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The United Auto Workers is willing to make significant concessions to help rescue the Big Three US automakers, the union's president said.
"We are willing to take an extra step," UAW president Ron Gettelfinger told reporters as he prepared to join executives from General Motors, Ford and Chrysler in requesting a 34 billion dollar bailout package from Congress.
The UAW signed a landmark contract last October which will allow the Big Three to bring their labor costs in line with the US plants of their foreign rivals by creating a two-tier wage system and reducing benefits for new hires.
It also took billions of dollars of liability off the books of the Big Three by agreeing to take control of the health care benefits of retirees.
It has also seen its ranks decimated as the Big Three laid off tens of thousands of workers and shuttered scores of plants.
When asked his response to plans for further job cuts, most notably GM's announcement Tuesday that it will cut up to 31,500 more jobs by 2012, Gettelfinger said he was did not fundamentally oppose them.
"This is an issue that we will have to work through," Gettelfinger said at a press conference in Detroit.
"Hopefully we can get this industry growing again."
