Ottawa is flexible about when General Motors Canada and its union reach a new labour agreement, as long as it’s part of a finished restructuring plan to be delivered by the end of May, Industry Minister Tony Clement says.
The federal and Ontario governments set last Friday as the deadline for GM to reach a new labour agreement with the Canadian Auto Workers, but the two sides were still mired in negotiations yesterday.
“GM is a very complex situation involving a multitude of countries and we are trying to exhibit as much patience as possible from Canada’s perspective, though there are certain things that have to happen in order for there to be a deal,” Clement said yesterday in Atlanta.
However, the CAW said in a pamphlet the federal and provincial governments are interfering in the talks, making an agreement difficult.
