Edition 6

TRUTH FINDERS

WWW.NOUAW.COM

The Truth Finders are dedicated to distributing the TRUTH to TMMK Team Members so that they may make an informed decision about the UAW. We believe that the majority of TMMK team members are intelligent people therefore, we are confident that once you learn the facts you will agree that TMMK should remain UNION FREE! TMMK team members have made it clear that they do not want the UAW but the UAW organizers refuse to listen to your voice.

The union organizers have initiated another campaign to unionize TMMK. The same thugs who have been lying ,threatening and harassing TMMK team members for over 17 years have decided that they need to “soften their thug image”. It doesn’t matter how much lipstick you put on a pig, it’s still a pig.

In past newsletters we have alerted you to the UAW’s anti-Toyota stance. Their latest shot at us was in the Nov/Dec 2004 issue of the Local 862 On Line magazine. A Local 862 member urged UAW members to stop buying non-union vehicles (and sell any non-union vehicles that you own) in order to protect the wages and benefits of Ford workers. These are the same people who are now trying to help unionize TMMK. Once again, it is clear that the UAW just wants to take our money and hurt Toyota and its team members. This is further evidenced by the corporate smear campaign that the union organizers are conducting. For more details on their corporate smear campaign, check out www.nouaw.com/corpcamp.htm. UAW Local 862 On Line magazine Nov/Dec 2004

In 2001 the UAW narrowly unionized the employees of Saint Gobain Abrasives in Worchester, MA. By 2003 the employees still did not have a contract so they filed a decertification petition with the NLRB. In an attempt to delay the decertification election, the UAW filed a bogus unfair labor charge. After almost 2 years of legal games the UAW finally allowed the decertification election. The employees at Saint Gobain Abrasives DECERTIFIED THE UAW. Not surprisingly, the UAW has decided to ignore the voice of the employees and protest the election. UAW President Ron Gettlefinger has also been publicly criticizing the employees who spearheaded the decertification efforts. You should also know that during the failed contract negotiations between Saint Gobain and the UAW, the UAW negotiated super seniority for union stewards. When employees asked what was given up in order to get super seniority for union stewards, the bargaining committee refused to tell them. www.gcatu.org www.nrtw.org/20050210mamltr.pdf

During the 2003 contract negotiations, the UAW negotiated an agreement to allow Chrysler to cut 5,000 of its 12,000 skilled trades jobs by 2007. Chrysler executives have acknowledged that in 2005 there will be buyouts, retirements, ATTRITION and OTHER JOB CUTS. www.freep.com/money/autoshow/2005/dcxjobs12e_20050112.htm

The UAW recently negotiated a contract with Chrysler’s Detroit Diesel plant. The new contract preserves some, but not all jobs at the plant. It also increases employees out-of-pocket health care costs, reduces retiree health benefits and maintains a two tier wage system that pays new hires $12 per hour. Second tier workers also receive reduced benefits and NO PENSION – just a 401K. Some jobs will be eliminated through early retirement, transfers and ATTRITION. www.detnews.com/2004/autosinsider/0411/21/C01-11209.htm

www.detnews.com/2004/autosinsider/0411/23/C01-13562.htm

The union organizers have been trying to scare TMMK team members by telling them that Toyota is using robots to replace team members in Japan. This is a lie. Toyota is using robots in Japan to cope with a labor shortage. Japan Today 1-6-05.

So why does Toyota keep talking about cutting costs when they are making record profits? Because its makes good sense to insure our long term job security. The Chery Automobile Company of China is expected to start importing cars into the US by 2007. The cars will be 30% cheaper than comparable models and will offer a 10 year warranty. Should Toyota wait until the Chinese cars start taking away sales before they attempt to cut costs and reduce prices? Of course not, it would be stupid and short-sighted to wait. The Big 3 were slow to respond to the Japanese imports during the 1980’s. To this day the Big 3 continue to lose market share to Asian manufacturers. New York Times 1-7-05

The union organizers are still trying to use Temps as pawns in their little game by promising them permanent jobs. TMMK has hired 128 Temps as regular full time t/ms since September. Another 37 will be hired soon and it is expected that 200 will be hired annually. In contrast, the UAW/NUMMI contract allows for the hiring of temps for 89 days after which time they will be let go. The NUMMI Temps will pay union dues but they will not have any benefits and can be fired without recourse to the grievance procedure. UAW/NUMMI contract

The union organizers have been complaining about the changes to the prescription drug program, so let’s take a look at what the Big 3/UAW have done on healthcare. During the 2003 contract negotiations the UAW declared that healthcare was “off the table” (not negotiable). Despite this declaration, the UAW negotiated the doubling of prescription drug co-pays. Why are the union organizers beating up Toyota for trying to control healthcare costs? Toyota did not cause out-of-control healthcare costs. The out-of-control healthcare costs are caused by frivolous lawsuits, rapidly increasing drug costs and other inefficiencies in the US healthcare system. The high cost of healthcare is making American businesses extremely uncompetitive in today’s global economy.

GM has made it clear that it is being “crushed” by it healthcare costs. GM’s credit rating has been downgraded to just above junk status. After its recent 1^st quarter earnings report of an $847 million loss, it is expected that their credit rating may be downgraded to junk. In an effort to control healthcare costs the Big 3 are cutting hundreds of doctors from their healthcare plans. Many UAW workers will have to find a new doctor.

Chrysler and the UAW just agreed to raise out-of-pocket medical expenses for 35,000 workers and retirees. The changes were made without reopening the 2003 national contract due to a little known side agreement. The UAW and Chrysler started having discussions about the changes six months ago. UAW members were kept in the dark about the changes and they were never asked for input nor were they given an opportunity to vote on the changes. Chrysler also changed the healthcare plans of 7500 workers in St. Louis. According to Stephen D’Arcy of Price Coopers Waterhouse, “…the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better. There’s going to be significant changes in the way healthcare is provided to auto workers, retirees and their families in the future. This is just the beginning.” Chrysler’s vice president of benefits, Tom Hadrych, didn’t rule out future changes. He said, “never say never, especially in the healthcare business.’ www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0503/A01-122429.htm National Post 1-28-05 Business Week 2-7-05 New York Times 10-21-04 Wall Street Journal 1-14-05, 1-19-05, 2-8-05

www.freep.com/money/autonews/dingell19e_20050119.htm www.detnews.com/2004/insiders/0410/17/c01-305874.htm

www.detnews.com/2004/insiders/0410/26/b01-315305.htm www.freep.com/money/autonews/gmdrugs14e_20050114.htm

www.freep.com/money/autonews/dingell19e_20050119.htm www.freep.com/money/business/healthcosts25e_20050125.htm

http://theoaklandpress.com/stories/022705/bus_20050227044.shtml

Should Toyota wait until its healthcare costs have crushed it or should they try to find ways to provide us with affordable healthcare while controlling costs?

Chrysler reported a 2004 profit of $1.9 billion. UAW workers at Chrysler will receive profit sharing checks for $1500, the largest they have received in five years. Chrysler plans to pay its entry-level and middle managers bonuses equal to 8.5% of their annual salary ($8500 for a manager making $100,000 per year). Senior executives will receive checks equal to between 42% and 200% of their salary. In some cases executives may receive more than 200%. www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0503/06/A01-108826.htm

Some US Marines had been using the parking lot at the UAW headquarters (aka Solid Waste House) because their nearby facilities did not have adequate parking space. That was abruptly stopped on March 11, 2005 when UAW President Ron Gettlefinger sent the Marines a letter telling them that they would no longer be allowed to use the parking lot if they were driving a foreign car (even a TMMK built vehicle) or if they had a pro-President Bush bumper sticker on their vehicle. There are US Marines giving their life to protect the freedoms we enjoy and the UAW chooses to slap them in the face by denying them a place to park? After an enormous public outcry from both UAW members and others, the UAW decided to reverse its decision. However, it was too late. The UAW had already showed its true colors. The Marines rightfully refused the UAW’s apology. Lt. Col. Joe Rutledge said, “….either you support the Marines or you don’t”. Clearly the UAW does NOT support the Marines. Why is the UAW trying to dictate how our US Marines can vote or what kind of car they can drive? Nearly 40% of union members are registered Republican and usually 35-40% of union members vote Republican. Why doesn’t the UAW respect the political preferences of their members? If the UAW wants to represent us then why are they trying to punish people who drive our products? As we have said before, the UAW is trying to hurt Toyota and its team members in an effort to help the tens of thousands of laid off UAW members.

www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=8316 www.townhall.com/columnists/lindachavez/lc20050316.shtml

http://info.detnews.com/poll/result.cfm?topic=UAW_reputation&va=yes http://info.detnews.com/autostalk/lettersindex.cfm

www.freep.com/news/metro/dickerson16e_20050316.htm www.detnews.com/2005/insiders/0503/16/D01-118509.htm

http://michellemalkin.com/archives/001740.htm www.detnews.com/2005/editorial/0503/16/A10-118212.htm

www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0503/15/A01-117640.htm www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0503/13/C01-115531.htm