Chrysler Plans to Buy Auto-Transport Trucks to Bypass Teamsters, UAW Says

Chrysler Group LLC, heading into labor negotiations with the United Auto Workers, is planning to purchase trucks for use by non-union workers to transport its cars and trucks, the UAW's top leader said.

UAW President Bob King, speaking in front of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters convention in Las Vegas last month, said he'd been told of "a new ploy" by Chrysler to "buy $5 million worth of trucks to give to a non-union company to do work." A video of the speech was posted on a Teamsters- affiliated website earlier this month.

King will lead the UAW in contract negotiations with Auburn Hills, Michigan-based Chrysler, which is controlled by Fiat SpA (F), as well as General Motors Co. (GM) and Ford Motor Co. (F) that officially begin later this month. The UAW will push back against efforts to outsource Teamster jobs to non-union car haulers, King said.

"We're going to stand with the Teamsters," he said. "We're going to fight not only to keep the jobs you have, but where they are using non-union carriers, we're going to fight together to make that 100 percent union, 100 percent Teamster," he said to applause.

When this has been an issue before, King said, the UAW's previous message was: "You've got a war with the UAW if you try to outsource Teamster jobs to non-union carriers."

Michele Martin, a UAW spokeswoman, didn't immediately respond for comment. Galen Munroe, a Teamsters spokesman, declined yesterday to comment, and Shawn Morgan, a Chrysler spokeswoman, didn't immediately comment.