UAW weighs break with tradition in talks

4/27/2011

DETROIT — The United Auto Workers may break with tradition and not set a strike target for this year’s contract negotiations with U.S. automakers, the union’s president, Bob King, said Tuesday in a speech to the Automotive Press Association in Detroit. He said he still is discussing the matter with his bargaining team.

Traditionally, the union picks one company to negotiate a labor deal, which would become a pattern for an agreement with the other two major U.S. car makers.

Contracts with General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., and Chrysler Group LLC expire in September.

Mr. King has said workers must be rewarded for the $7,000 to $30,000 in concessions they each gave since 2005 to help the automakers survive.