Chrysler workers approve union deal

United Auto Workers members narrowly passed a four-year contract agreement with Chrysler on Saturday, leaving Ford Motor Co. the last automaker that the union must negotiate with in this year’s round of contract talks.

Talks with Ford were proceeding Saturday, although union leadership wasn’t expected to attend and no agreement was expected during the weekend, a person briefed on the talks said.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the talks are private.

The union said 56% of production workers and 51% of skilled-trade workers voted for the Chrysler pact. The percentages voting in favor were much higher among clerical workers and engineers represented by the union. The contract covers about 45,000 active workers at Chrysler and more than 55,000 Chrysler retirees and 23,000 surviving spouses. It expires in 2011.

“Our members had to face some tough choices, and we had a solid, democratic debate about this contract,” UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said. “Now we’re going to come together as a union -- and now it’s on the company to move ahead, increase their market share and continue to build great cars and trucks here in the U.S.”

Chrysler said the agreement would make the company more competitive.

“We are pleased that our UAW employees recognize that the new agreement meets the needs of the company and its employees by providing a framework to improve our long-term manufacturing competitiveness,” said Tom LaSorda, Chrysler’s vice chairman and president.

The union and Chrysler reached agreement Oct. 10 after a six-hour nationwide strike. Like the agreement ratified by General Motors Corp. workers, the Chrysler contract establishes a union-run trust to cover retirees’ healthcare and allows the company to pay lower wages to about 11,000 noncore, nonassembly workers.