David Barkholz, Automotive News

David Barkholz

Automotive News

Detroit, MI, United States

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Recent:
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Past:
  • Automotive News

Past articles by Dave:

UAW risks moral stance with VW election gambit

After losing a general union election last year at the Volkswagen assembly plant in Chattanooga, the UAW has returned with a new election petition to represent just 160 skilled-trades workers there. → Read More

Ending Tier 2 will put UAW-GM deal over the top

After a decade of concessions and a declining standard of living, UAW-represented workers at GM generally are not happy with their tentative four-year labor deal. But I believe they will ratify the contract this week -- probably with a 55 percent margin. → Read More

CDK Global sees earnings boost from cost-cutting, improved efficiency

CDK Global CEO Steve Anenen said today that the dealership software company should see $10 million in savings over the next nine months from consolidation of its customer support staff and better software implementation processes. → Read More

Detroit 3 see no relief on UAW health care costs

The Detroit 3 entered labor negotiations with the UAW this year determined to rein in soaring health care tabs. The union seemed to oblige early on, proposing an innovative health care cooperative. But any promise of meaningful reform has been thrown out the window. → Read More

GM workers can credit FCA rank and file for UAW's 'transformative' deal

UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada will reveal details Wednesday of a tentative four-year deal with General Motors that she is describing as “transformative.” → Read More

A strike at GM would potentially cost $1.1 billion a week

A UAW strike of General Motors, perhaps as early as midnight tonight, could potentially cost the automaker at least $1.1 billion a week in lost revenue and exacerbate shortages of some hot-selling models. → Read More

Detroit 3, UAW will ditch hiring caps, sources say

The UAW's new contract with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will set the pattern for how first General Motors and then Ford fix the divisive two-tier wage system at their factories, said sources familiar with the negotiations. → Read More

Fiat Chrysler labor contract ratified with 77 percent support from UAW members

UAW-represented workers at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles approved a new four-year agreement with the carmaker after negotiators revised a rejected, earlier deal that failed to provide a pathway for entry-level Tier 2 workers to achieve full pay. The final count was 77 percent in favor, the union said in a statement today following two days of voting. → Read More

Fiat Chrysler labor contract getting overwhelming support from UAW voters

UAW-represented workers at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles appear in early returns to be overwhelmingly supporting a new four-year agreement with the carmaker after negotiators revised an earlier deal that failed to provide a pathway for entry-level Tier 2 workers to achieve full pay. → Read More

Fiat Chrysler labor contract nears ratification by UAW members

UAW-represented workers at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles appear in early returns to be overwhelmingly supporting a new four-year agreement with the carmaker after negotiators revised an earlier deal that failed to provide a pathway for entry-level Tier 2 workers to achieve full pay. → Read More

FCA deal finally gives UAW an organizing carrot

A byproduct of the rich new deal that UAW workers demanded of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles -- and their own leaders -- is that the UAW finally has something worthwhile to sell to employees at nonunion U.S. transplants. → Read More

AutoNation's website retooling pays off

AutoNation CEO Mike Jackson says he's starting to see consistent payoff from the $200 million bet the company placed on using its own website to sell cars online rather than third-party shopping sites. → Read More

FCA concedes on Tier 2 without busting budget

Facing a costly possible strike, FCA agreed to a revised new contract with the UAW that includes a path to nearly full pay for Tier 2 workers. The company can live with the new pact in part because the additional costs above the previous deal don't kick in for five years. → Read More

How Marchionne could forfeit his big win on Tier 2

The FCA boss got the UAW to go along with his reset of the prevailing industry wage. But the FCA rank-and-file saw that losing proposition from a mile away → Read More

An FCA strike: $1 billion a week in lost revenues

A UAW strike of Fiat Chrysler could cost the Detroit automaker close to $1 billion a week in lost revenue and would quickly lead to a shortage of several hot-selling vehicles. → Read More

Cox, Dealertrack chiefs hit road to explain $4 billion acquisition

Cox President Sandy Schwartz and Dealertrack CEO Mark O’Neil will be going on the road together over the next two weeks to meet with auto retailers to explain their $4 billion combination. The acquisition closed today. → Read More

FCA strike threat grows as UAW contract falters

The specter of a UAW strike looms at Fiat Chrysler after the company's 40,000 hourly workers rejected a four-year labor deal covering wages and benefits. UAW local leaders at FCA plants are scheduled to meet Thursday in Detroit to determine next steps. → Read More

The UAW-FCA deal: A bridge too short

At the UAW national bargaining convention in March, rank-and-file delegates sent clear marching orders to UAW President Dennis Williams: Use the Detroit 3 negotiations to fix a two-tier wage system damaging to shop-floor solidarity. → Read More

UAW-FCA deal dooms Tier 1 if passed

Instead of the hated Tier 2 being eliminated, it will be the rich traditional auto jobs that all go away over time, replaced by a permanent class of Tier 2 autoworkers, if the UAW-FCA deal is any indication. → Read More

UAW workers vote on FCA agreement without Tier 2 cap or product plan

The UAW leadership is seeking ratification this week for a tentative deal with Fiat Chrysler that is missing two key provisions from previous contracts -- a written product plan and a cap on the maximum percentage of Tier 2 workers. → Read More