American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. has paid CEO Richard E. Dauch an $8.5 million cash bonus for his “leadership role” through an acrimonious three-month union strike that ended with a concessionary contract that slashed factory wages. American Axle, whose stock has fallen nearly 55 percent in 2008, disclosed the cash bonus, a 10 percent base pay increase for Dauch and additional stock… [REG] 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 30

Desperate times, desperate measures

Stagflation — perhaps the worst-case scenario for automakers and suppliers — is roiling the auto industry. Suppliers of raw materials such as oil, rubber, steel and plastic resins are imposing huge price increases as vehicle sales collapse. Automakers appear helpless to fend off those rising materials costs. And it seems unlikely that they can pass along the increases to consumers... 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 30

The Detroit 3 cash crunch: How bad is it?

Can the Detroit 3 hang on? The startling collapse in sales since April means the three automakers are burning through cash reserves at a terrifying rate. Suddenly they have far more urgent deadlines for fixing their businesses. And they are considering a new range of actions that a few months ago were not on the table.  12:01 am U.S. ET | June 30

Major sales declines expected for June

Tuesday, July 1, is shaping up to be one of the darkest days in decades for the U.S. auto industry. Automakers will likely report June sales declines that underscore just how much consumer demand for vehicles — especially for the heavy sort that were once dear to the Detroit 3 — has declined as... 3:45 pm U.S. ET | June 30

You wonder why you will soon be paying 7 dollars a gallon and nobody is buying cars.

Here it is straight from one of your Democrat leaders. The disproved Global Warming Theory

When PTS lost the Toyota work you drivers were not on strike and PTS was still doing business. Under the free trade zone agreement that the imports have with our government we can’t strike or others will haul away the work. LOOK IT UP! Therefore you should not dove tail into those locations. Under article five you guys who lost the other work because PTS was not doing business you should of been able to dove tail into those terminals. Many of us know that the Union has sold us all out for what ever reason, but we must stand up and take our Union back at all cost. The system is not perfect, but I understand what you guys are going through. The key is to protect what little we have left and fight for our carriers. The last thing we need is to fight among-st each other, and loose sight of our futures. These companies and our Union have a simple point of view, and that is to conquer is to divide. If we are divided, they win. That is the oldest war propaganda in the book! Like in battle you must have heart and work together to win. What are we wining you might ask? We are in fight with big business and politics, that is consuming us all. These are life changing issues that are being brought upon us on purpose, so we loose sight of the contract that is being shoved up our asses. Dove tail and end tail wont mean crap if they eliminate article 48, and start a two teer wage for new hires. If the contract flies it won’t matter and we loose the way of life we all share, and our families suffer the consequences of our mistakes. Lets come up with ways to take back our Union, and our way of life. I’m willing to sacrifice everything I know and love for a good fight, are you?

To the United Road scab! First of all, only an uneducated idiot would want to load next to another company, whos drivers make more than you. You have to pay for your benefits, and get 25% of what the load pays. What exactly does the load pay? You wont be able disifer that number with your tiny brain, because your slave driving company wont tell you the facts. That makes you a loser scab, that has to work 18 hrs a day to make what we TEAMSTERS make in 8 hrs. We Teamsters are professional car haulers, and the dealers wish they had us and not you. Your damage ratio is sky high, because your so busy trying to buy that house, and we already bought it. Ass bucket! Did you know that when you loser’s have to load at an auction you have to walk. When a Teamster gets to an  auction, we get a shuttle.

Perfect Scab Scenario!!! You wake in the mourning and you think life is grand, (In your little white and blue United Road truck) and you go into a new terminal. There you get a shit load and you say, darn this sucks. Then you see the terminal managers golf buddy FRED come in, and talk about what a good time they had the night before at the nude bar. Shortly after  Ole Fred comes out with a dream load, that pays a whooping $800 to go to California from Michigan. (SCAB RATE!..lol) Then you wonder wow! I wish I was a teamster. As for Hoffa and his boys they will be dealt with, and we will continue to get pensions, benefits, and more money than you scab.

In these times of uncertainty and financial dismay, (sounds like Zuckerman) we should walk out of our locals. This should take place when they try to sell the new proposed contract to us. We need to say a few words and leave them hanging. This will send a clear message on what we will do, and our ready to do. WALK OUT!!

AS POSTED ON TDU - Teamsters for a Democratic Union

TDU - Teamsters for a Democratic Union

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I want to say that you guys are true men among-st want to be Teamsters. You guys did what Allied should of done months ago. The only obstacle in your way was the Union and their pre-planned deal. The Union took your signs away and negotiated your freight away, because they knew Toyota would cancel your contract. The free-trade agreement with the imports was the issue. Toyota told them way in advance, and that is our Ace if we turn this contract down. They wont allow a strike, and will give us a good contract. It’s a gamble that I could live with, and walk with my head up.

This contract is the the deal breaker for our wonderful union leaders. I have said it in the past in all my post, that this was in the works.The cost of living is sky high, not including gas prices and expenses that we all have to maintain our families. These rich punks that run our Union are selling us out, if they are proposing a half rate pay cut. The running mile will do just that, and you will never see our current rate, and the poor Allied guys will get another pay cut on top of the the most recent cut. The PTS freight has been divided by the big boys on the block, and they are going to make more money than ever. They know July is the dog days of the the car hauler, so what a good time to propose a contract and give a BS bonus to help ratify it. The guys on the bottom of all the boards, who are currently lay-ed-off are the missing link, because they are in need of some serious cash. If that is the case, then those drivers will be paid to give up there jobs forever. Don’t forget the Article 48 issue, that is attached to this BS contract. You will never be called back to work, because they got other terminals covering your freight. Do you all know that it cost the companies $2000 to maintain your benefits and pensions a month. Ten guys lay-ed off at one terminal is $20,000 a month they save. That is just one terminal, imagine 100 men lay-ed off, that equals $200,000 in a month. This is  it and you better know, that they will do what ever it takes to limit the work force. Article 48 will save them a ton of money, so VOTE: NO WAY HOFFA