Auto town braces for concessions

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-thu_uaw_0913sep13,0,3912613.story

Contract talks between UAW and carmakers will have far-reaching effects on GM workers, people of Janesville

By Rick Popely and Stephen Franklin | Tribune staff reporters
September 13, 2007

JANESVILLE, Wis. - As the midnight Friday deadline for the United Auto Workers contract with the domestic carmakers draws near, assembly-line workers and retirees in this southern Wisconsin town sense they will give more than they get this time.

They just don't know what or how much.

"I think they'll cut a lot of corners and bring in outside contractors to work in the plant and eliminate a lot of our people," said Al Cooper, who was worked nearly 30 years for General Motors Corp. here and plans to retire in a few months.

Still, Cooper hopes that whatever concessions the UAW makes this year will enable GM to return to sustained profitably to secure the pension and health-care benefits he is counting on.

"If they aren't making money after this contract goes through, it's going to be real bad," he said, predicting that GM would shift more production to countries with lower labor costs.

Negotiators for the UAW and GM, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC have been bargaining for a four-year contract since July, but unlike in years past little has leaked out about what could happen or whether there will be a tentative pact by Friday.

Also unlike past negotiations, there is a widespread expectation that the union stands to make the most concessions.

FULL story at link.