GM reaches deal with UAW workers, union strike comes to an end  
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007

     

General Motors and the United Auto Workers union have reached a tentative agreement this morning, putting an end to the two-day strike by 73,000 workers.  Just after 4 a.m. ET, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger announced the agreement to the cheering crowd at the UAW headquarters in Detroit that a deal was reached around 3:05 am.  He confirmed the strike to be officially in recess, and said that the agreement has the unanimous support of both the union's leadership and it's negotiation team.

"I think our retirees will be exceptionally pleased with this contract," Gettelfinger stated.  "For active members, there will be some changes.  I think overall they will be very, very pleased with the outcome of these negotiations and the job security associated with it.

"We've successfully resolved a lot of difficult issues.  We feel very good about this tentative agreement.  I think the strike probably helped our side more than theirs."

GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner was also pleased.  "There's no question this was one of the most complex and difficult bargaining sessions in the history of the GM/UAW relationship," he said in a statement.  "I'd like to thank UAW President Ron Gettelfinger, UAW Vice President Cal Rapson and their bargaining team for their leadership and hard work in negotiating the agreement."

General Motors said the national agreement "paves the way for GM to significantly improve its manufacturing competitiveness" and maintain a strong production presence in the U.S.  A GM spokeswoman said they will not provide details of the agreement until it is presented to the UAW workers for ratification.

The agreement will have to be approved by a majority of active union workers at GM, in a voting process that will start this weekend.

   

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