New UAW President to Lead New Era; Looks to Glass Industry as an Example
June 14, 2010

The UAW is holding its annual convention on Detroit this week. According to an article in the Detroit Free Press, "the leaders of General Motors, Ford, Chrysler and their chief labor union must seize this moment to forge a new relationship built on trust, flexibility and simplicity." Bob King, who is expected to succeed outgoing UAW President Ron Gettelfinger, and, as the article points out, "has a golden opportunity to press the reset button and usher in a new era of trust and shared goals."

The Detroit Free Press explains that it is possible to create a "new era of trust and pragmatism" in Detroit and looks to the glass industry as an example. Specifically, "when Ford's glass-making plants in Tulsa and Nashville were facing sale or closure in 2007, Ford and the UAW and the new buyer, Zeledyne, hammered out a new deal, shrinking the number of job classifications from 20 to three, and adjusting wages, retirement and health care plans, saving hundreds of jobs." (CLICK HERE to read a related article).

CLICK HERE to read the full article from the Detroit Free Press.

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