Ron: We are pleased that you are joining our online discussion today. With me today is UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles. Vice President Settles has wide-ranging responsibilities, including servicing the Technical, Office and Professional sector of our union; aerospace; agricultural implement; American Axle; Guide and Lear.

He is also responsible for servicing the UAW’s Transnationals Department, which includes the Mitsubishi and NUMMI plants. Additionally, Vice President Settles heads up the UAW Chaplaincy program.

Although we appreciate all of the questions that are submitted, we will be responding to those that relate to Vice President Settles responsibilities.

Thank you for participating. We only have one hour so let’s go to the first question.

Bailey, Colo.: There are many aerospace companies here in Colorado that are not unionized. Can we expect some organizing activity or attempts by the UAW to handbill these unorganized workers to let them know that there is help out there for those seeking a voice on the job? Jimmy, what do you see as the main issues in aerospace negotiations this year? Thank you both for the hard work that you do for our union! It is very much appreciated.

Jimmy: We recently met in St. Louis on March 30 and 31, 2007, with Region 5 Director Jim Wells and his staff, and Vice President Terry Thurman and his Organizing Department staff to develop strategies to increase organizing efforts in Region 5, which includes your area. The UAW’s organizing plans are aggressive, we will continue to organize wherever possible. We anticipate the main issues in aerospace negotiations this year will include job security, perservation of health insurance benefits, wages and securing defined benefit pension plans. As you are aware, the resolutions begin at the membership level and go through the various councils to the bargaining committee, which wil finalize the demands.

West Monroe, La.: Is it possible for former UAW Guide employees to see where we are located on the Priority List for new hire consideration as a GM employee?

Ron, Jimmy: At this point in time applications have been taken by GM. A list will be developed at the point a plant is hiring new hires and the Guide priority is active. There is no current way to see where one stands though offers will be made in Guide seniority order. There was a total of 440 applications.

Detroit, Mich.: WHY DOESNT THE UAW HAVE COMMERCIALS SAYING BUY AMERICAN MADE PRODUCTS, or thanking the people who have bought and continue to buy American made products, Along with a list of cars and trucks made here?

Ron, Jimmy: Thank you for your question. As we said in the last Q&A session with Vice President Terry Thurman, we have continued different kinds of advertising (print, billboards, radio and some TV) in different parts of the country, and we’ll continue to do so. As you can imagine, a national TV advertising campaign is very expensive.

We are proud of the quality products and services that are provided by UAW members. We use different avenues, including Solidarity magazine and our web site to promote our products.

Detroit, Mich.: With all that's going on at the American Axle plant, buyouts for example and stating that there will be a reduction in wages, will there be another package offer later?

Ron, Jimmy: We currently have an agreement with American Axle until March 2008. We are not interested in going into early negotiations.

Anderson, Ind.: Mr. Settles, As a 30-year employee of Guide Corp, and a GM retiree, I am saddened by Guide's demise in Anderson Ind. and Monroe, La. Did Guide also close their Mexico manufacturing facility, and their R&D development centers in Michigan and overseas? And what company or companies are suppying GM with their lighting components, and are they stateside or overseas?

Ron, Jimmy: The Guide facilities in Anderson, Ind. and Monroe, La. were closed, as you pointed out. Additionally, the Guide facility in Mexico was sold to Visteon. The lighting produced at Guide was allocated to a number of companies including Visteon (Mexico), American Lighting North American (Mexico) and Decoma, a Magna subsidiary (Canada and Mexico).

Buffalo, N.Y.: The Buffalo Gear and Axle plant will probably close when the contract expires next March and be idled sooner. Has the UAW historically worked out severance pay for active members, or is there still a chance the company and union can bring new work in?? Concerned Local 424 member.

Ron, Jimmy: We are actively trying to work with the company to put additional work into the Buffalo facility. If we are unsuccessful in those efforts, we are going to work at getting a severance package for our members presently working there.

Orchard Park, N.Y.: Is the International union aware of the possibility of the American Axle plant in Buffalo closing or being idled by contracts' end??

Ron, Jimmy: Yes we are aware that they plan to close the plant, however we are in negotiations in an attempt to have new work brought into the plant. We recognize this is a difficult challenge, but we are not giving up on this effort.

Detroit, Mich.: I am a proud member of UAW Local 235, working in Central Maintenance at American Axle. I am puzzeled by the decreases in our COLA when it seems like prices are rising. Is it possiable to explain the COLA formula "in layman" terms.

Ron, Jimmy: Yes, COLA can go down when there are decreases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) applicable in your agreement. In the case of Local 235, and many other agreements, the March COLA adjustment was negative. This is because the three-month average that the COLA adjustment is based on was lower than the previous three month average. The reason that COLA may go down while it seems like prices are rising is that the COLA is based on the CPI going back three months, but by the time the increase is effective prices may be on the rise again.

Warren, Mich. : Why did Vice President Jimmy Settles only recieve an hour for this online discussion?

Ron, Jimmy: Thank you very much for pointing this out. However, this is the same amount of time we have allocated to our other officers, and we're willing to stay over if need be. We have not defined specific rules for our Q&A in regards to the amount of time or time of day.

We really appreciate this opportunity to reach out to our members and attempt to answer their questions. We're still on a learning curve, and we appreciate your patience and understanding.

Clinton Twp., Mich.: Will the UAW be stronger if Toyota's employees were also part of the UAW? If so, how?

Ron, Jimmy: Yes. Our union is based on the principle of bringing workers together to create a level playing field with employers, and the more workers who join, the stronger we are. That is why we place a high emphasis on organizing in all sectors of the economy. This enables us to negotiate better agreements.

We are proud to represent workers at the NUMMI joint venture with Toyota and GM. They have been part of our union since 1984.

Detroit, Mich.: Success of TOP organizing has brought us real growth and a welcome challenge of helping new locals and units figure out how to develop their committees, involve and educate new members and strengthen their ties. Do you have any buddy system or other specific plans in the works to develop and strengthen new locals, like say a way of involving the new locals in TOP Region Committees or pairing them with Region Retirees as a volunteer resource?

Ron, Jimmy: Thank you for your kind comments. Every UAW Region has a TOP Council that all locals are invited to participate with after the organizing drive and election are completed. The workers are either assigned to an existing local union or one is created for them, depending on the circumstances. The UAW has 11 regions and each local union is assigned to a region, based on geography. In addition to the TOP council, each region has programs on an on-going basis to educate our membership and strengthen our local unions and committees.

Los Angeles: How come our taxpayers are spending more money than ever for Defense but now there are less Union jobs in aerospace? We need a strong defense, but also for strong manufacturing base in America.

Ron, Jimmy: We definitely agree that we need to keep more manufacturing jobs in the USA, and it should certainly be a factor when spending our taxpayer dollars on the defense of our country.

However, we have seen a pattern in which a successful bidder for a defense contract will then unilaterally subcontract work out to non-union companies, and also send some portion of the work as offsets to foreign countries.

For the work that remains in this country and goes to non-union shops, we are looking at the most effective way to communicate with workers at these facilities to let them know about our union and the benefits of collective bargaining. We are proud to assist any workers who want to be part of our union.

Fremont, Calif.: Jimmy: At our NUMMI plant in California we are proud to make the Toyota Corolla and the Toyota Tacoma pick-up. How can we make sure our Union brothers and sisters know that some Toyota models are made here in the USA by Union members? Thank you!

Ron, Jimmy: We know that many of our brothers and sisters are unaware that UAW members produce that Toyota Corolla and the Tacoma pick up at the NUMMI plant in California.

In addition, UAW members in Bloomington, Illinois are proud to make the Mitsubishi Eclipse, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, the Mitsubishi Galant and the Mitsubishi Raider.

We include all of these quality union-made vehicles in our UAW Buyers’ Guide, which is on our website at: http://www.uaw.org/uawmade/auto/2007/index.cfm, and we will continue to work with Union Label committees to spread the word.

Lansing, Mich.: First, I would like to thank VP Settles and his staff for continuing to give our Local great service. As you may know, here in Michigan, the budget crisis has renewed calls by some politicians to out source state job. One current proposal calls for the outsourcing of the foster care and juvenile justice programs. This would lead to the lay off of over 800 state workers represented by Local 6000. The disheartening aspect of this attack on union jobs is that it is being lead by Democratic politicians who were elected with union contributions and support. My questions what, if any, action is the International UAW going to take to insure that these “friends” retreat from this attack on state unionized jobs and our members?

Ron, Jimmy: The UAW Community Action Program (UAW-CAP) is working with the Michigan AFL-CIO and AFSCME on the issue of privatizing foster care and the juvenile justice system. This issue is being discussed and unfortunately some of our “friends” are pushing this idea.

However, we believe and are confident that the majority of responsible elected officials are working with us to stop this idea from becoming a reality, because in addition to compromising job security for our members, privatization in most cases does not deliver quality services to taxpayers and citizens at a reasonable price.

We are focusing on making sure that the legislators who are working with us to continue top quality public services for our state have the ammunition and information they need to succeed on this issue.

Redford Township, Mich.: I work at Motor City Casino in Detroit and we say hooray for casino workers in NJ who are joining UAW. When we organized in Detroit the casinos gave us a card check but it seems like in NJ they are playing hard ball with the workers there. Any idea why this is?

Ron, Jimmy: In Atlantic City, the casinos have had non-union dealers for so long they are used to having things their way. In some instances, management has refused to recognize the voice of the workers, although we are pleased that at Caesars, management has stated that they will respect the will of the majority and begin the negotiating process.

The votes at both Trump and Caesars were so overwhelming we are confident that workers will prevail by negotiating a fair and equitable contract.

Detroit, Mich.: Why has the UAW not pushed for better fuel efficient vehicles to help cut the cost of the consumers?

Ron, Jimmy: We are encouraging investment by all the automakers and part suppliers (both U.S.- and foreign-owned) in manufacturing flex-fuel, clean diesel and advanced-technology vehicles like hybrids, all electric and fuel-cell vehicles and their key components in the United States. For more information, see here.

Arlington, Texas: I would like to Thank You for all the hard work you and the UAW International Union do for us in protecting Union jobs during these hard times.

Ron, Jimmy: Our union works together as a team beginning with the membership, retirees, local union leadership, staff, clerical and the International Executive Board. As individuals we can accomplish little, but as a team working together, we can improve working conditions and living standards, not only for our membership, but for workers everywhere.

Thank you for being a part of our team and for your support.

Ron, Jimmy: Once again, we want to thank you for your questions. Unfortunately, a number of the questions dealt with issues that we are not addressing today. However we appreciate those questions as well, which gives us a better understanding of the concerns of our members. We will continue to rotate the officers and in the future, you should keep your questions in mind for the appropriate officer and his/her areas of responsibility. It's been a pleasure for us to be with you this afternoon, and we value this opportunity and hope it was beneficial for you as well.