There were two reasons for the Toyota union's decision, says Yuji Kato, president of the Confederation of Japan Automobile Workers' Union.

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Ford Motor ( F - news - people ) announced it would be offering buyout or retirement incentive packages to all 41, 000 of its hourly, United Automobile Workers-represented workers in the U.S. The company is trying to reduce payroll costs as a step toward regaining profitability by 2011.

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It had become accepted wisdom that workers on automobile assembly lines would never be passionate about their work.

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The stance of Verizon workers could have a major affect on their labor brethren at the automobile manufacturers.

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But, as new highways were built, and as the automobile manufacturers began closing plants, people with money moved to the suburbs, and many workers, especially African-Americans, were left stranded.

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The metamorphosis, overseen by the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM), takes two months to complete and calls on the expertise of 200 construction workers to build 1, 100 tonnes of grandstands, 900 tonnes of pit garages and 21 miles of safety barriers.

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