Ideas wanted: Weigh in on the UAW/Big 3 talks

[LuckyTheDog]

http://wwj.typepad.com/michigan_future/2007/07/auto-talks-to-b.html

Few things are more vital to Michigan's future than this. Bargaining teams from the United Auto Workers will open contract talks with Chrysler Group on Friday, July 20, and with General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. on Monday, July 23.

UAW president Ron Gettelfinger has said that the union is not in a "concessionary mode." But clearly, everyone involved knows that these talks won't be business as usual. Things will change – perhaps radically.

We want to hear from you

How far should the UAW and the Big 3 go in reinventing the relationship between management and labor? What are some of the key tasks they need to get done in this round of bargaining? What would constitute success for either side? What should be done about health care costs?

[SharonRB]

1. Health care costs are going to be the key

I don't think there's any way around the unions making concessions -- higher copays, bigger premiums, anything to relieve the companies of costs. It's happening in other industries and the autos can't be immune from it.