UAW negotiators from factories across America will begin arriving in Detroit on Wednesday to begin preparing for negotiations with Detroit’s automakers, which are under pressure from Congress to bring their labor costs in line with those of foreign automakers in return for federal aid.
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The preparations among the UAW leadership from GM, Ford and Chrysler facilities nationwide are expected to last at least three days, according to one negotiator who did not want his identity revealed. The UAW just ratified its last four-year national labor contract in 2007.
Negotiations with GM are expected to begin Monday, and everything is expected to be on the table, according to a person familiar with the union’s planning.
Despite that, the UAW on today stopped short of saying it is re-opening contract agreements reached with the Detroit Three a little over a year ago.
“We’ll sit down and have discussions along the lines of things we could do in the contracts and have that ratified without opening the contracts,” Gettelfinger said in a statement provided to the Free Press.
In December, the Bush administration agreed to provide $17.4 billion in federal loans from the Troubled Asset Relief Program to GM and Chrysler to prevent the two automakers from potential bankruptcy.
Ford Motor Co. has not asked for federal loans, but said it might do so if the economy deteriorates further. Ford is expected to seek any concessions from the union that GM and Chrysler receive as part of their federal aid package.
SOURCE: FREEP.COM
