Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Competitors Rev Up As Strike Slows Gm

Compiled From Wire Services

General Motors Corp. and the United Auto Workers continued marathon negotiations Monday aimed at ending a strike that’s taking a mounting toll on GM and its suppliers - and has GM competitors poised to steal business from the automaker.

The biggest UAW action against GM since 1970 pushed its layoffs to 150,050 workers, as the company announced the closing of its 25th North American assembly plant, leaving it with just one plant making passenger vehicles.

The world’s largest automaker headed into the strike with enough vehicles to withstand up to a month of limited production, analysts said. But as the strike enters its third week, spot shortages could start sending some buyers to Chrysler Corp. and Ford Motor Co. dealers.

“There’s going to be a lull in production that Ford and Chrysler could take advantage of,” said Steve Kosowski, manager of market analysis at Auto Pacific Inc. in Santa Ana, California. Chrysler Monday reported it will boost second-quarter production by 25 percent from a year ago, an increase analysts attributed partly to the GM strike.