DETROIT – Thirty days into the UAW-GM strike, there is a glimmer of hope that it could all soon come to an end.
GM CEO Mary Barra and President Mark Reuss met with the United Auto Workers leaders in the negotiating rooms Tuesday morning and the UAW is setting the table for its own leadership to discuss a deal.
While a CEO in the negotiating room is not unusual, in this instance Barra's second appearance in a week shows a sense of urgency on her part. The company's lost more than $1 billion and it's clear she wants to staunch the bleeding.
UAW Local 909 member Jim Poore worked at the now-shuttered Warren Transmission plant and his next job is at Flint Truck Assembly.
"It's coming to an end. I think they're going to solve something and I don't know what that will be, but we don't know how it will be good for us. It might be good, but it's going to end Thursday," Poore said.
Over at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant picket lines, there's similar optimism.
"I think it's going to be over soon, I really do. I think by Monday, I think it'll be done," UAW Local 22 electrician Paul Radatz said.
They made that assertion based on knowing UAW local presidents and committee chairs received a letter Monday night summoning them all from across the country to the Ren Cen for a meeting Thursday at 10:30 a.m.
Former GM negotiator Arthur Schwartz carries a similar optimism about that Thursday meeting.
"The optimistic me hopes that they're near a settlement, and they're bringing them in to give them what the settlement is," he said.