COST OF LIVING MARCH 6TH, 2006: We have been informed by the UAW National Ford Department that the three-month average for November & December of 2005 and January of 2006 is 187.53, yielding minus twelve cents (-12¢) per hour. Therefore, effective March 6th, 2006, the total cost-of-living received in your paycheck will be one dollar and forty-nine cents ($1.49) per hour.

PLEASE NOTE: The company has notified the union that all extra people that were put on to assist other jobs during the consolidation period will now be pulled off and the elements will be put back on the base operations. This is not a rebalance.

SHIFT PREFERENCE: Sign up in the Human Resources Department now through midnight on Friday, March 10th.

TENTATIVE SATURDAYS: The company has advised Chairman Nick Gallogly and the Bargaining Structure that there will be mandatory Saturdays for both shifts on March 11th, March 25th and April 8th, 2006. Please note: schedules are always subject to change.

U.A.W. 34TH CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION: We have tentatively scheduled the Convention Election to be held at our plant on Thursday April 27th, 2006, pending confirmation of availability of voting machines, voting trailer and membership approval. ALL members of UAW Local 2000 are eligible to run for Convention Delegates.

RESOLUTIONS AND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS: The deadline for Resolutions and Constitutional Amendments is 5:00 PM on April 5th, 2006. Resolution forms are available at the local union hall and will be posted on our web site at www.uawlocal2000.org as soon as possible. The 34th Constitutional Convention is scheduled to convene in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 12th, 2006.

FSLC TUTORING MOVES TO SATURDAYS: Does your child need help with a certain school subject? Our tutor can help him or her work through some of their rough spots. Tutoring is for grades 1-8. Children MUST bring work with them. Tutoring will begin Saturday March 18th and will run Saturdays through April 8th from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Call Denise Lewis at the Family Service and Learning Center (FSLC) at 440.933.1396 to pre-register. If Denise is unavailable, please leave your name and a phone number where you can be reached on her voice mail. Current and future programs for the FSLC, the Learning Center, the Fitness Center and the Education Training Development Program (EDTP) are all available on Local 2000’s website at uawlocal2000.org.

JOINT CONFERENCE: The Chairman, Bargaining Committee, Appointees and myself will be attending the UAW/FORD Joint Conference the week of March 20th, 2006. 1st Vice-President Jerome Williams will replace me for the week and can be reached at the local hall at 934-3151 ext. 22 or plant pager 059. Chairman Nick Gallogly will post replacements prior to the conference.

CORRECT ADDRESS & PHONE NUMBER NEEDED: To protect your job, it is very important that you keep your records up to date. Please go to Human Resources and give them your correct address and phone number. You can either call or stop in at the union hall to be sure your records are correct there (440-934-3151 Ext. 21).

UNION MEETING: The next scheduled union meeting is Sunday March 12th, 2006 at Southview High School, 2270 East 42nd Street in Lorain at 2:30 PM.