Negotiations between General Motors and the United Auto Workers have been picking up speed in the last few days in an effort to reach an agreement before the contract expires on Wednesday night. Both GM and Chrysler are trying to reach agreements before Wednesday, while Ford has agreed to extend its contract until the UAW reaches agreement with the other two. GM is hoping to avoid raises, and instead offer signing bonuses, as well as devising a new wage structure that would cut labor costs. The UAW would not say what they were asking for in terms of bonuses, or what the top wage in such an entry-level pay scale would be. The UAW agreed to not strike GM or Chrysler, who got bailouts from the government to remain solvent.
See "G.M. Looks to Shepard U.A.W. Pact", Bill Vlasic and Nick Bunkley, The New York Times, September 13, 2011