UAW Compromise, Detroit Auto Show, Volcano Knox, See Ya Soda

It’s Tuesday time as we give an update on a new UAW compromise, talk about the Detroit Auto Show and Battery Show that begin this week. We also cover a massive lithium deposit in the US as we say farewell to public McDonalds soda fountains. Over the weekend, rhetoric was toned down from “insulting” to “deeply inadequate”. Yesterday, in a pivotal display and just days before the strike deadline, UAW has reduced its pay raise demand to the mid-30% range, signaling a potential compromise. This decision comes after weeks of intense negotiations with Detroit's top three automakers, amid rising tensions and high-stake counter proposals. -"We are ready to negotiate in Detroit 24/7, just as we have been for the past seven weeks since we gave them our members demands," Fain said Monday. "Despite receiving no response for over a month, when the CEOs are ready to make a serious offer we'll be there, day or night. It's unfortunate the companies have waited until the last moments to get focused on the needs of 150,000 autoworkers, our families and our communities." -On August 1, the union initially demanded a 20 percent raise upon approval, coupled with four consecutive annual raises of 5 percent for the contract's duration. This compounding approach would lead to a total hike of 46 percent by 2027. https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/th... As the Detroit auto show starts its engines on Thrusday, the traditionally international flair is steering more national. Despite the pandemic's disruption and a shift toward online car sales, these events remain vital marketing venues, drawing consumers eager for a hands-on experience with the latest vehicle models. -Post-pandemic, car brands are redirecting budgets, emphasizing their home country car shows and targeting nations with significant growth opportunities. -In the U.S., car shows are a crucial marketing tool. Before pandemic lockdowns, Foresight Research estimated 6.5 million U.S. households attended car shows, with three-quarters of those intending to buy a car in the upcoming year. -Also running concurrently, is The Battery Show in the nearby suburb of Novi. From the event site, “The Battery Show brings together engineers, business leaders, top-industry companies, and innovative thinkers to discover ground-breaking products and create powerful solutions for the future.” -The site advertises 15k attendees, 200 speakers, and 800 suppliers https://jalopnik.com/a-volcano-in-the... New research indicates the McDermitt Caldera, an ancient supervolcano site on the Oregon-Nevada border, may hold the world's largest lithium deposit. This could revolutionize the U.S. EV supply chain with an eco-friendly extraction method. However, local tribes raise concerns over potential mining on sacred lands. -The McDermitt Caldera, located on the Oregon-Nevada border, could potentially be the world's largest lithium deposit, containing over 132 million tons. -This deposit could surpass the former largest known deposit, the Atacama Salt Flat in Bolivia, providing 12 times more lithium. -Lithium extraction is typically energy-intensive and environmentally harmful, involving mining ore from the Earth or brine recovery, producing harmful byproducts; the former heats rock using fossil fuels while the latter is a costly process that pumps out underground aquifers. However, the caldera's formation offers a potentially cleaner extraction method. -Scientists emphasize that this type of lithium resource can be mined sustainably, producing less waste and requiring less energy. -The Bureau of Land Management's proposal to mine this region has faced opposition from local tribes, with potential mining to start in 2026 if approved. https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdon... McDonald's has announced plans to eliminate self-serve soda fountains from its US dining rooms by 2032. Citing reasons like food safety, theft prevention, and the decline of dine-in customers, the fast-food giant aims to streamline the customer experience across its platforms and adapt to the rising trend of digital ordering post-pandemic. -Franchisee Mikel Petro, who owns 15 McDonald's in central Illinois, told the State Journal-Register “"The crew "It's an evolution towards convenience and (the result of) the growth of digital service," -"Crew pour also eliminates theft and emphasizes the brand's new focus on creating a more relaxed dine-in experience complete with servers delivering meals to the table." 0:00 Intro 0:35 ASOTU CON Promo 1:15 New ASOTU CON swag - custom printed shoelaces 3:00 Remarketing and Certified Pre-Owned Panel at ASOTU CON 5:15 ASOTU Edge Webinar tomorrow! 6:26 UAW Backs off Demands 8:30 Are auto shows relevant still? 13:15 Massive Lithium Deposit Discovered In Nevada 15:28 McDonalds to remove all self-serve soda by 2032