n Daily-Saturday, July 26, 1980-Page 5
Midget mudbowl
No, the University's annual homecoming mudbowl hasn't been held a few months early. This one was in Belvidere, Ill., yesterday and featul'ed about 90
4-H Club youngsters.
AA TA WORKERS TO DECIDE ON SUNDAY
Strikers to vote on contract
By ELAINE RIDEOUT
Striking members of the Transpor-
tation Employees Union will vote Sun-
day night on ratification of a new con-
tract proposed yesterday by members
of the AATA bargaining unit.
"We gave the union a brand new
comprehensive proposal that should
bring an end to the strike," said
Richard Simonetta, director of AATA.
He added this was AATA's final offer,
and if union voters reject the contract,
the state mediator would have to be
consulted to "find out what to do next."
UNION VICE-PRESIDENT Shelly
Ettinger called the AATA proposal a
"major disappointment," and said she
was distressed over the AATA's
decision to "cut off bargaining." She
added that she did not know if the new
proposal would be ratified by the union
board or the union membership.
Ettinger emphasized that the
management proposal contained no
new compromises in non-economic
areas, although it did include a
significant wage increase.
"We will take a serious look at the
wage offer," she said, "but everything
else is really bad."
ACCORDING TO Simonetta, the new
proposal includes:
" A 29.9 per cent wage hike over a
three-year period (The figure includes
a cost-of-living adjustment);
* A continuation of medical coverage
spelled out in the old contract that ex-
pired June 30;
" 37 days off per year;
" A full-time union representative;
* Two joint union-management
committees; and,
" Compensation for time spent at
grievance meetings.
SIMONETTA, WHO admitted the
proposal failed to address many of the
non-economic issues deemed important
by the union, said management's latest knows how much it
wage offer represents an increase from The union is dem
$6.89 to $8.95 per hour plus a longevity wage increase ove
allowance. additional cost-of-]
"A ten-year bus driver would make compensation, disc
$7.75 per hour plus $1.75 longevity right measure Simonet
off the bat," he noted. "He would parable to manage
become the highest paid bus driver in accident policy),
any city comparable to Ann Arbor in pensation, a $5 day
size." eligible employees
Union members accused union-management
management of miscalculating base One point of cont
wage figures. Ettinger, is the
"NO OTHER transit company in- rotating union off
cludes cost-of-living allowances in base change for a full-tin
wage," a union spokesperson said. "THIS IS one
"Cost of living is determined quarterly; ticipation,"
it can't be included because no one "Management wa
GM rules despi
DETROIT (UPI)-General Motors Corp. is a bruised
giant.
But the No. 1 automaker remains supreme ruler of the
automotive roost despite its unprecedented second quarter
loss of $412 million.
OVERALL INDUSTRY sales are down dramatically, but
GM has scored some notable victories.
It has increased its grip on the domestic car market to 62.1.
per cent this year, compared with 23.2 per cent for Ford
Motor Co., 9.6 per cent for Chrysler Corp., 2.8 per cent for
Volkswagen of America and 2.3 per cent for American
Motors Corp.
Through the first half of this year, its passenger cars oc-
cupied seven of the top 10 positions on domestic sales charts,
and 14 of the top 20.
GM'S CHEVROLET DIVISION had four of the top five
best sellers among U.S.-built automobiles.
"Obviously it's very gratifying," said Chevrolet General
Manager Robert Lund. "The thing that is disappointing is
that the total volume isn't larger than it is."
Sales figures through July 10 showed the Chevrolet
Citation the No. 1 1980 seller among U.S.-built cars with sales
of 209,684. But Citation is running a close race with the No. 2
Chevrolet C'evette, which sold 209,115.
FORD BIEAKS UPON the scene at No. 3 with its popular
's going to be."
sanding a 21 per cent
r a two-year period,
living and longevity
ability insurance, (a
tta claims is com-
ment's sickness and
between-shift com-
y-care allowance for
, and extensive joint
t rights.
Mention, according to
elimination of the
icer position in ex-
me union steward.
way to insure par-
she explained.
nts a bureaucrat -
they're hoping that person will be their
sweetheart."
Simonetta said a full-time steward
would prove much more efficient. "A
rotating steward spends half the day
figuring out what the last person did,
and the rest of the day preparing for the
person taking over the next day - and
nothing gets done," he said.
Since the new proposal ,would
generate an increase in worker produc-
tivity, Simonetta said AATA could con-
tinue to operate in its present capacity
without cutting services, increasing
fares, or raising taxes.
Simonetta said he hoped union
bargainers will make the
management's position clear.
ite record loss
compact Fairmont, which sold 172,831 units. With all the talk
about small cars, the standard-sized Chevrolet is No. 4 with
152,380, and the mid-sized Chevrolet Malibu is fifth at 140,979.
Rounding out the top 10 are the Ford Mustang, 135,780; the
Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, 135,526; the Oldsmobile
Cutlass, 111,588;, the Volkswagen Rabbit, 99,929, and the
Buick Regal, 96,309.
One has to drop to the 29th spot on the list to find a
Chrysler nameplate, the compact Plymouth Volaire with
1980 sales of 46,293.
AMC'S BEST SELLER is the compact Concord in the 35th
spot with sales of 36,308.
Lund isn't at a loss to explain his division's success.
"We've got ahell of a stable of horses here," he said.
NOR IS HE surprised that sales of the regular Chevrolet
have managed to hold their own against rising-gasoline
prices.
"It doesn't surprise me a bit and I'll tell you why," he
said. "There are a lot of people in this country who still need
a full-sized car."
Some of the division's full-sized car models are rated at 20
miles per gallon, he said.
"To me, that's an economy car for an awful lot of people."
Like other GM executives, Lund is optimistic about the
auto industry's prospects in spite of the current slump.