UAW Issues Unresolved

UAW Issues Unresolved

By Henry Reske

Sun Staff Writer

A strike by 170,000 Ford Motor Company workers continued Monday with reports of minimal progress at the bargaining tables.

UAW vice-president Ken Bannon reported at an evening news briefing Sunday that some progress is being made in the strike, now in its third week.

"We've been meeting every day, sometimes for longer periods than others," Bannon explained. "There's always a lot of homework to be done."

Bannon and UAW president Leonard Woodcock met twice with Ford negotiators Sunday.

Bannon, however, said that the major issues have yet to be resolved.

Agreement has not been reached on union demands for a shortened work week, layoff benefits and cash supplements for retirees to cope with inflation.

Bannon did say that minor, non-economic issues have been agreed on and promised that negotiations would continue "for as many hours as makes sense."

Auto workers last week received their final paycheck from Ford for the two days worked prior to the walkout that began September 14.

This week the auto workers will be receiving union strike benefits ranging from $40 to $50 a week, depending on the number of persons in their family.

The widening effects of the strike shut down plants in Canada last week, idling 5,450 workers. Other Ford Canadian workers were idled earlier in the week because of parts shortages caused by the U.S. strike.

Photo caption: Leonard Woodcock

Photo credit: Barbara Weinberg, Detroit Sun