After two contract extensions that lasted over three years and negotiations that have been ongoing for the past several weeks, Mitsubishi and the UAW have come to a tentative labor agreement. Although most foreign automakers are not saddled with union contracts, Mitsubishi’s Normal, Illinois plant is staffed by UAW Local 2488 – thanks to a partnership with Chrysler in the 1990s.
Although the details of the contract are being withheld until the contract is ratified, the new deal will end turmoil at the Normal plant that dates back to 2005. Mitsubishi has extended its contract twice with the UAW since 2005, with the union even accepting a $4 an hour wage cut in 2006. The Mitsubishi-UAW contract officially expired on September 5th, with talks ending on September 6th. The two sides began talks again on September 24th, with an agreement being reached earlier on Friday.
Although a three year contract extension and voluntary wage cuts are almost unheard of with the UAW, the concessions were necessary due to Mitsubishi’s waning U.S. sales. The Normal plant was designed for a production capacity of 240,000 vehicles annually, but is only operating at about a fourth of total capacity. The plant expects to churn out 68,000 Galants, Eclipses and the Endeavor SUVs this year, although the plant’s one shift is capable to producing up to 135,000 vehicles per year, according to Automotive News.
No word on when Local UAW 2488 will vote on the new contract, be we expect it to be ratified relatively quickly.
09/26, 3:16 PM
posted by:
pav8581
Does that mean their quality goes up if they’re running under what they’re capable of?
09/26, 3:18 PM
posted by:
writeeddie
Why don’t they bring some of the much better-engineered/ less boring Mitsubishi they sell oversea and have it built here. It’s a dying brand unless they do something dramatic and build cars people wants to buy.
09/26, 3:27 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
Honestly UAW member should be happy the even have a job, after seeing all this drama for the past 2 years or so, with the unions, I’m surprise to see how the U.S. auto makers are still in business and then they wonder why Nissan and Toyota wont let them in there U.S. plants…
09/26, 3:29 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
I like to see the UAW over in India,
09/26, 3:33 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
And before any one says the QUALITY OF CARS, if you get paid $35.00 an hour, come on how hard is it to do the same thing over and over again the right way????
09/26, 8:07 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
You forget, Yard Dog, that you have to take a break every 30 minutes to prevent MSDs.
I think the movie Office Space explains it best when he says, “You know, Bob, that kind of motivation will make someone do just enough to not get fired.”
09/27, 2:32 PM
posted by:
400horseSS
Hating should be a felony.
09/28, 3:25 AM
posted by:
441Zuke
no, people acting like god damn lazy whiny bitches that are over payed should be a felony. Unions can **** themselves.
09/29, 6:36 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
I don’t hate, actually. I just with people would step up a bit more and take responsibility for themselves. When my wife is told by union representatives that if she doesn’t do LESS work, the union would find a way to get her fired, then you know something is very wrong with employee motivation. Apparently, my wife was working so efficiently that she made the union employees look bad. Honestly, there should be no reason that a union should feel the need to do that. I know work is tough, but it’s not supposed to be easy. There should be rests and things, but why stop someone from being efficient? That’s what many unions do today – stop efficiency in the name of fairness. And that just is not fair to the employees, the company, and the customers.
400, I have no doubt that you are a hard worker. There are just some very bad apples that are ruining it for everyone, and you should hate those as much as the next guy.
09/29, 6:37 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
*wish people would step up…
Dang it.