UAW UPDATE
It is being reported that GM will be implementing a merit pay plan (raise) for salaried
employees effective February 1st, 2010. GM has stated they feel it is important to provide a
competitive level of compensation and benefits to their salaried employees.
It was stated by a GM spokesman in the Detroit News in an article dated December 30, 2009, “It
is unclear exactly how much the merit pay plan will boost salaries, but it typically compensates for
inflation and keeps workers competitive with peers at GM and rival companies”. The article also
went on to state "The good news is the company is now stable enough and back to normal
enough that we can do this".
The Shop Committee was notified on December 22nd, 2009 that GM Management has
suspended our contractual 3.75% raise until the completion of National Negotiations. The same
GM management that suspended the UAW raise is now rewarding “their own” with a merit
pay plan (raise). It has become obvious that GM’s “Plan to Profitability” consists of continuing to
take off the back of the UAW workers and line the pockets of the salary workforce. These actions
are unacceptable! How can GM management give raises to the same people that led the Auto
Industry into this predicament?
It has been confirmed that the salaried workforce at the Lockport Site is being included in
the Merit Pay Plan (raise), while at the same time our memberships’ pay increases have
been suspended!
Furthermore, The Shop Committee has filed a policy grievance to get our hard earned
raises which we were contractually entitled to January 4th, 2010 re-instated immediately.
Ask yourself the following questions: Is this management’s interpretation of equivalence of
sacrifice? With the UAW workers being pressed for wage and benefit concessions, how does a
management merit pay plan (raise) make us competitive?
We appreciate your continued support during these contract negotiations.
OPEIU212
Shop Chairman Todd McNall
President Unit 1 Gordie Fletcher
Shop Committeeman Mike Grimmer
District Shop Ernie Manera, Jeff Austin, Earl Wolcott,
Jeff Grimes, Joe Volpe
January 22nd, 2010
