Detroit, Oct 08: Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union have voted to ratify a four-year labour contract with General Motors and its former auto parts subsidiary, Delphi Corp, officials said. The UAW GM and Delphi contracts contain the same wage, health and retirement benefits as the agreements ratified by UAW members at DaimlerChrysler, Ford and its former components manufacturer Visteon Corp last month.

The deal covers more than 147,000 active workers at GM and Delphi, and about 300,000 retirees and their dependants, according to a UAW statement.

Additionally, and in marked contrast its domestic rivals who are planning to shed jobs by the thousand, GM made a commitment to hire 2,250 new skilled-trades apprentices and Delphi, 750, over the term of the agreement.
DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler unit is reportedly planning to trim its skilled workforce by 5,000 positions through voluntary buy-outs over the next four years. Bureau Report