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Sunday September 05, 2010

GM CEO says he'll work with the unionCommentRecommend

General Motors CEO Dan Akerson chose the UAW for the topic of his first companywide message, saying he believes in cooperating with the group.

Others have suggested the union could prove a challenge for the sacrifice-minded boss.

"Coming from a union family, I know on a very personal level the good things that unions can do," Akerson said in a note to employees in honor of Labor Day on Monday.

The CEO said he recently met with UAW President Bob King and Vice President Joe Ashton, who is the union's lead GM negotiator:

"We agreed that, while we will not always see eye to eye on everything, GM will succeed to the extent that management and labor work together," Akerson said in the note, obtained by the Free Press.

Akerson, GM's fourth CEO since 2009, took over Wednesday after former CEO Ed Whitacre said he didn't plan to stay long past GM's initial public offering, planned for late this year.

Some who know Akerson have said he may have difficulty working with the UAW, which will negotiate a new contract with GM next year and may ask to restore losses it agreed to ahead of GM's bankruptcy.

Akerson, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, is known for urging subordinates to stop complaining and start working.

"There will always be more hard work ahead of us," he said in the note, "but because of your dedication, I have great optimism for GM's future."

Here is full text of the note:

As Labor Day approaches in the U.S. and Canada, I would like to wish everyone at General Motors a safe, happy holiday weekend. I also ask that we pause for moment to reflect on what this day means as we celebrate labor's many contributions here and around the world.

Of course, labor's role in building up this nation and others is well recognized and rightly so. and, coming from a union family, I know on a very personal level the good things that unions can do.

I met recently with UAW President Bob King and Vice President-GM Department Joe Ashton at Solidarity House, and we agreed that, while we will not always see eye to eye on everything, GM will succeed to the extent that management and labor work together. I believe very deeply in that.

At GM, the devotion by employees to design, build and sell the world's best vehicles shines through every day. around the world, we rely on the hard work of our designers, engineers, union represented employees, marketers and corporate staff in the most challenging circumstances.

Many in the U.S. worked though our traditional summer downtime to keep our momentum going.

Please accept my sincere thanks for your commitment to General Motors. To employees around the world please know that your work is appreciated. To those in the U.S. and Canada, enjoy this three-day holiday.

There will always be more hard work ahead of us, but because of your dedication, I have great optimism for GM's future.

-- Chrissie Thompson/Detroit Free Press