General Motors Corp. and workers at its assembly plant in suburban Moraine have reached a tentative contract agreement that would put the facility in position to build a new generation of sport utility vehicles, a GM official said Wednesday.

GM declined to comment on the details of the contract. The International Union of Electronic Workers Local 798, which represents the plant's workers, didn't return a call for comment but its Web site confirmed an agreement had been reached. The site offered no details on the contract.

The plant's future was put into question in February when GM said the workers would have to become more competitive in producing vehicles. There were no vehicles slated to be produced at the plant after 2008.

If workers approve the agreement and GM's board of directors approves a proposal to produce a new generation of mid-sized SUVs, those vehicles would be built at the Moraine plant, GM spokesman Dan Flores said. Flores said the board is expected to make a decision by the end of the year.

About 4,150 workers are employed at the plant, which makes the Buick Rainier, GMC Envoy, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Saab 9-7X and Isuzu Ascender. GM still plans to eliminate the third production shift in mid-July because of slumping market demand, a move that will cut 1,150 jobs.

GM lost $10.6 billion in 2005, largely because of increased competition and rising costs in North America. The automaker announced a restructuring plan in November in which the automaker wants to cut 30,000 U.S. hourly workers and close 12 facilities by 2008. The Moraine plant is not on that list.

Source : http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n...L&type=business

This is good news. A sign that GM and a union can work together and come up with a plan that can work for both sides. Personally I'd be content if neither side ever published the details of the contract. The media would just manipulate the real story anyway.

General Motors Corp. and workers at its assembly plant in suburban Moraine have reached a tentative contract agreement that would put the facility in position to build a new generation of sport utility vehicles, a GM official said Wednesday.

GM declined to comment on the details of the contract. The International Union of Electronic Workers Local 798, which represents the plant's workers, didn't return a call for comment but its Web site confirmed an agreement had been reached. The site offered no details on the contract.

The plant's future was put into question in February when GM said the workers would have to become more competitive in producing vehicles. There were no vehicles slated to be produced at the plant after 2008.

If workers approve the agreement and GM's board of directors approves a proposal to produce a new generation of mid-sized SUVs, those vehicles would be built at the Moraine plant, GM spokesman Dan Flores said. Flores said the board is expected to make a decision by the end of the year.

About 4,150 workers are employed at the plant, which makes the Buick Rainier, GMC Envoy, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Saab 9-7X and Isuzu Ascender. GM still plans to eliminate the third production shift in mid-July because of slumping market demand, a move that will cut 1,150 jobs.

GM lost $10.6 billion in 2005, largely because of increased competition and rising costs in North America. The automaker announced a restructuring plan in November in which the automaker wants to cut 30,000 U.S. hourly workers and close 12 facilities by 2008. The Moraine plant is not on that list.

Source : http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n...L&type=business