Chrysler Group announced this morning that the car and truck maker and the United Auto Workers (UAW) have agreed to continue bargaining past the Sept. 14 expiration of its national labor contract.
Chrysler said it “will continue its efforts to reach a new agreement.” The OEM stated that, “Once we have an agreement, it is subject to ratification - a UAW internal process - and then [will be] implemented.”
Also, as reported today by Michigan’s Daily Tribune, UAW signed a contract extension with Ford Motor Co. last night, “averting a potential strike against the automaker.” The existing UAW contract with Ford was set to expire at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday and without the extension, the union could have automatically called a strike.
And per an Associated Press (AP) report, UAW early today extended its contract talks with General Motors (GM) after failing to meet a deadline to reach a new agreement. The AP story stated that GM broke off talks after midnight and said they would resume at 8 a.m. EDT today.
UAW negotiations with General Motors and Chrysler Group have intensified over the last couple of days, according to the Daily Tribune. “But both sides remain some distance apart, according to sources familiar with the talks, who asked not to be identified,” the news report stated.
As of this time, no statements on the contract extensions have been issued by UAW.