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JEFFREY BROWN (Newshour): Now, a new contract for autoworkers, but a continuing struggle for the future.
Today, Chrysler's workers became the last of the big three companies to ratify a new four-year labor contract. These are the first new contracts since Chrysler and GM nearly went under two years ago, and they reflect a very changed industry.
Among the common elements: giving up annual pay raises in favor of bonuses and profit-sharing for workers; some new jobs added and the opening of several plants by the automakers, and new caps on the percentage of entry-level workers. In the industry's growing two-tiered salary system, such workers are paid lower hourly wages, similar to foreign automakers.
Officials of the United Auto Workers fought hard to get members to ratify the contracts after several major plants voted against the deals.
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