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" DNO you have your facts way off on wages. Here is a quote from a USA Today story on automaker wages, keep in mind yours are close to Chrysler(find it odd you guys are not mentioned?).

"The three American automakers generally pay about 30 percent more per hour in wage, pension and health care costs than Japanese automakers.

Ford, according to its annual report, paid $70.51 per hour in wages and benefits to workers last year. GM's annual report says its labor costs average $73.26 per hour, while Chrysler's costs average $75.86 -- all well above the average $48 hourly cost incurred by Toyota, Honda and Nissan."

It seems my estimate on the previous story was on a little low.

My hope is the few MMMA employees posting here are a very few minority, if not this area is in serious trouble. There will likely be 3,000 or more people filling for unemployment soon... "

" DNO you have your facts way off on wages. Here is a quote from a USA Today story on automaker wages, keep in mind yours are close to Chrysler(find it odd you guys are not mentioned?).

"The three American automakers generally pay about 30 percent more per hour in wage, pension and health care costs than Japanese automakers.

Ford, according to its annual report, paid $70.51 per hour in wages and benefits to workers last year. GM's annual report says its labor costs average $73.26 per hour, while Chrysler's costs average $75.86 -- all well above the average $48 hourly cost incurred by Toyota, Honda and Nissan."

It seems my estimate on the previous story was on a little low.

My hope is the few MMMA employees posting here are a very few minority, if not this area is in serious trouble. There will likely be 3,000 or more people filling for unemployment soon... "

" Those that are going to vote "no" had better wake up and realize that Mitsubishi is in serious trouble. MMAL closed and if things dont improve quickly, MMNA will close as well. It appears, as usual, the UAW only cares about today and not tomorrow. Its no wonder the UAW membership has been on a serious decline. There are less than 500,000 UAW members and if 2488 doesnt confince their members to vote yes, there will be about 1,000 less. Where else can you shoot nuts and bolts and make 24 an hour in this area??? No where! Do what is right and help keep the doors open and help your family for another 4 years. If not, you are all insane. WAKE UP!!!! "

" To Gardener - BULL!!! I just heard this jibberish on the radio last night (the Wall Street Journal, nonetheless). I just had my bankruptcy discharged in May and got a car loan, through a bank, last month. 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse, by the way. "

" Non-Union plants make more cause they don't try to screw the company like the associates do when they get in the union. They work full 8 hours not hide in restrooms or play cards out back. "

" Most of the people that I have talked to, are VERY unhappy about this. They are going to vote NO! So am I,......Why.....because is not even close to the industry norm. jim6789 is wrong. The big three make over $28 an hour, but this is what I can't wrap my brain around...Non-Union plants like Toyota, Honda, Hyundai make $26 an hour. They want me to make $2 less than that, HELL NO! Then there is the take away list. Here's a few.
1. cost of living raises---gone
2. 401k company match---gone
3. quality bonus---gone
4. parity with Chrysler---gone
The auto industry is going through a tough time. I expected some cuts, but this is absolutely ridiculous.
To all you yes voters, Think about it, if we give this up now. We will NEVER EVER get it back. We have worked 20 hard years to earn the $ that we make. You just can't give it away! A NO vote doesn't mean that we will go on strike, or that the company will shut down. It just means that we want union/company to go back to the table, and come back with something better than this. "

" I must be confused, so let me see if I understand your options: 1) You can continue to work for $24/hr and continue to enjoy better benefits than any other place of employment in the area, 2)go on strike for $200/wk ($140 take home) that will barely buy the groceries let alone make the house/car payments, 3) find the plant closed with employment at a record high in McLean county with your best hope for a new job ar$12/hr at Cat (while 1,000 of you are filling-out applications at the same time) and a stingier benefit package. By the way, your employer has a two month of inventory of cars and you have no negotiating leverage. Now you may see why I am confused about the controvery. There is only one intelligent option. Any vote other than the contract you are being offered and you accept the alternatives with your eyes open and no one but you too blame. I hope you all figure it out before you are financially ruined wondering what happened. By the way, try to buy your own product once-in-awhile and stop looking for other place to put the blame. "

" Everyon here has made some good and bad comments about what is going on. KIDADVOCATE2 has pretty much bad mouthed everyone. My last comment I made she badmouthed me and my family, so now he or she is acting as a POLITICIAN. I feel for all who may have to take a pay cut but if the company I worked for asked for a 15% pay cut and in the contract stated in 2 years get over half of that back I would seriouly consider it to keep my job. Most of the people at the plant are like all us American's have lived the dream and over extended themselves and not set back for the rainy day. Well the rainy day is here and about to storm. I am glad I have some set back. I feel for the people outside the plant if there should be a strike or closure. Think of the jobs and B-N economy and unemployment then! This is a tough decision for 2488 and will be tough either way it goes. GOOD LUCK in either decision "

" kidsadvocate2
No, your not working until 3 pm every day. The line shuts down early quite often because production numbers are down. Mitsubishi's total September 2008 sales were down 39 percent, compared to September 2007. U.S. auto sales dropped to their lowest level in 15 years for the month of September 2008. Many dealers have said customers are having an increasingly hard time qualifying for loans to buy autos. Many car dealers are closing their doors. No one wants a cut in pay or benefits but the industry is extremely bad right now. "

" Man, if I hated the job I had and the folks I worked with and the management of the company I worked at near as much as the union folks there seem to, I think I'd just quit.

I hope they vote no,....it's fun to watch. "

" For those voting no, I hope you realize you are most likely voting for shutting down the plant. Turning down these terms, which are pretty much the industry standard, with a 4-year employment promise given the current state of the global economy, automotive industry and Mitsubishi in particular is a huge mistake. I suggest reading the article on the McLean County unemployment rate. "

" To kidsadvocate2
Good luck getting a job that pays $24.00 an hour after you lose yours! Do a search on Monster--there are NO jobs out there! Be thankful for what you have and stop your whining! jfkls1 is right, it is a hard pill to swallow but with the economy the way it is it is your only choice. "

" Anybody with common sense can tell nothing is guaranteed. Job security for 4 years is only worth the ink. Look at contract in the past, the one we gave huge consessions with. The way the economy is going and the way this company spends next year they'l ask for more, or close.Union workers of the past went months without a paycheck, lost thier lives fighting for the wages of today, for us to give all away and sell are coworkers out so we arent bothered by scare tactics.by the way money is being already spent out back contractors painting are 3 million dollar umbrellas that is not needed. Vote "no" use common sense. "

" I am voting NO! We lose money and benefits now and stay at the same pay for 4 years. After 4 years of everything going up, that $24 an hour might be worth about $20 an hour if we are lucky. Ameren is jacking their rates up 30% for this winter. It is like the wall street mess. The big shots messed is up and the taxpayer is going to foot the bill. Here, they don't advertise when we outdo Honda and Toyota, all the dead weight in management and all their others screw ups and we are the ones paying for their mess. "

" Hey Gardener
Remember Employee discount day. selling cars on the parking lot. Then they ended up laying off them loyal employees after they purchased a new vehicle, Don`t you think they could have cared about that employee and their family? No. They cut their pay by laying them off and on top of that they added on a car payment. Sounds like they really care. NOT..........Just about lining there pockets with USA money. Go back to your desk JOB. "

" Gardener
I wasn`t the one running around the plant, I`m on the line working 6:30a.m.-3:oop.m. I would like to know where you work where you have time to stand around and talk. But I am the one who posted the info on Chrysler & GM`s contracts. We lost a lot of good workers (people) to cutbacks also. Oher plants are not taking the big cuts in pay in which we are. They cut back on benefits, we did also. They took cuts in pensions-we did also.They upped their co-pays- we did too.But they didn`t take a cut in pay that sent them back 10yrs. Do you know we haven`t had a raise in almost 10 yrs. You must have a desk JOB. I`m Voting NO!!!!!!!!!!! you do what is right for you don`t worry about your fellow man or woman that has to go in there and work for a living after you retire. Hell you sound like a politician. Mess everything up while you are there and let the next person worry about it. I`m glad I`m not working after you on the line picking up all your mistakes.OH, sorry forgot you have that important desk JOB. "

" well, 2 cents, have you heard of any price reduction of a product because the jobs went to Mexico, China, or somewhere else overseas that pays the workers ALOT less? Toyota has shut down plants for a few months, and so has all of the BIG 3. At least this one is still running and hopefully will keep running......if the contract is ratified. Have to ask yourself....which is greater? $24 or $0. "

" As a 19 year associate, I think the proposal is the worst one we've seen. We all new it was going to be bad but seeing it in black and white somehow makes it worse. For some reason, which I do not perceive, many of my fellow workers believe we are owed something because we have put in so many years of service. Unfortunately that debt has been paid, via salary. I by all means do not want cuts in wages or benefits as does anyone else, but is the plant profiting from our reductions? They are not as is the rest of the industry. This is a hard pill to swallow, however, if you think it is that bad then take the VSP and go get one of the thousands of high paying great benefit giving jobs that exist in this economy. I assure you, there are none. I am simply praying for a brighter future, as are most of us, and hope to weather the bad times of the present. Good luck to everyone..... "

" The New York Times has an interesting article about how the financial crisis is beginning to affect the auto industry regarding loans. It is becoming harder & harder for the average person to obtain a car loan. I would vote YES to the contract because you have a guaranteed 4 years. Someone at the plant today was running around with a Chrysler contract from 2007 telling everyone he is voting NO because he wants the same contract. Little does he realize that just days after that contract was ratified that Chrysler announced the layoff of 12,000 jobs! Don't listen to people like him before doing your research. "

" Will they cut the cost of the cars because the labor thats makes them will be getting a pay cut "