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GM, UAW poaching Nissan workers in Tennessee

General Motors and the United Auto Workers are going on a recruitment drive at the Spring Hill factory in Tennessee, and they're hoping to poach some skilled workers from Nissan's nearby plant in Smyrna, TN. The General and the union even bought a billboard advertising for industrial electricians near the Japanese automaker's facility, according to the Daily News Journal. The reason for the billboard was simple. "GM was short of electricians," said Tim Stannard, the president of the UAW local at Spring Hill, to the Daily News Journal. The factory currently builds the Chevrolet Equinox but has a contract to assemble the next generation of Ecotec engines and the Cadillac XT5, which replaces the SRX. Thanks to the $185-million deal, employment there is expected to double by May 2016, according to Stannard, with roughly 1,800 additional union jobs. Beyond just several billboards, GM has job postings online for the Spring Hill plant looking for workers with specific skills. There has already been some interest in the positions among Nissan employees, Stannard indicated. According to a recent study by the Center for Automotive Research, the average GM worker currently makes $58 an hour, including benefits. Comparatively, Nissan pays an average of $42 an hour with benefits. The General's number could change in the coming weeks because its contract with the UAW is about to expire, and higher wages are among the major negotiating points.

2018 Cadillac CTS-V gets frosty with 115 Glacier Metallic Edition models

To celebrate the company's 115th anniversary, Cadillac has introduced a special edition of the CTS-V called the Glacier Metallic Edition. Apparently, Cadillac really likes creating special edition models focused on ice and cold. The name comes from the exclusive Glacier Metallic paint, which to us looks like a shade of white, but according to Cadillac, it's actually gray. In addition to the special color, the car also includes the normally optional Carbon Fiber Package and Luxury Package, along with red Brembo brake calipers. It also fits silver and gray forged wheels instead of the black ones the Carbon Fiber Package typically comes with. All the other features, including driving instruction in Las Vegas, are the same as a normal CTS-V. This special edition Cadillac isn't cheap, though. It runs $103,885. Optioning out a regular CTS-V in the same way as the Glacier Metallic model would save you roughly $6,000, and you wouldn't be missing any features. What you would miss out on would be the exclusivity. Cadillac is only building 115 CTS-Vs in this special color. So if you want to stand out -- at least as much as you can with such a subtle color -- the CTS-V Glacier Metallic Edition is the Caddy to buy. Related Video:

Weekly Recap: Auto execs face life in prison for recall delays under proposed legislation

The stiff punishments are part of broader transportation legislation, but clearly McCaskill has automakers in her sights.
Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill threw down the gauntlet this week, proposing a bill that could send auto executives to prison for life if they were found to have delayed a recall. She also wants to eliminate the limit for fines for auto safety violations, which are currently capped at $35 million.