Chrysler, GM may miss deadline, UAW president says
Written on January 22, 2009
The president of the United Auto Workers says a mid-February deadline for General Motors and Chrysler to complete their restructuring plans may be "almost unattainable."
The UAW ’s Ron Gettelfinger told reporters Monday in Washington that many people consider the timeline for the two companies to detail their reorganization plans to be "almost unattainable," and he hopes it "wasn’t set up to intentionally fail."
The Treasury Department provided $17.4 billion in loans to General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC last month, but the companies need to file detailed restructuring plans by Feb. 17 that include concessions from the UAW and bondholders.
Thousands of UAW workers live in the St. Louis area and could be affected by the concessions. Chrysler employs more than 1,300 hourly workers at its Dodge Ram plant in Fenton, the automaker said last week.
About 1,850 UAW members work at GM’s Wentzville plant, making the GMC Savana and Chevrolet Express full-size van.
Plenty of retirees from the auto plants also live in the region, although it’s difficult to calculate that number no fax payday advance.
GM’s restructuring plan is sweeping. The automaker told Congress that it planned to have fewer nameplates, fewer dealers and fewer brands by 2012. Observers said GM probably would sell its Saab and Hummer divisions and trim its Pontiac lineup to a niche brand. The future of its Saturn brand also is being examined.
Chrysler told Congress it would seek "meaningful concessions from each of its major constituents" but did not elaborate.
Angela Tablac of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
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