CANTON, MS—Nissan Motor Co. has settled an unfair labor practice charge with a pro-union worker at its assembly plant here. The charge focused on a dispute over when Willard “Chip” Wells, a UAW supporter, could hand out union literature at the facility.
The recent slew of recalls in the auto industry is disturbing. What happened to all those Sig Sigma and lean manufacturing initiatives that are supposed to error-proof assembly?
DETROIT—The UAW’s total membership grew by 8,902 in 2013, as the automotive industry rebounded and the union logged some organizing victories that helped it reach a total of 391,415 members. While the increase is a modest 2 percent gain, it is the fourth consecutive year of membership gains for the UAW at a time when labor union membership continues to decline nationally.
DETROIT—GM has suspended two engineers with pay for their part in the company’s long failure to recall Chevrolet Cobalts and other small cars equipped with a defective ignition switch linked to 13 deaths.
BROOKHAVEN, MS—Delphi Automotive is investing $15 million to upgrade its assembly plant here. The project will include new equipment and other improvements.
BIRMINGHAM, AL—A worker’s complaint about not being able to pass out pro-union literature and union authorization cards near the Mercedes-Benz assembly plant here was considered this week during a three-day hearing conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.
NOVI, MI—Automotive exhaust and HVAC supplier Eberspaecher North America Inc. is investing $122 million to expand operations in Michigan. The five-year expansion plan, beginning in late 2014, is expected to create 545 jobs.