GM/UAW: China Imports

[rickaren]

GM, UAW talks heat up over China imports

Posted Tuesday, May 19, 2009, 11:35 am in Employee News

The UAW expects a crucial round of restructuring talks with General Motors Corp. “to intensify this coming week” ahead of an end-of-May deadline set by the Obama administration, Reuters reported.

In an e-mail message sent to rank-and-file workers, the union also repeated its opposition to GM’s plans to close 16 U.S. manufacturing plants and cut about 21,000 jobs while also planning to increase vehicle imports from GM plants in lower-wage economies such as Mexico, South Korea and China, Reuters said.

“The UAW is actively involved in these complex negotiations, which involve the Obama auto task force, GM management, bondholders and secured lenders, dealers, parts suppliers and other stakeholders,” the union said in the message. “These negotiations will have a major impact on wages, benefits and jobs for active and retired UAW members. We are expecting the restructuring negotiations to intensify this coming week.”

GM plans to begin importing Chinese-made cars to the United States in 2011 and boost the volume to more than 51,000 in 2014, a planning document circulated by GM among U.S. lawmakers shows, the new service reported. The document also revealed plans to sharply increase sales of cars it makes in Mexico and South Korea while reducing the number made in Canada, the story said. (Reuters/Automotive News)