UAW seeking record $10,000 signing bonuses for each member
September 10, 2011 by Larson Automotive Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Chrysler , Ford , GM , UAW/Unions There was a time when union contract negotiations centered around increased hourly wages and top benefits. Bloomberg reports that the United Auto Workers may be willing to forgo raises in favor of lump-sum payments tied to hitting profitability and productivity targets. To help sell such a deal to the UAW rank and file, Bloomberg reports that the union could seek signing bonuses of $8,000 to $10,000 per member. On the high end, that’s over three times the $3,000 Ford , General Motors and Chrysler union employees received in 2007 when they ratified their current contracts. Signing bonuses of $10,000 per union worker would cost GM $470 million, Ford $410 million and Chrysler $250 million. Bloomberg reports that, on the automakers side of the negotiating table, “there may be resistance to such a large payout.” A UAW spokesperson went on the record to say that talk of the union asking for the larger signing bonuses is “inaccurate and it creates false expectations.” The current UAW contract with the Detroit automakers expires September 14. UAW seeking record $10,000 signing bonuses for each member originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 10 Sep 2011 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Chrysler employees caught drinking, smoking during lunch break… again
July 15, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing , Videos , Chrysler , UAW/Unions Chrysler employees caught drinking on lunch break – Click above to watch the video after the jump If this story sounds familiar to you, it’s because something very similar happened just ten months ago. Chrysler employees at the Jefferson North Plant in Detroit were busted for drinking beer during their lunch breaks , and the automaker subsequently fired 13 of the workers involved . Now, the same behavior has been observed at Chrysler’s Trenton Engine Plant. The news crew at FOX 2 Detroit investigated many tips sent in from workers at the Trenton, MI plant, citing that employees were spending their lunch breaks drinking and smoking (and we aren’t talking about cigarettes) at a nearby park. When FOX 2 showed the investigation to Chrysler, Scott Garberding, the automaker’s Senior Vice President of Manufacturing, said that he was “both hurt and angered” over what the cameras captured, adding: “The employees that we identify, as soon as we understand who they are, will be suspended indefinitely without pay and anybody else involved will be dealt with swiftly. It’s very frustrating to us, we take it very seriously.” Follow the jump to watch FOX 2 Detroit’s official investigation. Continue reading Chrysler employees caught drinking, smoking during lunch break… again Chrysler employees caught drinking, smoking during lunch break… again originally appeared on Autoblog 5.0 on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
What cities have the most patriotic car buyers?
July 6, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Car Buying , Chrysler , Ford , GM In this case, “patriotic” refers to car shoppers who buy from domestic manufacturers regardless of where their products are actually built or designed . Not surprisingly, TheDetroitBureau.com reports that the Big Three are most popular in the Midwest, with more than two-thirds of car sales going to Ford , General Motors or Chrysler . Detroit and Saint Louis were rated the two cities with the largest slice of domestic car buyers with consumers choosing to buy American 67 percent of the time. Cleveland, Ohio came in third with a 59 percent U.S. majority in the CarGurus.com study. The Detroit News reports that those figures slide off a bit the farther you move toward the coasts. San Francisco shoppers only opt for domestic hardware 27 percent of the time. Los Angeles and San Diego are tied at the same rate. Likewise, East Coast buyers tend to lean more toward import vehicles, with just 32 percent of New Yorkers taking home an American vehicle. Head over to TDB for a full look at the rankings. What cities have the most patriotic car buyers? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Chrysler legal bid to halt ‘Imported From Detroit’ merchandise sales falls short
June 30, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Government/Legal , Chrysler Automotive News is reporting that Chrysler has failed to stop a clothing manufacturer from selling ” Imported from Detroit ” apparel on the grounds of trademark infringement. U.S. District Judge Arthur Tarnow ruled in favor of Pure Detroit, saying that the automaker’s request failed to show that the manufacturer would suffer any irreparable harm by the apparel company’s actions. The judge also pointed out that Chrysler doesn’t actually have a trademark on the “Imported from Detroit” slogan. After Chrysler aired its ad for the company’s 200 during this year’s Super Bowl, Pure Detroit began churning out T-shirts. The automaker sued Moda Group in March, and Pure Detroit counter sued in April. The clothing maker’s suit argued that Chrysler doesn’t hold a trademark on the phrase in part because of the fact that the slogan is geographical and somewhat misleading, as Chrysler is actually based in Auburn Hills and the 200 is assembled in Sterling Heights. Apparently Judge Tarnow agrees with Pure Detroit’s assessment. Chrysler legal bid to halt ‘Imported From Detroit’ merchandise sales falls short originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
2013 Dodge Caliber replacement to be unveiled at 2012 Detroit Auto Show
June 16, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show , Sedan , Hatchback , Chrysler , Dodge , Fiat We know it’s coming, we just don’t know when. During the long-winded marathon set of product announcements and long-term strategies laid out by Fiat and Chrysler head Sergio Marchionne, it was revealed that both Chrysler and Dodge would get new compact vehicles to replace the no-longer-in-production PT Cruiser and unloved Caliber hatchback. Both machines were scheduled for release mid-year 2012, and, assuming things are still on track, you can be sure the Detroit-based automaker plans to make a splash with the unveiling of its new compact warriors. After all, both the Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze have been extremely well received by both the press and new car shoppers, and Dodge has nothing that can directly compete. That said, there’s no bigger place to make a big splash for an American automaker than the Detroit Auto Show . Wowing the home-town crowds and receiving international coverage from the media would be a major boon for Chrysler, so it comes as little surprise to read reports that Dodge is eying the Detroit show floor in January of 2012 for a hopeful debut of its 2013 Dodge Caliber replacement. According to Wards Auto , only the Dodge small car is confirmed for debut in Detroit; we don’t know what that means for a would-be PT Cruiser replacement (Chrysler 100 anyone?). In any case, expect the next-gen compact (which may or may not keep the Caliber moniker) to be based on the Fiat C-Evo platform with slightly larger dimensions for the U.S. market. We don’t yet know what it will look like, but if you’re thinking Alfa Romeo Giulietta with a Dodge-appropriate fascia and styling cues, we bet you’re probably not far off. 2013 Dodge Caliber replacement to be unveiled at 2012 Detroit Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
UAW boss King preaches collaboration, non-adversarial spirit
June 2, 2011 by Dodge Blogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Chrysler , Ford , GM , UAW/Unions Bob King , President of the United Auto Workers , says his organization is set to take a different tone with the management of domestic automakers in the future. While speaking at the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Mackinac Policy conference, King said that the new UAW doesn’t view automaker management as an adversary, but as a partner. That’s particularly curious considering that King recently called Ford CEO Alan Mulally’s salary “morally wrong.” At the same time, the union leader made it clear that he believes workers should be rewarded for the concessions that they made during the restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler . As you may recall, those included pay cuts and the acceptance of a two-tier wage system that pays new workers half that of senior individuals. According to Bloomberg , King also made it clear that the UAW is committed to seeing its automakers succeed. That’s no real surprise given that the union has been vying for seats on the boards of all three domestic automakers. Our best guess is that King’s remarks are the latest in a campaign to show the UAW to be a force that automakers with American manufacturing facilities should welcome into their plants. Head over to Bloomberg to read the full account of the UAW president’s comments. UAW boss King preaches collaboration, non-adversarial spirit originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Report: Chrysler updates ‘Imported From Detroit’ logo
March 14, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Etc. , Marketing/Advertising , Chrysler Chrysler is kicking up its “Imported From Detroit” marketing campaign with a new logo featuring the Detroit Fist – a downtown monument to Joe Louis – surrounded by the Chrysler wings. Chrysler is hawking $29 t-shirts, $48 hoodies, $55 zip-up sweaters and $20 beanies sporting the logo and the “Imported From Detroit” tagline, with proceeds being funneled to Detroit-area charities, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeast Michigan, Habitat for Humanity Detroit and the Marshal Mathers Foundation. You can snatch up your own at www.collection.chrysler.com . [Source:Chrysler via Detroit Free Press | Image: Chrysler] Report: Chrysler updates ‘Imported From Detroit’ logo originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read
Detroit City Council honors Chrysler’s Super Bowl commercial [w/video]
![Detroit City Council honors Chrysler’s Super Bowl commercial [w/video]](http://larsonautomotiveblog.com/wp-content/themes/agentpress_1.02/tools/timthumb.php?src=/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/e31abbc5per-bowl-ad-150x150.jpg&h=150&w=225&zc=1)
March 12, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Government/Legal , Marketing/Advertising , Videos , Chrysler Chrysler’s Super Bowl commercial – Click above to watch the video after the jump Chrysler’s two-minute long Super Bowl commercial won nationwide praise for its uplifting, can-do message about the embattled city of Detroit. And if you think the novella-sized spot for the Chrysler 200 was popular across the U.S., then you can imagine how the ad played within the borders of the city itself. The Detroit Free Press reports that the Detroit City Council paid homage to the Eminem ad with an official recognition on Tuesday. The council tipped its hat to Team Pentastar for painting the city in a positive light, adding that the spot “helped to paint a positive portrayal of our beloved city on a national level by filming the entire commercial inside the city of Detroit and showcasing all of our great landmarks.” Chrysler brand CEO Olivier Francois said that the ad paid homage to a great city and the home of the auto industry. When we first saw the two-minute commercial we couldn’t help but think that Chrysler should have featured the hot-looking 300 instead of the Sebring-derived 200 (even though the former is built in neighboring Canada). But in retrospect, we’re thinking that the power of this ad made the car itself an afterthought in the long run. Hit the jump to watch the commercial again. [Source: Detroit Free Press ] Continue reading Detroit City Council honors Chrysler’s Super Bowl commercial [w/video] Detroit City Council honors Chrysler’s Super Bowl commercial [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read
Report: New Jeep Liberty on the way in 2012; Dodge Nitro replacement uncertain
March 7, 2011 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: SUV , Chrysler , Dodge , Jeep 2010 Jeep Liberty Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery Chrysler has been mighty busy these past few months. The Auburn Hills, MI-based automaker has launched all-new versions of the Dodge Durango and Charger , the Chrysler 300 and Jeep Grand Cherokee . That’s a very full product onslaught, yet Team Pentastar also found the time to give thorough (if overdue) refreshes to most of the other vehicles in its lineup. One vehicle missing from that long list of re-dos is the Jeep Liberty, but a report from Kicking Tires suggests that may change for 2012. KT cites a Securities and Exchange Commission filing submitted by Chrysler that shows that the Liberty will be remade next year. We’re not sure if the Liberty will be refreshed or if Chrysler is planning a more comprehensive makeover, but we do know that any and all changes are welcome. The second-generation Liberty went on sale in the 2008 model year. The Liberty’s fraternal twin, the Dodge Nitro is in need of some refresh love itself, but interestingly enough, the slow-selling vehicle wasn’t mentioned in the report. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne mentioned during the Detroit Auto Show that the Nitro “needs to be replaced ,” adding that the midsize SUV is “the most significant hole in our product portfolio.” Gallery: 2010 Jeep Liberty Sport: Review Photos copyright (C)2011 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL [Sources: Toledo Blade via Kicking Tires ] Report: New Jeep Liberty on the way in 2012; Dodge Nitro replacement uncertain originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read
