Dear Friends,

The Bargaining Committee of UAW Local 2244 passed out a leaflet in the plant
July 18 telling the members that after 3 weeks of negotiations the company
(NUMMI) is still proposing draconian concessions, including (I will quote
from the leaflet):

 No wage increase for the life of the agreement
 5 year contract
 Eliminate the 10% early start premium
 Members to pay 30% of monthly medical premiums
 Increase co-payment for doctors visits
 $100,00 emergency room visit co-payment
 Members to pay 100% of prescription after 2 refills
 Termination of Blue Shield plan
 Permanent 2 tier wage and benefit system
 Retirees to contribute 30% a month of all benefit coverage
 Members to pay 30% of monthly dental premiums.

On July 24 we had a membership meeting, where the Bargaining committee said
the company was till holding to these proposals. Their opinion was that we
should accept no concessions because the company is doing very well. The
meeting was basically a strike rally.

The International negotiators were oppose to our Barg. Com. putting out the
flyer informinig the membership of the company's proposals, but they did it
anyway, and the membership appreciated that.

Our contract expires Aug. 6 at 2 am. The company may still back down. But it
looks certain that if they maintain these demands, we will be seriously on
strike. We are asking the Alameda County Central Labor Council for strike
sanction.

More later,

Caroline Lund

Barry and Caroline lundshep@comcast.net