GM, Chrysler Labor Talks Slow as Deadline Looms
  • On Friday night, union negotiators walked out of talks with GM in a dispute over funding of a union-administered trust that will take over retiree health care expenses next year, a person briefed on the talks said Saturday.

    At Chrysler, talks have slowed considerably, but the union is negotiating heavily with Dearborn-based Ford, according to another person briefed on the talks. Neither person wanted to be identified because the talks are private.

    In past national contract talks, the UAW has at times negotiated with the healthiest of the three automakers, agreeing to terms that serve as a pattern for the other two.

    But these talks are far different. GM and Chrysler are the only automakers that took government aid and face Tuesday's deadline, even though Ford CEO Alan Mulally has said he expects his company to get the same concessions as the automakers so that it isn't left at a disadvantage.

    At GM, UAW negotiators walked away because the company made demands that were "detrimental to retirees and the ability to provide health care," according to the person briefed on those talks. The person didn't know further details.


Good to see that the UAW is making serious concessions to share the pain and keep the companies going.