Auto Production at Its Highest Rate Since 2002

[pampango]

As this chart shows, the number of vehicles built on American assembly lines since 2000 rose to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 13.2 million vehicles in July. The increase in auto production mirrors the growing strength of America’s manufacturing sector, which has added more than 700,000 jobs since early 2010.

Building on this progress, President Obama is committed to taking further steps to boost American manufacturing. That's why he's using his pen and his phone to take action and spur more jobs and investment in U.S. manufacturing by:

Launching four more manufacturing innovation institutes this year
Expanding SelectUSA to compete for job-creating investment in the United States
Boost job-driven training by investing $500 million to expand apprenticeships and strengthen community colleges

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/08/21/chart-week-auto-production-its-highest-rate-2002

[Gothmog]

1. This is great news

[Boom Sound 416]

2. I did not see the word union anywhere.

He can thank BMW for doubling its operation in South Carolina and VW in Tennessee (even though they are taking a bath on the passat)

Not to mention Louisiana assembly plants putting Isuzu Diesel engines in GM trucks.

Always happy to the give president credit where it's due. This does not seem like one of those times.

[pampango]

3. Here's all I found: UAW membership rises for 4th straight year as industry rebounds

The UAW said its membership rolls expanded by 9,000 last year, helped by successful organizing drives in the South and continued employment gains at the Detroit 3. The union ended 2013 with 391,415 members, up 2.3 percent from the previous year, according to a federal filing cited in a statement today. The tally marked the fourth straight year of increases.

The UAW said employment gains achieved in a 2011 labor pact with General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group “continue to pay off through job creation at many facilities throughout the country.”

The UAW said it also added members after successful recruiting drives at an IC Bus plant in Tulsa, Okla.; a Flex-n-Gate auto parts plant in Arlington, Texas; and a Faurecia factory in Louisville, Ky.

The union’s annual membership last fell in 2009, to 355,191, when the Detroit 3 slashed production and shed workers as the economy collapsed.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20140329/OEM01/140329839/uaw-membership-rises-for-4th-straight-year-as-industry-rebounds

[Boom Sound 416]

4. Good link. But it furthers my point.

The White House writes:

"The increase in auto production mirrors the growing strength of America’s manufacturing sector, which has added more than 700,000 jobs since early 2010."

So 9,000 UAW jobs vs 700,000 jobs reported. And that's taking them at their word that the number is not inflated because the story is about auto sales, but the number is manufacturing which could include anything.

[pampango]

5. The 700,000 figure is for the entire manufacturing sector. I'm not sure how much of that the UAW

could hope to organize. Does the UAW have many non-auto industry workers as members?

[Boom Sound 416]

6. Good question. I really don't know.

You can be an inactive member in certain unions.

I suppose the UAW only extends one or two phased outside auto assembly such as parts manufacturing, etc.

But I don't know.

But it goes to my point abut the WH numbers.