In short, they came to an agreement with Ford to agree to job cuts in exchange for wage increases:
http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosins...A01-313100.htm

Their sticking point with Chrysler is "outsourcing" (they think Chrysler is doing it to save money, not out of necessity). They are threatening a strike, but it seems to be just posturing. Even Chrysler seems pretty certain a deal can be made.

They are saving GM for last because they want to wait till GM reached an agreement with the UAW over healthcare concessions.

 

So it looks like GM could do well during these negotiations. They gave a trade off to Ford. Seems like they are going to stick it to Chrysler. Maybe they will be nice to GM.

 

Well maybe its just me, but I think that if chrysler wants to save money by outsourcing that should be up to chrysler. Not the union. But I don't like unions.

 

I believe that they are talking about using less domestic, US and Canada, suppliers which would impact the Unions as some suppliers employ Union workers.

 

Yeah, I really have no clue what Im talking about. I haven't bothered to read up on anything. I just don't like unions.

But I don't agree with outsourcing simply to get rid of jobs in the US. I just think that when a domestic auto cant compete with an import because of costs associated with higher labor, material costs, building code regulations for plants, stricter haz-mat/haz-waste standards, and all the other regulations that some companies don't have to hold them down, you have to do what it takes to compete.

 

Why am I not surprised? Never mind I know why!