As GM comes closer to its government-imposed June 1 deadline to restructure or face bankruptcy, UAW officials said that they expect talks with the struggling Detroit automaker “to intensify this coming week.” In a letter sent to rank-and-file workers, the UAW also showed its opposition to GM’s plans to start importing vehicles from China as it closes 16 plants and cuts 21,000 jobs in the United States.

“The UAW is actively involved in these complex negotiations, which involve the Obama auto task force, GM management, bondholders and secured lenders, dealers, parts suppliers and other stakeholders,” UAW said in the letter. “These negotiations will have a major impact on wages, benefits and jobs for active and retired UAW members.

Last week, GM announced plans to start importing 17,335 Chinese-made cars to the U.S. by 2011. It plans to triple that number to 51,546 by 2014. Documents that revealed those plans also show an increase of imports from Mexico and South Korea.

GM also plans on reducing the number of cars it imports from Canada, which is surely to anger CAW workers.

- By: Kap Shah

Source: Reuters