UAW and automakers fail to meet deadline
Last night was the deadline for Detroit automakers and the United Auto Workers to reach agreements on new contracts. The UAW and Ford Motor Company officials agreed to extend their talks, but the Associated Press reports talks with GM and Chrysler broke off just after midnight last night.
Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne sent a letter to UAW President Bob King saying they had let down Chrysler workers - "you and I failed them today," he wrote - From the Associated Press:
Up until the deadline, the negotiations that began over the summer appeared to be proceeding without the acrimony that plagued them in the past. But just before the 11:59 p.m. EDT Wednesday deadline, the CEO of Chrysler fired off a letter to UAW President Bob King saying an agreement likely wouldn't be reached because King didn't come to the table Wednesday night to finish the deal. "I know we are the smallest of the three automakers here in Detroit, but that does not make us less relevant," Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said in the letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press.
The AP reports that despite the talk extension, negotiations appear to be going more smoothly with General Motors.
Governor Snyder says Michigan should act on health care exchanges
In his healthcare message yesterday, Governor Rick Snyder said Michigan's health care system is a broken one.
He rolled out a list of ideas to improve the situation which included a request to set up a statewide healthcare exchange. As Lindsey Smith reported, "the new federal health care law mandates states create their own exchange, join a regional one or wait until the federal exchange is in place."
Rick Pluta reported the governor is likely to face opposition on this idea from Republicans in the state legislature:
Many Republicans oppose the law and resist enacting any of the federal mandates before the U.S. Supreme Court rules on them. The governor says that will put Michigan behind other states if all or part of the law is upheld.
The resistance doesn't just come from legislators. Michigan's Attorney General, Bill Schuette, is actively fighting against the federal health care law in courts.
Michigan servicemen to deploy to Afghanistan
From the Associated Press:
About 90 members of the Michigan National Guard are preparing for a year of service in Afghanistan. An event was planned for Thursday in Grand Ledge for the Lansing-based soldiers. They'll do about 14 weeks of training before going to Afghanistan to conduct intelligence work. The soldiers are from B Company of the Brigade Special Troops Battalion with the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
