DETROIT — The United Auto Workers said Monday that it had reached tentative agreement on a three-year contract covering production workers at the Fremont, Calif., assembly plant operated jointly by General Motors and Toyota Motor Corp. of Japan.
The union said a ratification vote would be held today at the plant, where a type of Toyota Corolla subcompact car is made. The cars are being marketed by GM under the Chevrolet Nova name.
No details were released.
Since last year, workers have been covered by a 1983 letter of intent between the union and the joint venture company that provided for Japanese-style work rules, which the auto industry has come to regard as vastly more efficient than the American method containing dozens of job classes.
The company, New United Motor Manufacturing, was trying in the contract to get jobs divided into four classes--three skilled trades classes and one production class, company spokeswoman Tina Bunyard said. She said she didn't know if that had been accomplished.
