GM CEO Barra takes role in talks to end strike: union

WASHINGTON/DETROIT General Motors chief executive Mary Barra met with senior United Auto Workers officials to discuss the No. 1 U.S. automaker’s most recent proposal to end a more than threeweek-old strike that has cost it over US$1 billion, a union spokesman said on Thursday.

Barra met with UAW president Gary Jones and senior union negotiator Terry Dittes on Wednesday when GM had not yet received a formal response to a new offer made on Monday morning, sources briefed on the matter said.

GM declined to comment on the meeting, but said progress was being made in the talks.

“There was no secret meeting. There was a meeting (between Barra and Jones and Dittes) and we continue to meet at all levels,” UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg said.

The strike began on Sept. 16, with the UAW’s 48,000 members seeking higher pay, greater job security, a bigger share of the automaker’s profit and protection of healthcare benefits.

Apart from costing GM more than US$1 billion, the work stoppage has forced it to idle operations along with nearly 10,000 workers in Canada and Mexico.

U.S. President Donald Trump and many lawmakers have also urged GM to build more vehicles in the United States, shifting work from Mexico.

GM’s production of trucks and sport-utility vehicles in Mexico has drawn anger among union workers.

GM said last month before the strike began that it had offered to make US$7 billion in new U.S. investments in eight facilities in four states.

The Wednesday meeting between Barra and the UAW lasted more than 30 minutes and took place at GM’s headquarters, where negotiations are ongoing. Barra’s goal was to get the talks moving again, the sources said.