(AP) - The increasing globalization of the auto industry has brought change, uncertainty, and in some cases, a ton of worries to the thousands of men and women who build cars and trucks across the globe.
As critical contract talks between the United Auto Workers and the Detroit Three get under way, the issues of worker benefits and job security are bound to be at the top of the agenda. But so will the solvency of U.S. car companies.
Associated Press writers in the U.S., Europe and Asia profiled auto workers in the three continents, comparing their pay and benefits and detailing their quality of life, hopes for the future, and their fears as they earn a living in an industry beset by stiff competition and globalization.
The German worker for DaimlerChrysler AG had the highest hourly wage at $33.50, followed by the U.S. worker for Ford Motor Co. at about $30 per hour and the Japanese worker for Nissan at $27. But the Nissan worker got bonuses worth $17,200 annually.
Of the three, the American and the German said they were fearful about their futures due to competition from companies that build cars in lower-cost countries.
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