Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) who are employed at the General Motors Flint Assembly plant in Flint, Michigan, slow down salary employees entering the plant as they strike early on September 16, 2019.Jeff Kowalsky / AFP via Getty General Motors and the United Auto Workers have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, and the union will decide Thursday whether to continue a more than month-long strike while the deal is voted on by members.The accord, announced by the UAW on Wednesday, may bring an end to the unions first national walkout against the carmaker in a dozen years.The UAWs national council will decide whether to recommend the agreement for a ratification vote, and if the strike will continue in the meantime.A resolution would come none too soon for GM, which analysts estimate has lost about US$2 billion, and its striking workers, who could be forgoing about US$2,000 of profit sharing. The two sides moved closer to a deal over the weekend after a tense week of publicly exchanging barbs and blame for the strike dragging on. With most of the major issues settled, GM CEO Mary Barra and President Mark Reuss joined the talks Tuesday to try to get a final agreement over the line, according to people familiar with the situation who asked not to be identified.One of the most contentious issues that was standing the way of a deal involved the treatment of temporary workers, some of whom have worked at GM for as long as four years. The two sides reached a compromise opening a path to full-time work after three consecutive years of employment, one of the people said. That three-year period could change before an agreement is final, the person cautioned.If the two sides come to an agreement, the local union leaders will decide whether to take it to members for a vote, and if workers will return to work before or after ratification.
Origin: GM reaches tentative deal with UAW that could end month-long national strike
‘National
Boat blocks Toronto highway on Canada Day, sparks national caption contest
Drivers who opted to cut a few minutes off of their Canada Day travels this year by paying the toll and hopping on the 407 ETR Highway in the Greater Toronto Area were rewarded by an interesting sight. Because at some point on July 1, 2019, there was a large water vessel parked haphazardly across the left lane of the 100-km/h highway.The 20-ish-foot motorboat allegedly fell off a trailer on its way to or from one of Ontario’s boat-friendly bodies of water, thus blocking the left two lanes of the 407 Highway near Dixie Road.As a way of letting the public know about the potential delay – though traffic looks to be moving pretty well in the photo provided – the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) shipped out a Tweet asking the public to caption the photo, which shows the boat lying perpendicular to the traffic lines, its white paint scraped off on the highway’s surface. Caption? This boat ended up on #Hwy407 at Dixie Rd tonight. No one hurt. #HappyCanadaDay pic.twitter.com/rDU3sePzJ7 Sgt Kerry Schmidt (@OPP_HSD) July 2, 2019So far, around 200 commenters have joined in on the fun. There were, naturally, some fine boat puns – e.g. “That’s a HULL of a mess,” “This gives a whole new meaning to dry docking!!” – but also a spot-on reference to Gilligan’s Island.🎶 a 3 hour tour.🎶🎶🎶🎶 Glen Baxby (@rvr600) July 2, 2019One user dipped into the emoji stash to make the boat appear less out of place:😲 pic.twitter.com/LLrkpp1MrI AnnieBodyCaNaDa (@AnnieBodyCanada) July 2, 2019While another one used the power of the GIF to narrate the scene: pic.twitter.com/v9jXYQLXBc LynnMichelleWNKLMR🤟🍷🍺 (@deafmamaof3) July 2, 2019Some of the locals made it a GTA inside joke, getting cute with the location: No, not Dixie, it was at KEEL David Nugent (@davidbnugent) July 2, 2019Others blamed the environment: Global warming at its finest. Randy Narine (@RandyNarinee) July 2, 2019Got a caption to pin on this boat that’s run a-shoulder? Comment on the Tweet thread, or, if you don’t have Twitter, drop it in the comments below.Other than the photo, police haven’t released any information on how or by whom the boat was parked on the
Origin: Boat blocks Toronto highway on Canada Day, sparks national caption contest
‘National Lampoon’ station wagon clone clears US$100,000 at auction
A replica of the Wagon Queen Family Truckster crossing the block at Barrett-Jacksons Palm Beach event in April 2019.Barrett-Jackson A replica of the Wagon Queen Family Truckster from National Lampoon’s Family Vacation netted more than US$100,000 at auction (after fees) this past weekend in Florida, far exceeding what many expected it to sell for. Pre-event estimates may have been tempered by the fact one of the actual vehicles from the film did not sell in 2013, running up to a US$35,000 high bid. Chalk it up to a classic car market sweetening on Hollywood nostalgia or to the clever marketing by Barrett-Jackson – the car crossed the block with a bunch of suitcases and Aunt Edna lashed to the roof – but this well-done clone almost tripled that, hammering at US$91,000, before auction fees. Based off of a 1981 Ford Country Squire wagon, unlike the movie car’s 1979 donor, this Family Truckster is painted “Metallic Pea,” and doesn’t come with the Rally Fun Pack that Clark ordered. What it does come with, though, is a 5.0-litre V8 and a four-speed. A 1947 Buick 8 Custom Convertible restomod by Don Gasiunas of Toronto, sold at Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach event April 2019. Barrett-Jackson The top-selling lot at the Palm Beach event was a 1947 Buick Super 8 convertible, highly modified with a supercharged LSA V8 by Don Gasiunas of Toronto, Ontario. It traded hands for a full US$412,500 after fees, and led three other US$250,000-plus classic customs in the top 10. It suggests the market may be switching its attention from original, factory-stock vehicles to hot rods and restomods. Late ’80s and early ’90s cars also showed growth at the Barrett-Jackson sale, buoyed by the swelling of Millennials and Gen X-ers flooding into the classic car market. In total, 632 vehicles were sold for a cumulative US$30.18
Origin: ‘National Lampoon’ station wagon clone clears US$100,000 at auction
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