Chrysler LLC last Saturday won approval of its proposed contract with the United Auto Workers, shifting the union's focus to Ford Motor Co., the last U.S. automaker without a new labor agreement, Bloomberg News reported. The vote was approved by 56% of production workers and 51% of skilled trade employees, according to a UAW statement. Ninety-one percent of office and clerical workers and 79% of union-represented engineering employees ratified the pact, Bloomberg said. The Chrysler accord, like an earlier agreement the union reached with General Motors Corp., calls for creation of a union fund to take responsibility for retiree health care. The agreements also call for lower wages for new employees. In return, the union received some guarantees of future work at UAW-represented plants, Bloomberg said. At Ford, the UAW will try to model an agreement on the four-year Chrysler and GM contracts, Bloomberg said. The union will negotiate with a company coming off a record $12.6 billion loss in 2006. The automaker announced plans last year to shut 16 of 41 North American factories, Bloomberg said. L&MT
So what does that mean for the retired UAW workers? Just curious, Chrysler (fenton, MO) plant is a few miles down the road from me.
