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In a significant reversal, General Motors has told the UAW that it will continue to pay for health coverage of striking workers. GM told the union after it went on strike Sept. 16 at company sites nationwide that it was kicking health care costs to the union, a move that UAW leaders said blindsided them, even though they had anticipated picking up those costs at some point through the strike fund. GM said Thursday it "has chosen to work with our providers to keep all benefits fully in place for striking hourly employees, so they have no disruption to their medical care, including vision, prescription and dental coverage. (Lawrence, 9/26)

“This is an attempt to do what’s right for our employees,” GM spokesman Dan Flores said. It’s normal procedure in strikes for the cost of health care to shift from the company, which is largely self-insured, to the union. It says on the union website that the UAW will pick up the cost of the premiums. But the timing of when GM ends the health care and when the union takes over is at issue. The UAW said the benefits lapsed, but did not give a date. (Krisher, 9/26)

In a letter to G.M. on Thursday, Terry Dittes, the union vice president leading the negotiations, complained that the automaker was “toying” with the lives of union members with the back and forth on health coverage. “There is no doubt that public sentiment sees these actions of G.M. as a shameful act!” Mr. Dittes wrote. In the contract talks, the union is pushing G.M. to increase pay for temporary and less-senior workers, reopen plants it has idled and allot more future production to factories in the United States instead of those it operates in Mexico. G.M. would like to limit wage increases and cut health care costs. (Boudette, 9/26)

“There is no doubt that public sentiment see these actions of GM as a shameful act!” Dittes wrote to GM management. “It is time for GM to come to the bargaining table with an offer that reflects the hard work of our members who make you successful and will settle this strike on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of UAW families, and stop toying with our families’ health and well-being.” (Welch, 9/26)