GM bondholders to present alternate plan

DETROIT (Reuters) - Bondholders will present an alternative to General Motors' just-launched debt-for-equity exchange in a deal that would swap a 51-percent stake in a restructured company for $27 billion (18.2 billion pounds) in debt, according to a person with knowledge of the plan.

The new plan would give the United Auto Workers union 41-percent in a new GM while the U.S. government would not receive an equity stake, according to the person who asked not to be named because the offer had not yet been submitted.

A committee representing GM bondholders will present the alternative plan to the White House task force overseeing the restructuring of GM and Chrysler on Thursday, the person said.

GM said this week it was moving ahead with a plan to offer existing bondholders a 10-percent ownership of the restructured automaker. Under the GM plan, the US government would own a combined 89-percent of the new company.

GM Chief Executive Fritz Henderson said on Monday the automaker would file for bankruptcy if bondholders did not swap out of 90-percent of the $27 billion they are owed.

(Reporting by Kevin Krolicki; Editing by Anshuman Daga)