Early tally shows UAW workers ratifying new GM deal

By Nick Carey

DETROIT (Reuters) - A majority of rank-and-file members of the United Auto Workers approved a ratified agreement with General Motors Corp on Thursday that will give the union a stake in the U.S. automaker in return for concessions, according to initial tallies.

"This is tough for our members, but our hands are tied," said Dwight Chatham, president of UAW Local 211 in Defiance, Ohio, whose members voted 77 percent in favor of the amended agreement. "We want to help GM survive. Now this is back in the hands of GM and the government."

UAW Local 211 represents nearly 1,300 workers.

The ratified agreement, announced earlier this week, is part of GM's plans to restructure its business and smooth its passage through Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company is expected to file for bankruptcy in the next few days.

Under the terms of the amended agreement, the UAW would receive half the $20 billion GM owes a union-aligned healthcare trust in the form of stock and new debt instead of cash.

GM's roughly 54,000 UAW-represented U.S. factory workers began voting on the agreement on Wednesday and should conclude on Thursday.

UAW president Ron Gettelfinger told Reuters some 40 percent of the total vote had been counted and the final tally should be completed at around 4 p.m. EDT on Friday.

Workers at UAW Local 1853 in Spring Hill, Tennessee, which represents some 3,000 workers, voted 88.2 percent in favor of the amendment, an official said.