Workers At GM Vote To Ratify UAW Contract At 2 Locations

DETROIT (WWJ) - Workers at General Motors factories in Flint and Lansing have voted to ratify the automaker's four-year contract with the United Auto Workers union. The union reached a four-year tentative deal with GM on September 16.

It includes profit-sharing instead of annual raises for most workers and promises of at least 5,100 new union jobs.

Talks between Ford and the UAW are expected to pick up this week. WWJ AutoBeatReporter Jeff Gilbert explains that they will start tackling the tough economic issues on Monday -  but they need to get a deal together that Ford can afford and the workers can ratify says Gilbert.

Meantime, contract talks between Chrysler and the United Auto Workers union have restarted after breaking down this week over financial issues.

Both sides say in a statement that UAW President Bob King and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne had productive discussions on Friday and that talks are continuing.