Journalists Learn "Life On The Line," as UAW and GM Prepare For Contract Talks.

The UAW's top GM negotiator holding open the possibility that the union might accept more "low wage" plants, if it means more jobs.

We can talk about wages, which is important to our membership, and benefits, but if you don't have jobs, as you can see, wages really don't mean as much," said union vice President Joe Ashton at GM's Orion Township Plant, which is being converted to small car production.

As part of that conversion, 40 per cent of the work force will make a lower, second tier wage. Even though some workers have raised protests, the union has applauded that deal as bringing to America jobs that had been done overseas.

The plant will make the Chevy Sonic, a subcompact replacement to the Aveo, which is now made in South Korea. It will also build the Verano, Buick's first compact.

Workers are now being trained for that production, and a number of reporters were invited to go through that training, including WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert. It will be documented—in video—in next week's Car Chronicles: Extra! Program, on this web site.

"It is our work. It is our livelihood, and we have to make sure we build a quality vehicle," said worker Tracy Frisbee, who helped train more than a dozen journalists, who got a glimpse of the exactness of the production process.

None of the journalists involved had worked on an assembly line before, and they made many quality mistakes, but Frisbee said it's all part of the learning process.

"Brutally honest, I think you did better than we expected."