DETROIT (AP) -- Canadian Auto Workers president Basil ``Buzz'' Hargrove said a second contract offer made Sunday by General Motors of Canada is an improvement over a previous proposal.þþBut he said more meetings will be needed for an agreement to be reached by Tuesday's deadline.þþThe company's new package ``removes most of the offensive proposals that General Motors tabled with us a couple of days ago,'' Hargrove said in a news briefing carried by teleconference from Toronto, where negotiations were taking place.þþ``We are now comfortable that we're moving towards a settlement, as opposed to a strike,'' he added.þþStew Low, director of public relations for GM Canada, said that while there is still a lot of work to be done, he sees no reason an agreement can't be reached.þþHe said GM needs to be concerned with union member needs, but also needs to stay competitive.þþ``We need to ensure that we control costs,'' Low said.þþNeither side is releasing proposed contract details, but Low said GM has made ``a substantial offer'' to the union.þþHargrove called GM's original proposal last week ``offensive.'' Though he said the second one is much better, he also said: ``We need to put a lot more meat on the bones.''þþThe union targeted GM last week for the hard bargaining, with negotiations on separate contracts with the other two major North American producers -- Ford Canada and DaimlerChrysler-- to follow.þþWhile the auto workers have said they want substantial wage increases, GM Canada president Michael Grimaldi has said a strike by the company's 20,000 union workers appeared unlikely. The union says GM can afford increases after reporting second-quarter profits and improved sales.þþHargrove said that a major issue in upcoming negotiations with Ford will be the auto company's decision to close its plant in Oakville, Ontario.þþ
Source: NY Times
