Toyota Retains Top Spot In Global Auto Sales
Arbitration Key In Fight Over Employee Free Choice Act
Senate Panel Nears Consensus On Health Care
REACH & RoHS — How the European Regulations Affect
U.S. Companies
Register Now for NADCA Plant Management Conference
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Toyota Retains Top Spot In Global Auto Sales
The Wall Street Journal (7/29,
B4, Takahashi, subscription required) reports, "Toyota Motor Corp. managed to retain the top spot in
global auto sales for the first half of this year although it came under pressure from General Motors
Corp., which did better than its Japanese rival in the second quarter." Toyota's sales were "slightly
above the 3.55 million vehicles sold by GM, which relinquished the overall No. 1 position to Toyota last
year." In the most recent quarter, GM "sold 1.94 million vehicles against Toyota's 1.8 million, with
demand in China helping the U.S. car maker's performance."
Arbitration Said To Be Key In Fight Over Employee Free Choice Act
The AP
(7/29, Hananel) reports, "The willingness of some Democrats to drop the 'card check' portion of a union
organizing bill has led opponents of the measure to intensify their attack on another major provision:
Binding arbitration if a new union and management can't agree on a first contract within 120 days." A
small group of senators "led by Democrat Tom Harkin of Iowa is working out a compromise of the Employee
Free Choice Act." For months, business groups "focused on fighting 'card check.'" But "arbitration now
looms as the most prominent sticking point." One compromise that lawmakers "are considering is to adopt
baseball-style 'final offer' arbitration." Keith Smith, a spokesman at the NAM, says "baseball
arbitration 'reduces it to a game of Russian roulette. While that may work in baseball, where you're
really just looking at salaries and length of contract terms, it doesn't take into account the
comprehensive nature of a collective bargaining agreement."
Senate Panel Nears Consensus On Health Care
The Washington Post
(7/29, A1, Murray, Kane) reports in a front-page story, "An emerging consensus among a bipartisan group
of senators is poised to shift the dynamic in the congressional debate over health-care reform, and
could lead to a final product that sheds many of the priorities that President Obama has emphasized and
that have drawn GOP attacks." Assuming the "fragile committee coalition holds, the legislation it
produces would scramble the reform landscape by introducing policy ideas that have their origins in the
political center." The bill is "bound to disappoint liberals." But with "prominent GOP backing, it also
could prove more difficult for Republicans to reject out of hand the approach they have taken to the
House bill and a second Senate version, written by the health committee." The finance panel's
legislation is expected "to endorse narrowly targeted tax increases, rejecting a controversial tax
surcharge on wealthy households that the House adopted and limits on deductions for upper-income
taxpayers that Obama is seeking."
The Wall Street Journal (7/29, A4,
Meckler, Bendavid, subscription required) reports, "Liberals who see the effort to overhaul health care
as a once-in-a-generation opportunity are growing anxious that a final deal...will negotiate away their
top priority: a public plan to compete with private insurers." Some Democrats are "threatening to oppose
any bill that excludes this option, and sympathetic outside groups are pressuring wavering lawmakers."
The liberal "anxiety also is fueled by the White House, which has sent mixed messages." Asked Tuesday
"about the likelihood that the Senate Finance Committee bill will lack a vigorous public plan, White
House press secretary Robert Gibbs declined to pass judgment." Republicans and private insurers are
"nearly all opposed to a public option, which they say would wield too much clout and drive private
insurers out of business."
The Chicago Tribune (7/29, Levey, Hook)
reports, "As they debate how to give more Americans health insurance coverage, Senate Democrats are
moving toward a showdown over whether to create a new government insurance program or set up a system of
health insurance cooperatives instead." Cooperatives are "generally owned by their members, are
structured as nonprofits and either own a system of health care providers or contract for medical
services for their members." Many health care experts "believe that such integrated systems offer the
best hope for improving the quality of care and reducing costs."
The New York Times
(7/29, B1, Leonhardt) reports on the front page of its Business Day section, "The health care debate is
now in one of those calm-before-the-storm moments. After a flurry of activity last week, everybody is
waiting for the Senate Finance Committee to release its bill." But "packaging the plan as a tax on
insurers still may not be enough to make it palatable. So Congress would also probably have it apply
only to the most expensive sliver of plans." With this "narrow approach, the tax would raise only a
small share of the revenue needed to cover the uninsured, and Congress would still need to rely on a
hodgepodge of other tax increases and spending cuts."
REACH & RoHS — How the European Regulations Affect U.S. Companies
In a world where there is an ever-increasing emphasis and awareness concerning environmental wellness,
die casters, as well as every industry and business, must be mindful of these issues. These days, the
idea of “going nadca” continues to drastically increase. From compact fluorescent to LED lighting, from
low-emission to hybrid vehicles, and from normal products to Energy Star rated products, the idea to be
more efficient and to use products that emit less pollution in order to protect people and the
environment is everywhere. RoHS and REACH are two current legislations concerned with doing just that.
This article will elaborate on these two subjects and explain why you should be aware of them. To read
the full article, click HERE to login and read the current issue
of LINKS magazine.
Register Now for NADCA Plant Management Conference
Registration is now open for this year's Plant Management Conference! The conference will be held at
NADCA headquarters, outside of Chicago, Illinois. The conference starts with an evening reception on
Wednesday, September 23 at 7 p.m. and will adjourn at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, September 25. For
additional information about this conference, and to register, click
HERE.
Special Presentations Include:
* State of the Industry - Daniel L. Twarog, NADCA
* Carbon Footprint and Cap and Trade - Alex Monroe, NADCA
* Semi-Solid Metal Processes
Featured Events Include:
* Plant Tour of Chicago White Metal Casting Inc.
* Round Table Discussions
* Group Dinner
A block of discounted rooms is being held at the Hilton Chicago/Northbrook until September 4, or until
rooms sell-out. Make your reservation
online
— or by calling 1-800-445-8667. Rooms are $119.00 per
night. Reserve your room now for the best rate!
