The United Auto Workers union Chrysler council is made up of local union leader from all over the nation. Yesterday, in a meeting in Detroit, the council expressed their approval of the new tentative agreement with Chrysler LLC. Prior to settling in to the new contract, the union already launched a strike which ended the moment the UAW negotiators announced about the pact on October 10.

"The UAW negotiating committees at Chrysler, both hourly and salaried, did an excellent job bargaining this agreement and we look forward to discussing it with our members in explanation and ratification meetings which will begin this week", said UAW President Ron Gettelfinger. "Thanks to the determination of Chrysler workers, we have moved forward on our agenda to protect manufacturing jobs in our communities -- and we have also protected wages, health care and pensions for active and retired workers."

"This proposed agreement meets the challenges of our industry head-on," said UAW Vice President General Holiefield, who heads the UAW Chrysler dept. " It sets the stage for future success at Chrysler, and for our members to share in that success."

From automotive news.com, here are the highlights of the new four-year Chrysler LLC-UAW deal:

• Chrysler to pay $10.3 billion to secure retiree health care: $8.8 billion to fund a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA). The company also contributes $1.5 billion in pre-VEBA costs.

• Moratorium on plant closings and outsourcing, commitment to in-source jobs to UAW Chrysler facilities.

• Reversal of restructuring plan: MOPAR and Chrysler Transportation retained, reversing company plan to close or sell these units. Cleveland PDC, scheduled to close, will remain open.

• Economic gains total $10,235 for a typical UAW Chrysler worker during the four-year agreement. Gains include a $3,000 signing bonus, two 3 percent lump sums and one 4 percent lump sum.

• Product guarantees at some, but not all, operations. The UAW "will continue to advocate for new product" at assembly plants in Detroit (Conner Avenue), Newark, Del., and St. Louis (South), Mo.

• Wage rollback defeated: Company demanded $1.01 in immediate wage cuts and COLA deferrals. Instead, future COLA diversions will secure long-term health care for current and future UAW Chrysler retirees.

• UAW says that based on projected rates on inflation, earnings for a typical UAW Chrysler member working 10 percent overtime will be an estimated $6,700 higher than his/her counterpart at GM over the four years of the proposed agreement.

• Comprehensive health care maintained for active workers, UAW says.

• Future pension benefits boosted, plus lump sums for current retirees, UAW says.

• Health and safety protection improved, including noise abatement, reduced exposure to hazardous substances and an improved ergonomics design process, UAW says.

• Skilled Trades win 20 cents an hour tool allowance and enhanced training bonus on new technology, UAW says.

The Daimler-Benz and Chrysler merging forming the DaimlerChrysler AG had been a failure resulting to the selling of the Chrysler LLC group to the private equity, Cerberus Capital Management LP. However, even after losing its 80.1% stake at Chrysler, the German automaker retained the Chrysler name until yesterday as DaimlerChrysler AG becomes Daimler fading the merge in history.

The company's attempt to regain the Daimler name has aroused intense sentiments among the Germans who on the first place weren't pleased by the DaimlerChrysler name.

The executives and the members of the board want a one-line change in the order that reads: "The name of the corporation is Daimler AG. The registered office of the corporation is in Stuttgart."

In 1926, the Daimler group merged with Carl Friedrich Benz's company, and the straightforward renaming of the group surely caused outrage in the adherents from the automotive pioneer's company because their man's name had been slashed from the corporate name for the second time.

"A return to including the name of one of the founders, Benz, would ... constitute a certain degree of compensation for the many years of frustration for the employees, particularly in the traditional Benz plants, who deserve to find equal recognition...as the employees of the Daimler plants," shareholder Bernd Gans has submitted as a counterproposal.

Name suggestions had been made by shareholder Hans Diem during the Shareholders Extraordinary Meeting held in Berlin. He wanted to name the group Daimler-Benz AG, Benz-Daimler AG or even simply Benz AG.

"Problems might arise in connection with a change of name to Daimler AG because there is a vehicle manufacturer in England that has a license to use Daimler as the name of its vehicles," he added, referring to the nameplate on high-end Jaguar cars.

Diem had gained the sympathy of shareholder Wilm Diedrich Mueller.

"The word Benz should be just as clearly connected with the present corporation...as the word Daimler, but the word Benz has the unbeatable advantage compared with the word Daimler that it is shorter and consists of half as many syllables," he noted.

According to the company, legal aspects and strategic factors had been the basis of the Daimler name adoption plus the deal with Jaguar owned by Ford Motor Co., to use the Daimler name.

"The name Daimler has a high profile and evokes a high degree of confidence in the expertise of the corporation as a globally respected manufacturer of automobiles and commercial vehicles," it said in response to the counterproposals.

"With Daimler, we will also avoid overlaps between the name of the corporation and the most valuable automobile brand name in the world, Mercedes-Benz," it said, pointing out that all plants that make Mercedes-Benz cars will carry that name, too.

Mercedes Benz uses new advertising scheme for their new Mercedes Benz C-class. On September 10, airing of the broadcast advertising components of Mercedes' most important marketing campaign for the past few years. The new commercial asks "Why did we devote seven years to creating the new C-class?

"Because we promised you a Mercedes-Benz" is the answer.
The theme of the advertising campaign is to inform the consumers that every single speck of the C-Class is rightfully Mercedes-Benz.

"This is one of our most critical launch campaigns in recent years," says Steve Cannon, the Vice-President for Marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA).
"The 2008 C-Class raises the bar in the entry-luxury segment and is the gateway to the Mercedes-Benz brand for many of our customers -- a good number of whom will move up through the brand over the next decade and beyond. When you combine that with the fact that once our customers join the brand, they tend to stay, then you understand why the C-Class is so crucial to us at Mercedes-Benz."

The campaign covers two national television spots, two radio spots and five print ads with regional versions of each produced also. Beginning September 10, the commercials are going to be aired on both national TV networks and national cable stations. The airing will continue until November 4 on top rating programs like CSI, Grey's Anatomy, Law & Order, Ugly Betty and the 59th Primetime Emmy awards. Other channels to air the commercial are Bravo, ESPN and the National Geographic Channel.

For Mercedes Benz maniacs wanting a glimpse of the new Mercedes Benz C-Class, don't dare miss to watch.

The Mercedes Benz C-Class offers two choices, luxury and sport models for different buyers. The all new 2008 Mercedes Benz C-Class models begins with the tag price of $31, 975 for the C300 Sport Sedan run by an engine that powers up to 228 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. The Luxury sedan version of the C300 with its engine producing the same power as the sport is priced at $33,675. Next in line is the C350 Sport Sedan worth $37, 275 built to achieve 268 hp and 258 lb-ft. Additional $775 will be charged for the destination fee.

The downtown roads makes your car insurance rise as the city gives your car risks with traffic, U-turns and other city car dangers, your vehicle must be tough enough to be an urban car. With the right car to hit the downtown, driving can always be as comfortable and pleasurable as ever. Cars.com listed ten vehicles that can give you the best ride in the city streets. The auto reviewers of the site judged the cars based on their performance, size, ride quality and cabin comfort.
Here are the ultimate urban cars:

2007 Mini Cooper
Despite its size, the cabin can seat four adults and is outfitted with six airbags, and the hatch design and folding backseat provide a surprisingly roomy cargo space. Front-wheel drive and traction control mean winter driving in this stylish car is no problem. The pricier S model gives excellent power and braking on city streets making it our ultimate urban car.

Length: 145.6 inches
Turning circle: 35.1 feet
Seats: 4
City MPG*: 26 - 27 (premium gas)

2008 BMW 328i wagon
A much faster twin-turbo engine is available in the 335i, but the wagon � which packs 35 percent more cargo room than the sedan without incurring any extra length � comes only in 328i guise. Plus, it has all those BMW attributes at a price that's easier to digest. The steering may be a bit heavy for some, but that's the tradeoff for owning an "ultimate driving machine" in the city.

Length: 178.2 inches
Turning circle: 36.0 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 17 - 18 (premium gas)

2008 Ford Escape Hybrid
According to the EPA, the Escape Hybrid is the most efficient SUV on the market and also, it has low CO2 emissions. Besides the fact that the gas engine automatically turns off when stopped � so you don't have to waste precious fuel in rush hour � the hybrid can also cruise in near-silence on electric power at slow speeds.

Length: 174.7 inches
Turning circle: 36.7 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 29 - 34

2007 Honda Civic Hybrid
The Honda Civic Hybrid has lower emissions and uses a lot less fuel. A small turning circle means enhanced maneuverability in tight spots, and the optional navigation system has more than 7 million points of interest. An impeccably finished cabin adds to the car's appeal.

Length: 176.7 inches
Turning circle: 34.8 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 40

2008 Honda CR-V
Gas mileage is respectable for an SUV, and the ride is comfortable enough for bumpy streets. The large rear window makes for good visibility, and an optional backup camera means you can ace that back-alley parking.

Length: 178.0 inches
Turning circle: 37.8 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 19 - 20

2008 Honda Fit
The Fit has just enough zip for stop-and-go duties, and gas mileage is predictably thrifty given that the car weighs just three-fourths of a Toyota Camry. It's small enough to squeeze between garbage trucks and buses, and its tall windows and large mirrors take the guesswork out of tight maneuvers.

Length: 157.4 inches
Turning circle: 34.3 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 27 - 28

2008 Land Rover LR2
The best choice for tackling city life is the handsome Land Rover LR2. For ease in maneuvering and parking, it's shorter from bumper to bumper than the Acura RDX and BMW X3, and it has a tighter turning circle. Standard parking sensors on the rear bumper and optional approach and puddle lights are also great to have.

Length: 177.1 inches
Turning circle: 37.1 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 16 (premium gas)

2008 Mazda5
The 2008 model sports a fresh look but retains its distinct Japanese edginess. The Mazda5 is still substantial, coming in at almost exactly the same length as a Toyota RAV4. Steering is sharp for tight parking maneuvers, and the ride is relatively smooth.

Length: 181.5 inches
Turning circle: 34.8 feet
Seats: 6
City MPG: 19

2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata
The Mazda MX-5 Miata has the smallest turning circle � 4 feet tighter than the Mini's. This makes it most adept at hanging U-turns, and its nose swings sharply into parallel parking spaces, which are easy to navigate when the top is down. It slips through congestion where most cars are gridlocked � and you look so good.

Length: 157.3 inches
Turning circle: 30.8 feet
Seats: 2
City MPG: 20 - 22 (premium gas)

The xB delivers on the promise of its boxy shape by offering loads of cargo room in a compact package � up to 69.9 cubic feet, to be exact � which makes it ideal for carting your belongings around. Engaging steering response and the tight turning radius are a boon for narrow streets too.

Length: 167.3 inches
urning circle: 34.8 feet
Seats: 5
ïCity MPG: 22

The dispute between General Motors and the United Auto Workers may have reached its end yesterday as the two parties agreed on a tentative deal, it may not be a labor victory for the UAW with its contents. The UAW had been historically known as one of the most dominant force in the industrial sector of the U.S.

"For a long time, the UAW was the face of the labor movement but it's not where the power is in organized labor any more," says Julius Getman, labor law professor at the University of Texas School of Law, and author of "Strike."

The UAW is the 12th ranking U.S union with its 538,448 members. The largest union is the National Education Association with 2,767,696 members and the second is the Service Employees International Union with membership numbering to 1,575,485 according to the BNA, a specialized news and information publisher.

Because of the tightening of legal controls in the union organization as an effect of globalization, the membership in labor unions have declined for the past years. Dating back in 1977, 24 percent of workers are members of the labor union and last year, the number declined to only 12 percent. But calls for union organization have also intensified for the past years. Such acts helped revitalize some unions which are willing to come out from their local industrial shells.

The new voices of the labor movement, "are talking about organizing Wal-Mart and reinventing the Civil Rights movement, bringing power in the workplace to workers who are on the margin of society" as explained Gary Chaison, professor of Industry relations at Clark University, Graduate School of Management.

"If I said to UAW president Ron Gettelfinger, 'you should go organize Wal-Mart,' he'd look at me like I was crazy," he adds.

"The UAW used to be one of the most innovative, militant unions, now it finds itself moving backwards."

In a press conference last Tuesday, the United Auto Workers Chief, Ron Gettelfinger expressed his hopes that the strike launched by the union on Monday may settle the dispute with GM on issues of job security and retiree health benefits faster.

In an interview on Detroit WJR-AM 760 radio station, the UAW chief realizes that there are risks involve when calling for a strike but it does not signal the end for the union as well as for GM. Gettelfinger added that the union did not want to pursue the strike but did so because the progress of the negotiations are being one sided, not for them but for the automaker.

"Obviously, we did not want to strike but that's what was required," Gettelfinger said.

"In many ways, it may be a good thing because it will bring an end to this thing quicker, we hope."

The job security was the top unresolved issue on the bargaining table. GM, as part of its restructuring program for its U.S operations is considering lowering its labor cost to be in line with its foreign competitors. The automaker had closed plants and had cut thousands of jobs rendering unemployment to other UAW members.

With the goal of reaching an agreement for the two parties, Gettelfinger said that the talks will still continue.

"But it takes two sides to be willing to do that," he said
"We realize there's risk here, but by the same token, I feel like we were pushed into a strike." Gettelfinger added.

According to Gettelfinger, the UAW representatives had been negotiating responsibly to reach a good contract and the people will know that if they already have come up with a new contract.

"We've moved in areas that the company never even thought we would consider," he said, adding, "But we went in there knowing that we were going to do some things differently. It's just unfortunate that they didn't meet us halfway and then we'd move on with life."

The UAW chief also claimed that the strike is a result of the two parties both falling short in the talks and he is also not considering the strike as a sign that ends both GM and the UAW.

Last Monday was the first year anniversary of the changes to child restraint law that promotes safety to children passengers. However, the lives of children are still endangered due to non-compliance and inconsistent reinforcement on the side of the motorists and proper authorities.

In 2005, 326 children aged 0-11 died and some are severely injured due to vehicular accidents like car crash. For example, in a 30mph crash, an unrestrained or falsely retrained child can be thrown with a force of 30 to 60 times more than their body weight. These facts show how important child restraints are in vehicles especially in cases of accidents.

The positive impact of the law, child safety is being undermined said Brake, the national road safety charity. Strong police action is required for proper enforcement of the legislation, but sadly, police actions and campaigns greatly vary. A penalty of £30 is supposed to be fined to any driver caught with children not properly restrained.

According to the police, they lack the resources to strongly enforce the law. The number of Police officers had been declining and resulting to increased traffic volume.

Brake is concerned that if the law is not properly enforced, risk for children to injuries and deaths related to vehicular accidents will increase.

However, there are also some circumstances that children can legally travel without the car restraints. For children below three years old, can ride a vehicle without appropriate child restraint if none is available. For children between three and eleven years old, they can travel if a child seat isn't available in a taxi, a journey is short and in unexpected circumstances, two occupied child restraints prevent fitment of a third. 

Brake is also calling the attention of parents to do something about this matter for the protection of their children.

 "Most parents want to do the right thing, but some are clearly in need of advice on the right way to fit their child's restraint. The Government needs to close the loopholes which still allow children to travel without a restraint and make sure that the law is enforced. It must be made crystal clear to parents that children traveling unrestrained are at huge risk of being killed or injured in a crash. They deserve to be protected." said Cathy Keeler, head of communications at Brake.