When I was trying to decide which car to buy last year, I had a tough choice, because despite a family history with union labor, the hybrid offerings from the American car companies just aren't where they ought to be. I bought an HCH- I decided that fuel economy and low emissions were more important than who made the car and where.

Now it looks like my parents are doing some car shopping, and I would REALLY love to be able to steer them into the hybrid market. Basically, my father told me yesterday that he does not want to buy any car that isn't made by an American union. His father was a union official, AFL-CIO, and the unions are really important to him. It's not just about 'buying American' to him; it's about supporting the companies and workers who take seriously the health and safety standards that the unions and my grandfather fought for for so long. So far, our conversation has gone like this: 'Toyota is going to be building hybrids in a factory in the US by October' and he replies, 'Yes, but is it a UAW factory?' I honestly don't know; he thinks not.

Our station wagon is on its last legs, and it may die at any time and force the issue. Without a Girl Scout troop to drive around anymore, they are probably downgrading to a smaller car (FEH out of the question). I would like to be ready when the time comes with some information/arguments to offer about SOME kind of hybrid that involves this issue, and I've poked around the discussion threads without finding what I need.

So does anyone out there know of union connections, plans, future expansion, past involvement, which would help me have this conversation? Lots of foreign car companies have factories, manufacturing, assembly, whatever, in the US to some degree, and so I'm hopeful that there's something out there I'm missing, some hybrid/union connection that I couldn't find last year when I was doing my own shopping, but which could tip the scale in favor of hybrids with my parents.

Thanks!