UAW

Looks like rough sailing ahead: Moody's warned the GOP that its game of chicken with the debt ceiling risked a downgrade of U.S. debt. But there are some things that investors can look forward to.

When Ford awarded CEO Alan Mulally more than $50 million in compensation for 2010's record profit it raised eyebrows around Detroit. Now, the UAW is using that big payday as a rallying point for members as it starts negotiations to regain some of what autoworkers gave up in concessions during the downturn.

Less than two years after they exited bankruptcy, Chrysler Group and General Motors will soon distribute bonuses to salaried employees in recognition of their efforts to help revive the once-flagging Detroit automakers. The payout is likely to anger the companies' unionized workers.

Union employees at Chrysler Group will receive a $750 bonus next week as an acknowledgment of their contributions in helping to revive the once-bankrupt company, the automaker said Monday. Salaried workers, excluding the company's top 50 executives, will also receive the payment.

Analysts forecast that Ford will announce a profit of 48 cents a share on revenue of about $30.6 billion when it releases earnings on Friday. That translates into an expected pretax profit of $8 billion in 2010, the best Ford has seen since 1999.

After increases during 2007 and 2008 in the number of unionized workers, 2010 is following 2009 in showing a big drop. Governments now employ more union labor than the private sector does, but both categories showed declines in 2010. It's a far cry from labor's glory years.

Ford will spend $400 million to upgrade its Kansas City, Mo., plant after production of the current Ford Escape compact SUV moves to another facility. It's the fourth North American plant that Ford has overhauled or plans to as it seeks to reinvigorate its vehicle lineup.

The United Auto Workers union has been bleeding members, with fewer than 400,000 at the end of 2009. With a purportedly more collaborative attitude, the group plans to unionize foreign auto manufacturers with factories in the U.S.

In a bid to reduce its numbers of skilled workers, General Motors is reportedly offering skilled-trades workers a $60,000 buyout to leave the automaker's payroll by March.

GM's IPO generated great excitement among investors, and it drew attention to how much the auto industry has changed. Less than 60 years ago, on Jan. 17, 1956, Ford Motor had its own IPO -- the largest in history up to that time. Back then,U.S. industrial might was the envy of the world, and American cars sat atop the automotive pyramid.