If there is anything the Rick Wagoner has learned during his time at GM, it's that you never piss off the unions. That morsel of knowledge might be something that Carlos Ghosn has to consider now that the United Auto Workers (UAW) has come out in opposition of a possible merger of General Motors and Renault/Nissan.
Ron Gettelfinger, president of the UAW, has joined hands with his compatriot in Canada, as well as union leaders in France and Germany all weary of the alliance. The Japanese Auto Works (JAW) has remained mute so far, but is very interested in the outcome of such a merger.
Ghosn has had his share of dealings with unions in the past and has dealt with them in a manner contrary to his perceived slash-and-burn persona. During the '90s Mr. Ghosn was confronted with a possible strike of workers in the JAW that subsequently led to 21k in buyouts, improved salaries and long-term stability for all the workers at Nissan's various operations. This and other deals over the past decade have solidified Ghosn's position towards unions, seeing them as an integral part of the business and not a force to do battle with.
Where this new development leaves the proposed GM/Renault/Nissan coalition remains to be seen, but another layer of complexity is inevitable with so much at stake.
[Source: The Car Connection]
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