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Filed under: Government/Legal, Volkswagen, UAW/Unions

Senator Bob Corker at podium

Unions and southern auto plants go together like ice cream socials and diabetes, but the mere thought of an organized Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga must give Tennessee Senator Bob Corker bad dreams. The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that Corker was asked by VW to give input as to whether or not the facility should take a pro-United Auto Workers stance. The senator reportedly told representatives at the German autoworker that the presence of organized labor would be “highly detrimental.”

So why the negative stance on unions? Corker claims that his dealings with the UAW during the bailout of Chrysler and General Motors is the reason he’s so sour on the idea in his home state. The senator claims that the UAW put the success of the automakers “way, way, way way” behind the needs of union, adding “I just can’t imagine any company of their own accord of being desirous of entering into a relationship with UAW.”

Volkswagen currently has a reported “neutral position” concerning unionization in Chattanooga, but according to a study by the Grand Rapids Press in Michigan and other Booth newspapers, the UAW could lead to higher labor costs for the German automaker. The paper says that overall labor costs, which include pension funding and health care, adds up to about $74,000 per year per employee. Non-union automakers reportedly average a much lower $53,000 per year.

But while Corker’s feelings about the UAW may or may not give VW pause, neither the senator or the automaker will have the final say in the matter. VW Communication Manager Guenther Scherelis says “the employees will decide for themselves about their representation.”

[Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press | Image: Chip Somodevilla/Getty]

TN Senator Corker argues UAW would be “highly detrimental” to stateside VW plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Car Buying, Classics, Convertible, Performance, Auctions, Ferrari, Luxury

1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder

eBay Find of the Day: 1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder – Click above for high-res image gallery

One of our favorite cars on the planet, and perhaps in the known galaxy, is the Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder. This love affair is easily traced back to one Mr. Ferris Bueller and his Most Excellent Day Off. Sure, the car used in that movie was a Ford V8-powered kit car (oh, the delicious irony of that!) but the looks were there and they seared a lasting impression on our retinas and in our hearts. If one were to pop up on eBay, we would surely be ready to buy it – wait, scratch that because one IS on eBay with a current bid of $600,000 and an unmet reserve. This one’s a little rich for our blood but a steal for anyone out there…with the means.

This particular example is not your standard one-of-50-or-so-produced classic Ferrari 250 GT dream machines. This happens to be one of the nine aluminum-bodied competition cars. It also features the Tipo 508 D frame, which was an improvement over the less-stiff Tipo 508 C. The car has an interesting history as well. The son of the second owner was driving it home from a fishing trip in Florida when he was run off the road and landed between two bridge abutments. The body of the car was lightly damaged and some side body panels were fixed using steel instead of the original alloy material.

Since the car is not a perfect specimen, it just might be ripe for the picking. It certainly looks amazing, is original with the exception of the repaired panels and it represents an amazing period in the Ferrari timeline. The mileage is listed at 52,000 and we would love to help someone put a few more on the clock. We’ll even bring our copy of “Beat City” by The Flowerpot Men. Check out the auction for yourself over at eBay Motors and then a look through the gallery below. Finally, don’t forget to take a peek after the jump for a clip of some Ferris Bueller Ferrari action highlights.

PS: anyone who posts video of the car being destroyed will be banned (no, not really) – it’s been years since we watched that scene but our hearts simply cannot take another viewing.

Gallery: 1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder

1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder

[Source: eBay Motors, Motorator]

Continue reading eBay Find of the Day: 1959 Ferrari 250 California – If you have the means, we highly recommend picking one up

eBay Find of the Day: 1959 Ferrari 250 California – If you have the means, we highly recommend picking one up originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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