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☆ Mercedes-Benz workers in Alabama vote against unionizing in blow to big UAW push
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Out of the valid votes counted, 56% of workers voted “no,” while 44% voted “yes” for unionization, according to Mercedes-Benz. Under relatively new UAW president Shawn Fain, the UAW had shifted its strategy for a membership push in non-unionized factories, many of which are located in the American South. David Johnston, right, a worker at Mercedes, thanks UAW President Shawn Fain following a press conference in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on May 17, 2024, after workers at two Alabama Mercedes-Benz factories voted overwhelmingly against joining the United Auto Workers union. Alabama is not Michigan, and we are not the Sweet Home to the UAW,” Ivey said in the statement. People react as the result of a vote comes in favour of the hourly factory workers at Volkswagen's assembly plant to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, at a watch party in Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S., April 19, 2024.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, ”, ” “, ” Fain, David Johnston, Kim Chandler, “, Kay Ivey, Vance, ” Ivey, Mercedes, Tesla, Seth, Wheaton, Mercedes plant’s, It’s, Mercedes Benz, ” Wheaton, “ It’s, Chris Isidore, Nathaniel Meyersohn Organizations: New, New York CNN, United Auto Workers, Mercedes, Benz, The National Labor Relations Board, UAW, Alabama, Big Three, Volkswagen, International, Team, Workers, Alabama Gov, Benz US International, Member, ” CNN, US, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volvo, Seth Herald, Reuters, Chattanooga, Volkswagen didn’t, Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations ’, CNN, P Global Market Intelligence Locations: New York, Benz, Alabama, United States, Chattanooga , Tennessee, American, Tuscaloosa , Alabama, MBUSI, Alabama , Georgia , Mississippi, South Carolina , Tennessee, Texas, Michigan, U.S, Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations ’ Buffalo

☆ I drove a $50,000 Subaru Ascent SUV. These were my 14 favorite features.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Benjamin Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The Subaru Ascent is a midsize, all-wheel-drive, three-row family SUV. I recently reviewed a $50,000 2024 Subaru Ascent in the Touring trim. Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, and Kia have all recently introduced all-new or updated three-row family SUVs. Subaru threw its hat into the ring in 2019 with the Ascent, giving loyal Forester, Impreza, and Outback drivers a legitimate three-row SUV option. After a few years on the market, Subaru updated the Ascent with edgier styling and upgraded tech.

Persons: —, Forester Organizations: Subaru, Service, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Impreza, Business

☆ What’s at stake in the union election at a Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

New York CNN —A high-stakes union election is underway at a Mercedes-Benz plant near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the only plant for the luxury automaker in North America. The fallout will be significant whether the workers at Mercedes-Benz vote to join the United Auto Workers union or not. And last month, it won a union election at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, its first victory in three attempts to organize the factory. Though a union win could generate momentum, it doesn’t mean a victory will mean other plants can overcome management opposition at other foreign-owned plants. Non-union automakers have already begun their response to the big union victories thus far.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, ”, —, Tesla, Mercedes, Mercedes ’, “, MBUSI, Wheaton, Mercedes plant’s, It’s, Mercedes Benz, ” Wheaton, “ It’s, Harry Katz, ” Katz, Katz, ’ ” Katz, they’ve, CNN’s Chris Isidore, Nathaniel Meyersohn Organizations: New, New York CNN, Benz, Mercedes, United Auto Workers, UAW, Big Three, Volkswagen, Kia, Toyota, US, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Volvo, Team, The National Labor Relations Board, Benz US International, Member, Volkswagen didn’t, Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations ’, CNN, “ Labor, Big, – GM, Ford, Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, P Global Market Intelligence, General Motors Locations: New York, Tuscaloosa , Alabama, North America, Chattanooga , Tennessee, United States, Vance , Alabama, Tuscaloosa, ”, Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations ’ Buffalo, Alabama, Alabama , Georgia , Mississippi, South Carolina , Tennessee, Texas

☆ Climate Change Is Making Allergies Worse - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Margaret Renkl | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It’s spring, and I love spring more than I love almost anything else about the natural world, but I don’t love the pollen. My husband turns away from me to sleep because the pollen grains clinging to my hair make him sneeze, too. I was never prone to seasonal allergies before I moved to Middle Tennessee, which is not even one of the 10 most challenging places for allergy sufferers in this country. I also drink gallons of an herbal tea labeled “congestion relief,” though I no longer believe that relief is possible. In spring, my little red Nissan Leaf looks like a little orange Leaf, and the gray boards of our back deck look as though they’ve grown a coating of new moss.

Persons: lozenges, Wanda Sykes, doesn’t Locations: Middle Tennessee, North, Northwest, ”

☆ In the EV future, Thailand, the 'Detroit of Asia,' could be a key China hedge for automakers
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Vikram Barhat | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In this article TSLA Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTVisitors inspect a Tesla Model Y car during the 40th Thailand International Motor Expo at the Impact Challenger hall in Nonthaburi. A Trump reelection is not even necessary: the Biden administration may introduce 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs next week, according to reporting on Friday. Chinese EV makers, including BYD, have earmarked $1.44 billion in new production facilities in Southeast Asia's second-largest economy. Tesla Thailand recently rolled out a special financing program to spur more sales. Southeast Asia is a growing auto market, and Thailand is already the region's biggest car producer and exporter, with Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford, GM and Mercedes-Benz having already embraced Thailand as a regional headquarters.

Persons: Goldstein, Donald Trump, Trump, Biden, There's, Tu Le, Tesla, Le, Steven Dyer, AlixPartners, Frank, Walter Steinmeier Organizations: Tesla, Getty, Auto, Nurphoto, Nikkei, Krungsri Securities, Nikkei Asia, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, GM, Mercedes, Benz Locations: Thailand, Nonthaburi, U.S, Southeast Asia, Beijing, Detroit, China, Trump, Bangkok, Nonthaburi Province, Nikkei Asia, Southeast Asia's, Shanghai

☆ How American carmakers lost ground in China
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Robert Ferris | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

American automakers and their non-Chinese counterparts are fighting an existential battle, as local rivals in China outpace them. GM's sales in China, including those of joint ventures it maintains in the country, have fallen from a high of 4 million vehicles in 2017 to 2.1 million in 2023. Several factors have contributed to the decline of U.S. automakers in China. That's precisely why American automakers shouldn't give up on China despite the U.S. companies' sales setbacks, according to Bill Russo, a former Chrysler executive who runs Automobility, a consulting firm in Shanghai. "If you don't compete in China, then what are you going to do when China shows up in your backyard?"

Persons: Michael Dunne, Dunne, Berkshire Hathaway, —, shouldn't, Bill Russo, Russo, haven't Organizations: U.S, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Lotus, Volvo, Berkshire, Huawei, Chrysler Locations: China, U.S, Sweden, Shanghai

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhy Detroit failed in ChinaDetroit automakers like General Motors made a fortune selling cars to Chinese consumers after the Asian country opened its auto market. But Chinese firms have caught up with top names like BYD, Geely and Great Wall. Tech companies are jumping in too, including Li Auto, XPeng, Nio, Xiaomi, Huawei, Baidu, Tencent and Alibaba. One industry analyst said he expects Ford and GM to withdraw from the country in the next five years along with others such as Hyundai, Kia and Nissan.

Persons: General Motors, Li Auto Organizations: Detroit, China Detroit, General, Wall . Tech, Li, Huawei, Baidu, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan Locations: China

We've got you covered if you're looking for how to get tickets to Fujii Kaze's U.S. concert tour. Fujii Kaze 2024 tour scheduleFujii Kaze's U.S. tour only consists of four concert dates, which resulted from adding two additional shows to the tour's original number. As such, the only way to buy tickets for Fujii Kaze's 2024 US tour is through verified resale ticket vendors. How much are Fujii Kaze tickets? After performing four concerts in the United States, Fujii Kaze will continue his 2024 tour with two additional international shows.

Persons: Fujii, Fujii Kaze's, We've, Fujii Kaze hasn't, It's Organizations: Business, United Theater, Apollo, Netflix, Piano US, Ticketmaster, Piano, Vivid, showtime, Nissan Locations: United States, U.S, Los Angeles, New York City, CA, York City, NY, Los Angeles , CA, New York City , NY, California, Japan

☆ Interest rates and the AI-fueled rally remain top of mind for stock investors in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The Fed and economic policy were top of mind this week given the central bank's Wednesday decision to yet again leave interest rates unchanged , as it has since last summer. This week included the conclusion of April's trading month, which marked the first down month of the year for all three major market averages. Indeed, some recent earnings reports have raised doubts about the economy, with brands from McDonald's and Starbucks evidencing signs of strain among consumers. While no new inflation numbers are scheduled for release next week, investors will see reports on March wholesale inventories, March consumer credit and May consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan. AI trade Though interest rates took center stage this week, investors also continued monitoring companies tied to the artificial intelligence boom amid the stocks' recent choppiness.

Persons: they're, Jerome Powell, Larry Tentarelli, David Donabedian, Sam Stovall, There's, Stovall, Tom Hainlin, Tentarelli, CFRA's Stovall, Lyft, Cabot, Aramark, Tempur Sealy, Nikola, Walt Disney, Sally Beauty, Warby Parker, Krispy Kreme, Papa John's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Treasury, Nasdaq, Dow Jones, CIBC Private Wealth, Dow, CFRA, Citigroup, Bank of America, U.S, Bank Wealth Management, University of Michigan, Nvidia, Disney, Spirit Airlines, Tyson Foods, Pharmaceuticals, Lucid, Palantir Technologies, Simon Property, Tech, Lab, Goodyear Tire, Noble Corp, Vornado Realty, Coty, BellRing, Consumer, UBS, BP, Nintendo, Bloomin, Duke Energy, Rockwell Automation, Ferrari, NRG Energy, Electronic Arts, Cirrus, Adaptive Biotech, Arista Networks, Dutch Bros, Holdings, Virgin Galactic, IAC, Rivian Automotive, Brighthouse, Occidental Petroleum, Assurant, Kinross Gold, Labs, Diamond, Reddit, Anheuser, Busch InBev, Embraer, Health, United Parks & Resorts, Emerson Electric, Brookfield , New York Times, Food, Reynolds Consumer Products, Teva Pharma, Uber Technologies, Dine Brands, Liberty Broadband, Fox Corp, Cushman &, Liberty Media, Arm Holdings, Kodiak Gas Services, Solaredge Technologies, AMC Entertainment, Cheesecake, News Corp, Toyota Motors, Fair, US Foods, Hyatt Hotels, Warner Bros, Hilton, Warner Music Group, Unity Software, Insurance, Gen, Honda, AMC Networks Locations: Central, McDonald's, Expeditors, Occidental, Angi, Brookfield , New, Ambev, Cushman & Wakefield, Michigan

☆ Oil prices pick up on prospect of U.S. replenishing strategic reserve
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An oil pumpjack is pictured in the Permian basin, Loco Hills regions, New Mexico, U.S., April 6, 2023. Oil prices rose on Thursday on the prospect the U.S. may start buying crude for its petroleum reserve, after prices sank to a seven-week low on hopes for an Israel-Gaza ceasefire, doubts about U.S. interest rate cuts and swelling oil inventories. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for June climbed 22 cents, or 0.3%, to $79.22 a barrel. The U.S. aims to replenish its Strategic Petroleum Reserve, or SPR, after a historic sale from the emergency stockpile in 2022 and wants to buy back oil at $79 a barrel or less. Any delay in rate cuts could slow economic growth and dampen demand for oil.

Persons: WTI, Hiroyuki Kikukawa, Kikukawa, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Brent, . West Texas, NS, Nissan Securities, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, U.S, U.S . Energy Information Administration, U.S . Federal Reserve Locations: Loco Hills, New Mexico, U.S, Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Israeli, Rafah

☆ How to back a lagging lithium miner and still generate income using options
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Michael Khouw | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Today, I'm focusing my attention on minerals used in modern technology and presenting a way to use options to play a lithium miner. The strategy gives a lower-risk way to get somewhat long this beaten-up miner without going all-in, and generating some income in the process. Lithium is used, as the name suggests, in lithium-ion batteries which are crucial for portable electronics, energy storage, and electric vehicles. Combined with understandably elevated options premiums this could set as a spot to begin entering a partial position, with some options overlays. Or, if the stock falls, would add to the long position at the short-put strike.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, Albemarle Organizations: Albemarle Corporation, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai, GM, Ford, Toyota, Kia, Renault, Nissan Locations: Charlotte , NC, U.S, Albemarle, ALB

☆ United Auto Workers-Daimler Truck agreement draws praise from Biden
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —President Joe Biden praised the United Auto Workers and Daimler Truck for reaching a tentative in the eleventh hour Friday night, preventing a potential strike affecting 7,300 workers. Daimler is a major manufacturer of trucks and buses, responsible for producing Thomas Built buses, one of the most popular brands of school buses in the United States. CNN has reached out to Daimler Truck for comment. The tentative agreement comes on the heels of increased momentum for the UAW. The subsequent contract negotiations won record pay increases for UAW members at the three companies.

Persons: Joe Biden, ” Biden, Shawn Fain, Thomas Organizations: New, New York CNN, United Auto Workers, Daimler, UAW, Facebook, CNN, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volvo, —, Motors, Ford Locations: New York, United States, Chattanooga , Tennessee, Vance , Alabama, Tuscaloosa

☆ Toyota and Nissan pair up with Tencent and Baidu for China AI arms race
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Japan's Toyota Motor will pair up with China's Tencent while Nissan will team up with Baidu , the companies said on Thursday, cross-border partnerships that highlight the importance of artificial intelligence for carmakers. Both Tencent, a gaming and social media giant and Baidu, China's leading search engine, have been leaders in the country's generative AI race. The companies will offer services through Tencent's strengths in big data, AI and cloud computing, Xu said. Nissan said it and Baidu had signed a memorandum of understanding to carry out research on AI and so-called "smart cars". Nissan will use Baidu's generative AI on its platform to study the feasibility of future tech development, it said.

Persons: China's, BYD, Toyota's Yiming Xu, Xu, Nissan Organizations: Beijing Auto, Toyota, Nissan, Baidu Locations: Beijing, China

☆ How the UAW’s win may change the South
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Now, the United Auto Workers has dealt a serious blow to that model: winning a landslide union victory after decades of failing to unionize automakers in the South. It’s the UAW’s first win in trying to represent workers at a foreign car manufacturing plant in the South. Before Friday’s win, the highest profile union election held in the South in recent years was the attempt to organize Amazon warehouse workers in Alabama in 2022. Bill Lee in 2019 visited Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga to encourage workers to reject the union, and former South Carolina Gov. But the Volkswagen win, said UAW President Shawn Fain to CNN, shows that politics are not an insurmountable obstacle when it comes to organizing in the South.

Persons: Stephen Silvia, Southern, ” Silvia, – Tesla, Tesla, Henry McMaster, Kay Ivey, “, ”, Erica Smiley, Honda, Friday’s, you’ve, they’ve, Bill Lee, Nikki Haley, Biden —, Shawn Fain, “ Trump, ” Fain, “ I’m, George Walker IV, Harley Shaiken, Justice, CNN’s Chris Isidore Organizations: New, New York CNN, United Auto Workers, UAW, American University, Southern Gamble, Workers, Foreign, Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volvo, –, South Carolina Gov, Alabama Gov, “ Unions, Justice, Union, Auto, South Detroit, Benz, Kia, P Global Market Intelligence, Republicans, Environmental Defense Fund, Southern, “, GOP, Tennessee Gov, Democratic, CNN, Tennessee, AP, Chattanooga won’t, University of California, Jobs Locations: New York, United States, Volkswagen’s, Chattanooga , Tennessee, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, Mercedes, Vance , Alabama, Alabama, Smyrna , Tennessee, Spartanburg , South Carolina, Lincoln , Alabama, Southern, South, Chattanooga, Georgia, Berkeley

☆ What investors should know about the UAW's organizing drive of VW
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"We're going to carry this fight on to Mercedes and everywhere else," Fain told VW workers Friday night following the historic vote. Impact on labor costsTop of the list of likely impacts from organizing efforts at VW is labor costs. But for the Big Three Detroit automakers — and their shareholders — the VW organizing drive could be a positive. GM, Ford and Stellantis have higher all-in labor costs than non-organized automakers such as VW. Fain on Friday said "the real fight begins now," referring to the expected negotiations between the union and VW.

Persons: Elijah Nouvelage, Alex Hertel, Fernandez, It's, Shawn Fain, Kelcey Smith, Kevin Wurm, Fain, Let's, Joe Biden, Evelyn Hockstein, there's, – Organizations: Volkswagen, Getty, DETROIT, United Auto Workers, UAW, Detroit union's, U.S . Department of Labor, Columbia University, Union, National Labor Relations Board, NLRB, VW, General Motors, Ford Motor, Chrysler, Detroit automakers, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Benz, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volvo, Washington Post, Workers, Mercedes, UBS, Big Three Detroit automakers —, GM, Ford, Chamber, U.S, Capitol, Reuters Locations: Chattanooga , Tennessee, U.S, Vance , Alabama, Chattanooga, Washington , U.S, Detroit

☆ Whatever happened to the two-door car?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

There are still two-door cars today, of course, but they’re almost all high-performance sports cars not intended for comfortable cruising. For car designers, two-door models can offer more striking proportions to play with, long hoods that evoke power and tapered, aerodynamic back ends. Today, it’s rare to see a two-door car that isn’t a performance model like the Mustang or Corvette. Today, if you have a two-door car and you have kids, you also have a backache. While some two-door cars used to be bargain items – the cheapest entry-level cars were almost always two-door hatchbacks – today two-door models are seen mostly in European luxury car showrooms.

Persons: Ricardo Montalbán, Brian Rabold, Bob D'Olivo, ”, Kevin Kirbitz, who’s, “, Rabold, ” Rabold, Scott Krugger, Kia Rio, You’ve, Gorden Wagener Organizations: CNN, Chrysler, Network, Riviera, GM, Ford Thunderbird, Chevrolet Corvette, Thunderbird, Ford, Stellantis’s Dodge, Nissan, Cox Automotive, BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Benz, American Mercedes Locations: Chrysler Cordoba, Cordoba, United States, American

☆ UAW union vote at Volkswagen could have big implications for US auto industry and labor’s strength in South
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

A whole lot of people who were anti-union in the past have switched.”The union vote at the Volkswagen plant will mean more than whether the 4,300 hourly workers in Chattanooga are members of the UAW or not. But he said he wants the better pay and benefits he sees workers at unionized auto plants are getting, in order to provide more for his family. Volkswagen staying neutralThe company said it is neutral in the election, only urging workers to vote however they want. That’s relatively rare in union representation elections, where management often lobbies workers to vote no at mandatory meetings, and sometimes takes action against union organizers. Bill Lee and five other Southern governors – from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas – who have nonunion auto plants in their states.

Persons: Renee Berry, ”, they’re, Darrell Belcher, it’s, Berry, ” Berry, Kelcey Smith, ” Smith, “, Belcher, he’s, Mercedes –, Tesla, Wheaton, Bill Lee, –, Joe Biden, Corey Linn, Biden, He’s, ’ ” Berry Organizations: New, New York CNN, Volkswagen, United Auto Workers, UAW, unionize, ” UAW, GM, Ford, VW, “, Mercedes – BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volvo, Cornell University’s Industrial, Labor Relations, Tennessee Republican Gov, Southern, ”, don’t Locations: New York, Chattanooga , Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Mexico, Germany, United States, Tuscaloosa , Alabama, Alabama , Georgia , Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas

☆ Opinion | Here’s Something Southern Republican Governors Are Afraid Of
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Jamelle Bouie | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Last year, the United Auto Workers announced an ambitious plan to organize workers and unionize foreign-owned auto plants in the South. “When we return to the bargaining table in 2028, it won’t just be with the Big Three. is targeting 13 automakers — including Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, Nissan, Volvo and Tesla — employing around 150,000 workers in 36 nonunion plants across the South. The mere potential for union success was so threatening that the day before the vote began, several of the Southern Republican governors announced their opposition to the U.A.W. “We the governors of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas are highly concerned about the unionization campaign driven by misinformation and scare tactics that the U.A.W.

Persons: ” Shawn Fain, ” Fain, it’s, “, ” Organizations: United Auto Workers, Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, Nissan, Volvo, Tesla, Volkswagen, Southern Republican Locations: Chattanooga , Tenn, Alabama, Georgia , Mississippi, South Carolina , Tennessee, Texas

☆ UAW says Volkswagen workers vote overwhelmingly to join union, giving it groundbreaking win
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

If the union can win the right to represent workers across the broad swath of the nonunion auto plants, it could increase their leverage in future contract negotiations. Most of the nonunion auto plants are spread across the south. It is also seeking to represent workers at three American automakers making electric vehicles – Tesla, Rivian and Lucid. Many of the nonunion automakers, including Volkswagen, gave their workers similar raises in the wake of the UAW contracts. And the UAW has had little success winning the right to represent nonunion auto workers since then, until Friday’s vote.

Persons: ”, Kelcey Smith, Bill Lee Organizations: New, New York CNN, United Auto Workers, National Labor Relations Board, UAW, Volkswagen, – General Motors, Ford, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volvo, American, Mercedes, Tennessee Gov Locations: New York, Chattanooga , Tennessee, United States, Southern, Vance , Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, Alabama, Georgia , Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, American, Pennsylvania

☆ VW Workers in Tennessee Start Vote on U.A.W., Testing Union Ambitions
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Neal E. Boudette | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Last fall the United Automobile Workers union won big pay increases from the Detroit automakers, and the impact rippled quickly through the nonunion auto plants scattered across the South. On production lines in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and elsewhere, those pay increases have been referred to as the “U.A.W. bump.”Now 4,300 workers at Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., will test whether the union can achieve an even greater bump. On Wednesday, they begin voting on whether to join the U.A.W., and the prospects of a union victory appear high. About 70 percent of the workers pledged to vote yes before the union asked for a vote, according to the U.A.W.

Persons: Tesla, “, ”, Kelcey Smith Organizations: United Automobile Workers, Detroit automakers, Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen, Nissan, Hyundai, VW Locations: United States, Alabama , Tennessee , Kentucky, Chattanooga , Tenn

☆ Oil prices dip as demand concerns outweigh Middle East supply fears
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Oil storage drums stacked in the Keihin industrial area of Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, on Monday, April 15, 2024. Oil prices eased in early trade on Wednesday as worries about global demand due to weak economic momentum in China and fading hopes for U.S. interest rate cuts in the near term outweighed supply fears on heightened tensions in the Middle East. Oil prices have softened so far this week as economic headwinds pressured investor sentiment, curbing gains from geopolitical tensions, with eyes on how Israel might respond to Iran's attack on Israeli territory over the weekend. "Demand concerns increased due to expectations that U.S. interest rate cuts are likely to be delayed and weaker-than-expected economic data from China," said Hiroyuki Kikukawa, president of NS Trading, a unit of Nissan Securities. "Since the market had been rising until last week on supply worries amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, the relatively restrained Iranian aggression has not provided the ground for buying up," he said.

Persons: Hiroyuki Kikukawa Organizations: Brent, NS, Nissan Securities Locations: Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, China, Israel

☆ How car buyers thinking hybrid over EV should make the decision
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-07 | by ( Cheryl Winokur Munk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

And what would the upfront costs be to upgrade your system to allow for faster charging, if desired? Do the math on upfront cost, EV vs. hybridIf it's still a toss up between an EV and a hybrid, next consider upfront costs. By contrast, the average starting price for a hybrid car is $33,214, according to iSeeCars.com, a car search engine. Search for available auto rebates and incentivesIf you're leaning toward an EV, but still find the upfront cost daunting, look for possible rebates. He points to a study by Argonne National Lab that shows scheduled maintenance costs per mile are significantly lower for an EV versus a traditional hybrid or plug-in hybrid.

Persons: you've, Aston Martin, Sandeep Rao, there's, Rao, Steve Christensen, Maxwell Woody, Woody, Albert Gore, ZETA Organizations: Ford, General Motors, Mercedes, Benz, Volkswagen, Jaguar, Rover, Gallup, New York, EV, Chevrolet, Department of Energy, Battery Coalition, Progressive Casualty Insurance Company, of Michigan, University of Michigan, Argonne National Lab, Honda Locations: U.S, California, Florida, Texas

☆ UAW reaches milestone in filing for a union vote at second nonunion auto plant
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

But while that VW plant has had two votes before this, the Mercedes plant has never reached the threshold of union support that resulted in an election being held. An election at the Mercedes plant has yet to be confirmed by the National Labor Relations Board, which oversees such votes, let alone scheduled. While the UAW has filed for a vote at Mercedes’ Alabama plant, it has yet to file for a vote at its plant in Charleston, South Carolina. A high-profile union organizing vote at an Amazon warehouse in nearby Bessemer, Alabama was defeated in a close vote in 2021. And management of the non-union automakers is likely to fight union organizing efforts.

Persons: Mercedes, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, United Auto Workers, UAW, Volkswagen, VW, National Labor Relations Board, Benz, International, General Motors, Ford, Mercedes, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volvo, GM Locations: New York, Alabama, Chattanooga , Tennessee, VW Chattanooga, Vance , Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Mexico, Edmunds, Tennessee, Mercedes ’ Alabama, Charleston , South Carolina, Bessemer , Alabama

☆ China's Nio to expand battery swap services to gain an edge on EV infrastructure
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Pictured here is a Nio battery swapping station in Haikou, Hainan province, China, on May 9, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesBEIJING — Chinese electric car company Nio has been expanding its battery swap partnerships in a bid to gain an edge on the infrastructure side of the EV ecosystem. Nio also announced agreements earlier this year to work with two local battery companies on battery swap services. While having a large network of battery charging stations helps address those concerns, battery swapping is a faster method as it takes only a few minutes. CLSA's Luo said businesses also prefer to invest in normal charging stations than swap stations because they make a higher return.

Persons: Nio, —, JAC —, Ding Luo, Shen Fei, Shen, it's, Le, William Li, Shay Natarajan, Luo, Ford Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Chery, CNBC, Battery, Nissan, Sino Auto, Mobility Impact Partners, General Motors Locations: Haikou, Hainan province, China, BEIJING, U.S, San Francisco, Kyoto, Japan, Madrid, Spain, Europe, North America

☆ Hyundai's Genesis brand is a dark horse in U.S. luxury vehicle market
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Not only has Genesis made it, the brand has thrived to become a dark horse in the U.S. luxury market with unique styling, unexpected comfort and well-ranked quality. Patricia Wayne, first all-electric GV60 customer and Claudia Marquez (right), chief operating officer, Genesis Motor North America, at Genesis Santa Monica, Santa Monica, Calif., May 26, 2022. Genesis started as a vehicle in Hyundai's lineup but the company announced in late 2015 that it would become its own brand. Genesis sales last year increased about 23% over the prior year to 69,175 vehicles. Muñoz said Genesis will be a "key focus of the plant," which also will produce Hyundai and Kia vehicles.

Persons: Michael Wayland, —, Randy Parker, Claudia Marquez, Parker, Marquez, Patricia Wayne, Genesis, José, Muñoz, Jae Hoon Chang, there's, Stephanie Brinley, that's, Brinley, … Organizations: CNBC, Hyundai Motor, South, Infiniti, Hyundai Group, Hyundai, New York, Genesis, North America, Santa, North American, Porsche, Lexus, Mercedes, Benz, North, Rover, Volvo, P Global Mobility, Kia Locations: South Korean, U.S, North America, Santa Monica, Calif, Lincoln, New York, Georgia, Alabama, South Korea

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