Retention Package, and the Temporary Workforce Agreement. The Company also stated it is still gathering the information requested from the union and anticipates that it will provide us with the requested information under separate cover.
Your Bargaining committee will meet with our legal department on Wednesday, 3/3/2010 regarding the current imperative proposal issues. They will also meet with the company Thursday, 3/4/10 regarding negotiations.
REPORT ON CONSUMER OUTREACH TOYOTA & LEXUS DEALERSHIP CAMPAIGN
First it was 8 dealerships, then 16, then 24. Last weekend it was 45 dealerships from Sacramento to San Diego. Our members are the real heroes of this effort to save NUMMI. And when we succeed, when we keep the plant open so we can support our families as they have been used to living, when our children and grandchildren have a good place to work… we will want to tell them the story of how this happened.
We aren't sitting back and feeling sorry for ourselves. We aren't giving up because the company keeps telling their supervisors to tell us "its too late, the game is over." We are going to keep moving on. And now, we have friends all over California fighting with us. But this weekend, we have more. We now have people holding banners in front of Toyota from Seattle to South Florida, from Phoenix, Arizona to Portland, Maine. Their message is a bit different. Their banners say, "Toyota is Killing American Jobs."
TREASURER LOCKYER'S BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION LEAVING TO JAPAN
California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer will publicly release the special report prepared by his Blue Ribbon Commission detailing the economic, social and environmental impact of Toyotas announced closing of it's award-winning production facility in Fremont, and examining alternatives to the closure. UC Berkeley Professor Harley Shaiken will present the findings of the Commissions, which he heads. Other Commission Members are:
Harley Shaiken, Professor, University of California Berkeley Bob Wasserman, Mayor, Fremont, California
Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, Moderator, Presbyterian Church USA Victor Uno, Chairman, Port of Oakland, CA Commission
Nina Moore, Chamber of Commerce, Fremont, California Richard Holober, Executive Director, Consumer Federation of CA
Art Pulanski, Chief Officer, California Federation of Labor Carl Pope, President, Sierra Club of America
Bruce Kern, Executive Director, East Bay Economic Development Alliance Danny Glover, Actor
Some members of Treasurer Lockyer's Blue Ribbon Commission will leave for Japan at the end of this week to explain in person their special report. They will hold a press conference in Tokyo on Monday, March 8, then travel to Nagoya to meet with company officials.
Our plant is too important to us, our families, the economic health of our communities and the entire state of California to give up now. For that reason, these smart and high powered people are giving up a week of their time to travel across the Pacific Ocean and tell Toyota that keeping the plant open is a necessity for California and the only way to restore faith with the consumers of California.
In Solidarity,
Javier S. Contreras
Chairman, Bargaining Committee
| Sergio U. Santos
UAW Local 2244 President
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Friday, January 29, 2010
INFORMATIONAL MEETING
Saturday 01/30 at 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Meeting Purpose - Bargaining Committee will report on progress of bargaining and take questions that pertain ONLY to bargaining issues.
- This meeting is NOT for the purpose of ratifying or voting on any proposals, therefore votes' will NOT be taken.
- Only Local 2244 members will be permitted due to space restraints.
- Order will be maintained at all times. Appropriate security measures have been taken to help ensure a successful meeting.
- Members will ONLY be allowed to speak when recognized from the podium.
- Outbursts will not be tolerated and will lead to the removal of any member.
- Courtesy and respect shall be shown at all times.
- Members will not be allowed to ask multiple questions until any member who has not spoken and wants to, has been heard.
- We will endeavor to answer all questions. If we don't have an answer, we will do our best to get one for you.
- Hearing impaired interpretation will be provided.
In Solidarity,
Javier S. Contreras
Chairman, Bargaining Committee
| Sergio U. Santos
UAW Local 2244 President
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Thursday, January 21, 2010
CHAIRMAN / PRESIDENT REPORT
Brothers and Sisters,
Over the past six weeks, your Bargaining Committee, Membership & other Local Unions have been working hard gathering thousands of signatures daily to convince Toyota to keep our facility open, so that we may continue to build high quality Toyota vehicles here in California.
The International Union, along with the Local Union & other organizations, have worked the Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose & Detroit International Auto Shows, collecting thousands of signatures. By signing the pledge sheet, the public is agreeing that if Toyota moves production, also known as "our jobs," out of California they will support our cause by ceasing the purchase of Toyota vehicles. We have successfully collected over 72,000 signatures in the State of California alone! We will continue these efforts to save our jobs, so that we can continue providing job security for our families.
Your elected Bargaining Committee met on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 with management, along with our International Union. The company's new proposal was to restore the 2 weeks of pay it had reduced in the December 17, 2009 proposal for payment of the PIPS /PPP (performance-pay-plan). In other words, Toyotas management wants you to pay your own PIPS/PPP bonus from your severance pay. In addition, management wanted to cap your severance pay at 18 weeks. For example, if you had 19 or more years of employment, management only wants to pay you a maximum of 18 weeks. However, through solidarity in the ranks, patience & hard work, your elected Bargaining Committee was able to remove the cap on the severance package, and secure that you will not have to pay your own PIPS/PPP bonus.
We will continue negotiations with the Company & International Union on Tuesday, January 26th through January 29th. We will update you after these meetings conclude. We very much appreciate your assistance and patience and would like to thank the UAW, other Local Unions & the Community that have helped us in our struggle. An informational meeting will be conducted Saturday, January 30, 2010 regarding the status of negotiations.
At this time, we encourage unity amongst each other and urge you to disregard rumors and any negativity through false leaflets. Let's keep up the hard work in gathering public support and signatures.
In Solidarity,
Javier S. Contreras
Chairman, Bargaining Committee
| Sergio U. Santos
UAW Local 2244 President
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Monday, December 21, 2009
CHAIRMAN / PRESIDENT REPORT
Brothers and Sisters,
On Thursday, December 17, 2009 your entire Bargaining Committee met with the Company regarding their New Proposal.
The Bargaining Committee informed the company that their new proposal is unfair and unethical. Our membership (of twenty-five years of loyalty) deserves equivalent to what "The Big Three" (GM, Ford, Chrysler) & Toyota Georgetown Kentucky received.
The Companies new proposal was displayed at the Company State Wide Meeting on Friday, December 18, 2009; these unjust tactics from the Company was a pure attempt to divide and deceive you during negotiations and was clearly disrespectful to this membership.
This Leadership has lived up to its commitment by bargaining in good faith across the table until both parties have reached a fair tentative agreement. The Bargaining Committee is always willing to meet and negotiate with the Company for a fair and honest agreement to present to this membership for ratification.
Keep in mind that this leadership took immediate action after NUMMI'S announcement of the plant closure to get assistance from our state legislators to help convince Toyota with incentives in continuous manufacturing here in Fremont, California. This leadership also responded immediately to work with state and federal government agencies to provide our membership with the most benefits available therefore providing UAW-L.E.T.C (learning education training center). We will continue to fight for the following stated below:
* Continuous manufacturing in Fremont California
* A new product line
* Severance comparable with "The Big Three" and Toyota Georgetown Kentucky
* Medical
* Early Retirement
* S.H.I.P funding
* Transfer rights
* Return rights
Your reactions to the Company’s proposals sent a clear message, that our membership deserves a fair and equitable agreement. We understand the challenges and uncertainty most of us are currently experiencing. As April 1, 2010 approaches, we encourage you to remain strong and stay united and disregard negativity from agitators.
The Bargaining Committee would like to wish you all a safe Holiday and a prosperous New Year.
In Solidarity,
Javier S. Contreras
Chairman, Bargaining Committee
| Sergio U. Santos
UAW Local 2244 President
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Wednesday, December 17, 2009
CHAIRMAN / PRESIDENT REPORT
Brothers & Sisters,
Your entire Bargaining Committee and members of the rank and file, along with representatives from the UAW International, Detroit, Michigan, and members of Region 5 Headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, successfully gathered over thirty-one thousand (31,000) signatures at the Los Angeles Auto Show that Toyota helped sponsor. Members of the rank and file gathered OVER sixty-three thousand (63,000) signatures to date, sending a strong message to the TOYOTA Co.:
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED CALIFORNIANS, DEMAND THAT TOYOTA MOTORS CORPORATION HONOR ITS COMMITMENT TO CALIFORNIA WORKERS, CONSUMERS, AND TAXPAYERS BY KEEPING THE NUMMI PLANT OPEN TO PRODUCE QUALITY TOYOTA VEHICLES FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. FURTHERMORE, WE PLEDGE NOT TO PURCHASE ANY TOYOTA PRODUCTS IF TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION RENEGES ON ITS COMMITMENT AND CLOSE THE NUMMI PLANT.
We strongly encourage ALL members to continue the petition drive helping us to obtain thousands of more pledges.
We have now reached a pinnacle point in unilaterally setting up mass demonstrations at Toyota dealerships. They have left us with NO RESOLUTION, and we will continue our fight to keep families working. We ask you and your families to join us at the next demonstrations after the holiday to let California and the country know that we will not allow jobs to be exported to Japan and Canada from the single biggest market for automobile sales in the United States: California!
Let’s not forget back in 1984 when the lines of demarcation were written with the United States allowing the first foreign auto maker, Toyota, to join in a joint venture with a commitment to long term employment and job security for California workers. In Japanese tradition, TOYOTA has never closed a factory or laid off a single full-time worker in Japan. Now with 26 plants in North America, they want to slam the door shut on us causing the loss of 50,000 California jobs. This will not happen without a fight. We encourage you to contact members of The Bargaining Committee, Executive Board Members or your Committeeperson for further rally and leaflet demonstration information. You may also contact the Local Union Hall at (510) 657-0800 to be placed on the rally lists.
As President & Chairman, we have been summoned to Detroit, Michigan on Tuesday, December 15, 2009 for further intense discussions.
In Solidarity
Javier S. Contreras
Chairman, Bargaining Committee
| Sergio U. Santos
UAW Local 2244 President
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More Articles...
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Chairman/Presidents Report, Saturday November 21, 2009
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Chairman/Presidents Report, Friday, October 16th, 2009
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Chairman/Presidents Report, Friday, October 9th, 2009
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Chairman/Presidents Report, Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
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