UAW: Deal will save jobs (GM promises to keep 16 U.S. assembly plants open)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sat_gm_0929sep29,0,3741251.story

GM promises to keep 16 U.S. assembly plants open

By Rick Popely | Tribune staff reporter
September 29, 2007

The United Auto Workers' tentative contract with General Motors Corp. includes unprecedented promises to secure the jobs of thousands of workers for years, while requiring GM to pay out at least $35 billion in health-care benefits and establishes a new pay tier for thousands of new workers, according to the UAW.

On Friday, local labor leaders endorsed the contract, which includes promises from GM to build current and new models at 16 U.S. assembly plants, including one in Janesville, Wis.

The deal is still subject to ratification by GM's 73,000 UAW workers, which should be completed by Oct. 10, officials said.

Still, the endorsement by the labor leaders was seen as a promising sign and union and GM executives alike praised the contract for helping both sides.

UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said the agreement provides "unprecedented product guarantees" and a "total moratorium on outsourcing" jobs.

Janesville, which employs 2,700, is scheduled to build redesigned versions of GM's full-size trucks for the 2013 model year, according to the UAW.

It now builds the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban full-size sport-utility vehicles, but production of those models is set to end in 2012. With no replacement vehicles announced, workers worried that the plant, GM's oldest, would close.

FULL story at link.