UAW President Ron Gettelfinger, who now faces the prospect of renegotiating a new labor contract with DetroitÂs automakers, today told Fox Business NetworkÂs ÂMoney for Breakfast that the union was shut out of discussions for federal assistance between the Bush administration and the automakers  a slight he called Âunbelievable given the sacrifices the union is being pushed to make.
On Friday, the Bush administration tossed General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC a $17.4-billion lifeline, but one with many strings attached. That included a push for a more competitive labor contract between the UAW and DetroitÂs automakers. Any new union deal with GM and Chrysler, experts have said, would require a similar new deal with Ford Motor Co., which isnÂt immediately seeking federal funds.
Wow. The administration negotiated a deal with the automakers that includes terms that apply to the unions. But the unions where not included in the negotiations.
I can see why they did not want the unions there, as their differing desires with the automakers and the administration would have greatly complicated the negotiations. But leaving them out gives the union a reason to try and bust the whole thing from the start.
http://money.cnn.com...0402_FORTUNE5.htm
General Motors Corp. (GM) Chief Executive Rick Wagoner on Monday defended the United Auto Workers and said he remains hopeful the company and union can strike a deal to lower labor costs.
Wagoner, during a radio interview in Detroit, said the union "took a lot of bullets" in the midst of high-profile talks over an aid package for Detroit's struggling auto makers.
"People were trying to score political points rather than fix the issues we were facing," Wagoner said.
It looks like the automakers are going to try and blame everything on the administration. No surprise there.
Jay