WASHINGTON: General Motors Co Chief Executive Mary Barra and President Mark Reuss took part in contract talks with the United Auto Workers union on Tuesday in a sign that a 30-day-long strike of 48,000 U.S. hourly workers could be nearing an end, two people briefed on the talks said on Tuesday.
On Monday, the UAW scheduled a meeting on Thursday morning to update local union representatives on the status of the talks, sources previously said. The sides have not reached a tentative agreement that would end the strike, but progress has been made.GM declined to comment on the involvement of the No. 1 U.S. automaker's top two executives in the talks. A UAW spokesman declined to comment.
The UAW strike began on Sept. 16, with the union's members at GM seeking higher pay, greater job security, a bigger share of profit and protection of healthcare benefits. Other issues include the fate of plants GM has indicated could close, and the use of temporary workers. After GM angered the UAW negotiators last week by appealing directly to workers and revealing details of the Detroit automaker's latest offer, the sides have continued talking. The UAW made a counter offer to GM on Friday.Source: Reuters