Tag: canada (Page 10 of 15)

Alaska Airlines Announces New Service to San Luis Obispo

September 4, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Daily nonstop flights will connect Southern California and the Pacific Northwest to San Luis Obispo

SEATTLE, Sept. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Alaska Airlines announced today it will launch daily nonstop service between San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport and San Diego International Airport on Jan. 7, 2020, and San Luis Obispo Regional Airport and Portland International Airport on June 18, 2020. The new destination offers travel enthusiasts from Southern California and the Pacific Northwest easier connectivity to California’s fastest growing wine and recreation region. Tickets are on sale now.

Alaska Airlines announces new service from San Luis Obispo

“We are excited to add nonstop service to San Diego and Portland, Oregon, from San Luis Obispo, furthering our commitment to California’s Central Coast,” said Brett Catlin, Alaska Airlines managing director of capacity planning and alliances. “Whether visiting nearby Paso Robles to experience the renowned food and wine scene, cycling through hills and vistas, or enjoying our on-board West Coast-inspired food and beverage menu, Alaska guests can look forward to experiencing our award-winning service.”

“These new Alaska Airlines flights are the successful outcome of years of planning and coordination,” said Kevin Bumen, A.A.E., San Luis Obispo airport director. “With the help of our community partners, the county and the airport are excited to bring these new opportunities to our travelers, and to provide deeper connections into the Alaska Airlines network.”

Alaska will operate once daily nonstop service between San Luis Obispo and San Diego, and between San Luis Obispo and Portland, Oregon. Guests can begin booking travel today. The new routes further amplify Alaska’s commitment to the California market, building on recently-announced service additions linking San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego to destinations including Anchorage, Boise, Spokane and Redmond/Bend.

San Luis Obispo, well-known for its wine and food scene, is a key new market for the airline and underscores Alaska’s commitment to providing guests with bright flavors inspired by the West Coast. Alaska has a long-standing partnership with Broken Earth Winery, based in nearby Paso Robles, California, and currently serves noteworthy wine blends on all Main Cabin flights.

With Alaska’s much-loved Wine Flies Free program, wine aficionados can check a case of wine with no baggage fee, after visiting 31 West Coast cities, including San Luis Obispo. For sports enthusiasts looking to break a sweat while on vacation, Alaska’s sports equipment checked bag program is one to take advantage of.

To celebrate the start of service, Alaska and the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport hosted a press conference and celebration today. During the event, the airport unveiled a specially commissioned chalk mural by local artist Rachel Hamann, of Dot + Cross Studio, who created the artwork over the past week. The mural, which encompasses the airport’s two-story parking elevator and is highly visible to all airport visitors, is a whimsical take on vintage airplane banners and features the Alaska logo and iconic aircraft tail.

Alaska Airlines and its regional partners fly 46 million guests a year to more than 115 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United Statesand to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. Alaska Airlines ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America” in the J.D. Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study for 12 consecutive years from 2008 to 2019. Learn about Alaska’s award-winning service at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (ALK).

Germany to Equip New Coastal Patrol Vessels with BAE Systems’ 57mm Guns

September 3, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

BAE Systems has been selected by the vessel contractor to provide the German federal police force, Bundespolizei, with three 57mm naval guns for its three new 86m Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) built by Fassmer shipyard.

The gun systems, known as the Bofors 57 Mk3, will support the maritime arm of the Bundespolizei that monitors the country’s North Sea and Baltic coastlines. The 57 Mk3 is a flexible, highly versatile gun system designed to react quickly for close-to-shore operations.

“The Bofors 57 Mk3 is a versatile naval gun with firepower and range that exceeds expectations when compared with similar, medium calibre naval gun systems. That’s how our 57 millimeter system has earned its reputation as the deck gun of choice for ships operating in coastal environments,” said Ulf Einefors, director of marketing and sales for BAE Systems’ weapons business in Sweden. “This contract expands the number of European nations deploying the 57 Mk3 and reflects the growing interest we’re seeing in the region, where we look forward to supporting new opportunities in the near future.”

The 57 Mk3 naval gun is also in use with the allied navies and coast guards of eight nations, including Canada, Finland, Mexico, and Sweden, as well as the United States, where it is known as the Mk110 naval gun.

This contract also includes accompanying fire control systems as well as systems integration support. Work is expected to begin immediately and will be performed at the BAE Systems facility in Karlskoga, Sweden. The first unit is scheduled for delivery in 2020.

Airbus Pulls Out of Canada Fighter Jet Race

August 30, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Airbus SE <EADSY> on Friday pulled out of a multibillion-dollar competition to supply Canada with 88 new fighter jets, a decision that boosts the chances of rival Lockheed Martin Corp <LMT>.

The defense arm of Airbus, which indicated last month it might withdraw, cited onerous security requirements and a late decision by Ottawa to loosen the rules for how much bidders would have to invest in Canada.

Airbus and other contenders had already complained the government appeared to be tilting the race in favor of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 plane, which the Royal Canadian Air Force wants. Canada is part of the consortium that developed the plane.

Canada launched the long-delayed competition last month and said it was confident no favoritism had been shown. Ottawa says the contract is worth between C$15 billion ($11.30 billion) and C$19 billion.

Canada’s official opposition Conservative Party, which is seeking to defeat Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in an October election, accused the government of gross mismanagement.

Reuters revealed in July that Airbus and Boeing Co <BA.N> had written to Ottawa to say they might pull out.

The firms are unhappy that in late May, the government dropped a demand that bidders must guarantee to give Canadian businesses 100% of the value of the deal in economic benefits.

Such legally watertight commitments, which Boeing, Airbus and Sweden’s Saab AB <SAABb.ST> had already agreed to, contradict rules of the F-35 consortium. Ottawa’s move allowed Lockheed Martin to stay in the competition.

“One of the strongest points of our bid was the fact we were willing to make binding commitments,” said an Airbus source, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation.

“Once this was loosened up to a point where these commitments were no longer valued in the same way”, the firm decided “that’s just too much”, added the source, who also cited security challenges.

European jets must show they can meet stringent standards required by the United States, which with Canada operates the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

“NORAD security requirements continue to place too significant of a cost on platforms whose manufacture and repair chains sit outside the United States (and) Canada,” Airbus said in a statement.

Canadian Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough said she respected the Airbus decision, adding Ottawa was determined there should be a level playing field.

“This included adapting the economic benefits approach to ensure the highest level of participation among suppliers,” she said in emailed comments.

Canada has been trying unsuccessfully for almost a decade to purchase replacements for its aging F-18 fighters. The former Conservative administration said in 2010 it would buy 65 F-35 jets but later scrapped the decision, triggering years of delays and reviews.

Trudeau’s Liberals took power in 2015 vowing not to buy the F-35 on the grounds that it was too costly, but have since softened their line.

“Justin Trudeau has spent the past four years delaying and dithering on new fighter jets for Canada only to completely mismanage the competition process,” said Conservative defense spokesman James Bezan.

Lockheed Martin declined to comment while Boeing and Saab did not respond to requests for comment.

($1 = 1.3275 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by David Gregorio)

Alaska Airlines Expanding West Coast Service

August 30, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Alaska Airlines is adding new routes and additional frequencies.

SEATTLE, Aug. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Alaska Airlines reaffirms its commitment to the West Coast with new, nonstop service from the Pacific Northwest and the state of Alaska in the north, and from San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego in the south.

Starting in early January, guests will be able to travel eight new routes, which will appeal to both leisure travelers and those flying for business. Tickets are now on sale. The new scheduled service will link these destinations:

Spokane to Los Angeles (two daily departures)
Spokane to San Francisco (two daily departures)
Redmond / Bend, Oregon to Los Angeles
Redmond / Bend, Oregon to San Diego
Redmond / Bend, Oregon to San Francisco
Boise to Los Angeles (two daily departures)
Missoula, Montana to Los Angeles
Anchorage to San Francisco

“We’re excited to offer even more nonstops between vibrant Pacific Northwest communities and our growing hubs in California,” said Brett Catlin, Alaska Airlines managing director of capacity planning and alliances. “Whether it’s travel for a weekend getaway to Missoula or a day trip to San Francisco, we’re proud to offer nearly 600 daily flights between West Coast cities.”

Alaska is also increasing the frequency of flights between certain markets:

Beginning Jan. 7, there will be an additional flight between San Francisco and Orange County, California, for a total of seven daily nonstops. On March 19, there will be the addition of a second daily flight between San Francisco and Chicago O’Hare.
On Jan. 7, the flight between San Diego and Orlando, which is currently flown five times a week, becomes daily nonstop service. Starting March 19, second daily flights will begin between San Diego and Boise, and San Diego and Santa Rosa, California. Also on March 19, nonstop service between San Diego and San Jose, California, increases from four to six flights daily. On May 21, a second daily flight between San Diego and Boston goes into service.

Alaska’s guests can connect with the airline’s Global Partners at gateway airports on the West Coast – such as Los Angeles and San Francisco – to fly to more than 900 destinations around the globe. Flyers can also earn and redeem miles with the airline’s highly-acclaimed Mileage Plan program.

A majority of the new routes will be served by the Embraer 175 jet, an aircraft with only window and aisle seating – no middle seats. On all of the new routes, guests will enjoy award-winning service in a three-class cabin that includes First Class and Premium Class; a fresh, seasonal food and beverage menu; Most Free Movies in the Sky with hundreds of movies and TV shows available for viewing on personal devices; free texting on most flights; and Wi-Fi connectivity for purchase.

Alaska has also renovated its airport lounges in Anchorage, Los Angeles and Seattle, with a brand-new lounge in San Francisco scheduled to open in 2020.

Alaska Airlines and its regional partners fly 46 million guests a year to more than 115 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. Alaska Airlines ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America” in the J.D. Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study for 12 consecutive years from 2008 to 2019. Learn about Alaska’s award-winning service at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

L.J. Aviation Grows Fleet with Addition of Two Bombardier Challenger 350 Business Jets

August 25, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Two new Challenger 350 business jets recently added to L.J. Aviation’s existing fleet of more than 40 aircraft under management
The Challenger 300 aircraft series continues to outperform the competition as the fastest business jet in history to reach 300 deliveries in the medium and large categories and as the best-equipped aircraft in its class
With the widest and quietest cabin, smoothest ride and lowest operating costs in its category, the Challenger 350 aircraft delivers an unrivalled experience

Bombardier is pleased to announce that L.J. Aviation, a world-class aircraft flight management and charter aircraft company, has expanded its fleet with its latest addition of two industry-leading Challenger 350 aircraft. The high-performing Challenger 350 business jets join the company’s existing fleet of 40 aircraft and are available for charter in the Mid-Atlantic States.

“We are thrilled to receive our Challenger 350 aircraft,” said Ed Kilkeary Jr., President, L.J. Aviation. “It delivers everything we want in a business jet: outstanding performance, a comfortable and productive environment, and advantageous operating costs. The Challenger 350 aircraft is a sound investment that will make the most of our passengers’ time.”

Extending its offering with two new industry-leading Challenger 350 business jets, L.J. Aviation currently manages and operates five Challenger 300 series business jets, one Challenger 604 aircraft and a Global 5000 aircraft.

In the last decade, the Challenger 300 aircraft series has accounted for more deliveries than any other business jet platform in the industry. The Challenger 350 aircraft builds upon this remarkable legacy of leadership and continues to take centre stage in the super mid-size segment.

“We are proud of our long-standing relationship with L.J. Aviation, and we are extremely pleased that they have added two Challenger 350 aircraft to their fleet,” said Peter Likoray, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “This business jet is world-renowned as the leader in the super mid-size segment, and with good reason. A stunning cabin, smooth ride and exceptional value proposition all make the Challenger 350 aircraft an ideal choice for customers.”

With a true full seats, full fuel, 3,200 nautical mile range, the Challenger 350 aircraft is an efficient and reliable business tool with proven performance. Delivering comfort without compromise, the Challenger 350 jet was recently recognized by Robb Report Magazine as the Best of the Best super mid-size aircraft for the second consecutive year.

Dozens of Airbus A380’s Face Urgent Checks

August 21, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

LONDON, Aug 21 (Reuters) – Investigators probing an engine explosion on an Air France A380 in 2017 are studying a possible manufacturing flaw in a recently salvaged cracked part in a move likely to trigger urgent checks on dozens of Airbus superjumbos, people familiar with the matter said.

The focus of a two-year-old investigation into the mid-air explosion over Greenland, which left the plane carrying more than 500 passengers with the front of one engine missing, has switched to the recently recovered “fan hub,” the people said.

The titanium alloy part is the centrepiece of a 3-metre-wide fan on engines built for the world’s largest airliner by U.S.-based Engine Alliance, co-owned by General Electric and United Technologies unit Pratt & Whitney.

It had sat buried in Greenland’s ice sheet since September 2017 when one of four engines on Air France flight 66 abruptly disintegrated en route from Paris to Los Angeles. It was prised from the ice in June after a high-tech aerial radar search.

Confirming the focus of the probe after Reuters reported the plans for inspections, France’s BEA air accident agency said it had discovered a “sub-surface fatigue crack” on the recovered part and the engine maker was preparing checks.

The people familiar with the matter linked the crack to a suspected manufacturing flaw and said the checks – to be carried out urgently on engines that have conducted a certain number of flights – would affect dozens of the double-decker jets.

The people said the suspect part was fabricated on behalf of consortium member Pratt & Whitney, which declined to comment.

Engine Alliance is one of two engine suppliers for the Airbus A380 in competition with Britain’s Rolls-Royce.

Its engines power a total of 152 aircraft or just over 60 percent of the 237 A380s in service.

Besides Air France, other airlines operating the A380 with Engine Alliance powerplants include Dubai’s Emirates, Qatar Airways, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad and Korean Air.

The checks will involve taking some planes out of service outside their usual maintenance schedules, one source said.

Investigations are not complete and are likely to tackle other features such as the loads or physical forces at play. Experts say air accidents are rarely caused by isolated factors.

Europe’s Airbus declined to comment.

SIOUX CITY REMEMBERED

Nobody was hurt in the September 2017 incident, in which the Air France superjumbo diverted safely to Goose Bay in Canada.

Although rare, uncontained engine failures, in which shrapnel capable of puncturing the fuselage exits an engine at extremely high speeds, automatically raise alarm.

The checks come weeks after relatives marked 30 years since an engine failure left a United Airlines DC-10 with almost no control, culminating in the death of 111 out of the 296 people on board during an attempted landing at Sioux City, Iowa.

U.S. investigators cited a defective titanium alloy part and weak inspection procedures, although they also praised the “highly commendable” performance of the crew of flight 232.

The July 1989 crash sped up improvements in manufacturing methods for titanium alloy. Experts say hidden internal defects in such parts are unusual but remain difficult to detect.

Titanium alloy is used widely in aerospace, which is the metal’s biggest customer due to its strength compared to the weight of each part and its ability to handle high temperatures.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Elaine Hardcastle)

Alaska Airlines Announces New Service Between Paine Field and Spokane

August 15, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Nonstop route will connect Eastern Washington and Everett with daily roundtrip flight

SEATTLE, Aug. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Alaska Airlines announced today it will launch daily nonstop service between Spokane International Airport and Paine Field-Snohomish County Airport in Everett on Nov. 4. Tickets are now on sale, just in time for holiday travel. Spokane becomes the 10^thdestination served by Alaska at the new terminal in Everett.

Spokane will become the 10th destination served from Everett's Paine Field in early November.

“When it comes to flights at Paine Field, our guests have been eager for one city to be added above all others right now – they said make it Spokane,” said David Besse, our manager of network planning. “We believe this route will be very popular, easily connecting family and friends, workers and businesses, between two dynamic regions of the state.”

Effective Date	City Pair	Departs	Arrives	Frequency	Aircraft
Nov. 4, 2019	Everett-Spokane	7:55 p.m.	9:10 p.m.	Daily	E175
Nov. 5, 2019	Spokane-Everett	7:40 a.m.	8:55 a.m.	Daily	E175

“The announcement of scheduled service to Paine Field by Alaska Airlines fulfills one of the most important air service priorities for our region,” said Nancy Vorhees, Chair of the Spokane Airport Board.

Larry Krauter, CEO of Spokane International Airport added, “This new service to Paine Field will directly benefit the aerospace industry sector as it continues to expand in our region and create time-saving efficiencies for our business community overall. We’re thankful to Alaska for its commitment to the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene region!”

Alaska started commercial service at Paine Field on March 4, 2019. In that short time, flying in and out of Everett has become a popular, convenient option for many travelers, especially those who live north of Seattle who don’t want to drive to Sea-Tac Airport. As of late July, nearly 300,000 guests have flown Alaska’s flights at Paine Field.

“This is exciting news,” said Arif Ghouse, Paine Field Airport Director. “One of the questions I’ve been asked the most over the past few months is when service might start to Spokane. There will be considerable interest in the new flight.”

All Alaska flights at Paine Field are operated by Horizon Air with jet service using the Embraer 175 aircraft, which features a three-class cabin. From Paine Field, guests can currently fly to eight destinations: Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Orange County, California; Phoenix; Portland, Oregon; San Diego; San Francisco; and San Jose, California. Alaska recently announced Palm Springs will become its ninth destination from Everett, with tickets already on sale.

Alaska’s guests can connect with its Global Partners at gateway airports on the West Coast – such as Los Angeles and San Francisco – to fly to more than 900 destinations around the globe. Flyers can also earn and redeem miles with the airline’s highly-acclaimed Mileage Plan program.

Airbus Begins U.S. Production of A220 Aircraft

August 5, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Airbus has today officially begun manufacturing the A220 in the U.S. The first team of A220 production workers began work at Airbus’ Mobile, Alabama-based production facility following their recent return from on-the-job training in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, where the A220 programme and primary final assembly line are located.

“The expansion of our commercial aircraft production in Mobile to a second product line – with 400 additional jobs to support it – further solidifies Airbus’ standing as a truly global aircraft manufacturer, and confirms without a doubt that Airbus is an important part of America’s manufacturing landscape,” said Airbus Americas Chairman & CEO C. Jeffrey Knittel. “With Mobile, and our production network in Asia, Canada and Europe, we have strategically created a worldwide industrial base to better serve our customers.”

Airbus announced plans for the addition of A220 manufacturing in Mobile in October 2017. Construction on the main A220 flowline hangar and other support buildings for the new A220 began at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley at the beginning of this year. Airbus is producing the first few aircraft within some current A320 Family buildings and newly-built support hangars. The first U.S.-made A220 – an A220-300 destined for Delta Air Lines – is scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of 2020. By the middle of the next decade, the facility will produce between 40 and 50 A220 aircraft per year.

The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market; it delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and wide-body passenger comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least 20% lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft. The A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft. With an order book of 551 aircraft as of end of June 2019, the A220 has all the credentials to win the lion’s share of the 100-to-150-seat aircraft market, estimated to represent 7,000 aircraft over the next 20 years.

Airbus has strong and longstanding ties to the United States, with Airbus aircraft being operated by the largest airlines in America. Additionally, Airbus is a major partner of U.S. aerospace companies and workers. The company has purchased $48 billion of components and materials from American suppliers in the last three years alone, and supports more than 275,000 American jobs. Among its facilities in the U.S. Airbus has: engineering centers in Kansas and Alabama; training facilities in Florida and Colorado; materials support and headquarters in Virginia; an innovative think tank (A3) in California; a drone data analysis business (Airbus Aerial) in Atlanta, Georgia; helicopter manufacturing and assembly facilities in Texas and Mississippi; and a satellite manufacturing facility (OneWeb) in Florida.

@Airbus @AirbusintheUS #A220

B-roll video of the start of production may be found at http://a320mobile.com

Air Lease Announces First of Eight New Airbus A321-200neo LR to Aer Lingus

July 29, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

LOS ANGELES, July 26, 2019 – Today Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL) announced the delivery of one new Airbus A321-200neo LR aircraft on long-term lease to Aer Lingus (Dublin, Ireland). This Airbus aircraft, featuring CFM International LEAP-1A33 engines, is the first of eight A321-200neo LRs scheduled to deliver to the airline through 2020 from ALC’s order book with Airbus.

“ALC is pleased to announce this first of eight A321-200neo LR aircraft delivery today to our long-time customer, Aer Lingus, and introduce the A321neo to the airline,” said Steven F. Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation. “The new ALC A321neo LR will enable Aer Lingus to substantially increase the number of flights, frequencies and new destinations between Ireland and the USA and Canada. We are honored to be a part of Aer Lingus’ ongoing fleet transition to the A321neo LR to enhance the airline’s expanding route network with the most modern, fuel-efficient aircraft.”

“This significant delivery to our good friends at Aer Lingus strengthens our close relationship and we are confident that the A321-200neo LR will advance the airline’s fleet operations and overall growth goals,” added Grant Levy, Executive Vice President of Air Lease Corporation.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Air Lease Corporation

ALC is a leading aircraft leasing company based in Los Angeles, California that has airline customers throughout the world. ALC and its team of dedicated and experienced professionals are principally engaged in purchasing commercial aircraft and leasing them to its airline customers worldwide through customized aircraft leasing and financing solutions. For more information, visit ALC’s website at www.airleasecorp.com.

About Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus, part of International Airlines Group, operates as a leading Irish airline primarily providing passenger and cargo transportation services from Ireland to the United Kingdom and Europe and also to the United States and Canada.

Ford to Upgrade Chicago Plant for SUV’s, Add 450 Workers

July 22, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

DETROIT (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co said on Monday it would invest $50 million upgrading a Chicago facility to partially assemble hybrid electric SUVs and vehicles for police use, creating 450 jobs.

The plant currently modifies vehicles for police use. That work will be transferred to a nearby facility.

After retooling, the new production line will later this year start partially assembling hybrid versions of the Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle and the luxury Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring SUV.

It will also partially assemble the Police Interceptor SUV.

On Friday, Ford said it would lay off about 200 workers in September at a Canadian manufacturing plant in Oakville, Ontario, with more layoffs possible in January, because of slowing sales of the sedans that the plant manufactures.

Overall, U.S. new vehicle sales are expected to fall this year, although pickup trucks and SUVs remain more popular than traditional passenger cars.

Last week, Ford also kicked off talks on a new four-year contract with the United Auto Workers union, with job security, healthcare costs and the use of temporary workers expected to be major sticking points.

(Reporting by Nick Carey; Editing by Peter Cooney)

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