GM <GM> PARTS WORKERS TO VOTE ON CONTRACT
Workers at a General Motors Corp
parts plant in Michigan are scheduled to vote tomorrow on a new
contract that would change the way many of the workers do their
job.
    Some 3,000 members of the United Auto Workers at GM's
Livonia, Mich., parts plant will vote in two shifts on a local
contract to replace their current agreement with the company,
according to officials of both the union and the company.
    The proposed accord would initiate the so-called "team
concept" at the plant, which makes seat cushions and is part of
GM's Inland Division.
    Under the proposed contract, workers in one area of the
plant would be responsible for the entire product and would
make some of their own decisions about assembling that product,
said Kevin Woodward, a steward with the UAW local that
represents the workers.
    An Inland division spokesman would not discuss details of
the accord. But he said Inland has a "serious" capacity
problem.
    No wage or benefit issues are in the proposal. Those issues
are covered by a national pact between GM and the UAW. Talks on
a new national accord are expected to begin in July.
    If the contract is ratified, it would go into effect as
soon as the vote count is completed, said Ronald Catcher, a
member of the local's executive board.
    The pact would also stay in place through the next national
contract, he said.
    Catcher said the union members are sharply divided on the
new accord. "It's going to be close either way," he said.
    Many of the workers are afraid that, if the agreement is
not ratified, the plant will be shut down, union officials
said. The GM spokesman said "no decision has been made to that
effect."
 Reuter
