GM, Chrysler's federal loan deals bar strikes

1/9/2009

DETROIT Provisions of General Motors' and Chrysler's $17.4 billion in federal loans automatically places them in default if union workers go on strike.

A General Motors Corp. filing this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission detailed the provision as part of its $13.4 billion in federal loans.

A person briefed on Chrysler LLC's $4 billion loan, who didn't want to be identified because the company is in talks with the United Auto Workers union about concessions, confirmed Thursday that the Chrysler deal also has a similar provision.

Both GM and Chrysler have large plants in Ohio.

The UAW isn't a party to the deal and hasn't threatened a strike, its most potent weapon against the Detroit automakers.

The UAW and the automakers have a Feb. 17 deadline to agree to concessions to lower labor costs.