The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
GM-UAW talks take turn for worse; settlement not near
DETROIT » Contract talks aimed at ending a 21-day strike by the United Auto Workers against General Motors have taken a turn for the worse, hitting a big snag over product commitments for U.S. factories, a union official wrote in an email to members.
The letter from UAW Vice President Terry Dittes casts doubt on whether there will be a quick settlement in the contract dispute, which sent 49,000 workers to the picket lines on Sept. 16, crippling GM’s factories.
Dittes’ letter says the union presented a proposal to the company Saturday. He said GM responded Sunday morning by reverting back to an offer that had been rejected and made few changes.
The company’s proposal did nothing to address a host of items, Dittes wrote, specifying job security for members during the term of the four-year contract.
Normally in contract talks, the union bargains for commitments from the company to build new vehicles, engines, transmissions and other items at U.S. factories represented by the union.
“It did nothing to provide job security during the term of this agreement,” Dittes wrote. “We, in this union, could not be more disappointed with General Motors who refuse to recognize the experience and talent of our membership.”
In a statement, GM said it continues to negotiate in good faith “with very good proposals that benefit employees today and builds a stronger future for all of us.”
The company says it is committed to talking around the clock to resolve the dispute.
But Dittes wrote that while both sides had made progress on important issues two days ago, the talks now “have taken a turn for the worse.”
A person briefed on the talks
said Sunday that the union voiced concerns about GM increasing production in Mexico, where it now builds pickup trucks, small cars and two SUVs. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are private, said both sides are far apart on guarantees of new products in U.S. factories.
GM’s U.S. factories have been shut down since the workers walked out Sept. 16. Parts shortages also have forced the company to close plants in Mexico and Canada. yourself. If you want to be like folks with an 850 score, you need to keep your utilization in the single digits for each card and overall.
So let’s get back to the advice of carrying a credit card balance. I asked real estate expert and columnist Ilyce Glink what she thought of the reader’s case. Glink is the author of “100 Questions Every FirstTime Home Buyer Should Ask.”
This person is “getting terrible advice,” Glink said. “You don’t have to run a balance to have a higher credit score. Ever.”
Glink says it’s all about on-time payments and how many different types of open lines of credit you have — car loan, mortgage and student loans, credit cards, etc.
If you want to get the best mortgage loan deal, here’s how you raise your score, Glink says.
• Preferably pay off all debts owed at the end of the month. But at least pay your monthly minimums on time.
• To boost your credit score, make sure you have at least two open credit cards, and pay those off each month. A lender may want to see that the card is active but that just means you’re using it. You don’t have to have a rolling balance.
• If you have a balance, then don’t use more than 30% of your total available credit per card. So, if you have a maximum credit limit of $1,000, don’t run a balance of more than $300.
What’s key to a good credit score is handling your debt responsibly — month after month after month. But as soon as you can, get rid of it, because you don’t need to keep it around like it’s a pet. Readers can write to Michelle Singletary c/o The Washington Post, 1301 K St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20071. Her email address is michelle. singletary@washpost. com. Follow her on Twitter (@SingletaryM) or Facebook (www.facebook. com/MichelleSingletary). Comments and questions are welcome, but due to the volume of mail, personal responses may not be possible. Please also note comments or questions may be used in a future column, with the writer’s name, unless a specific request to do otherwise is indicated.