Ford-UAW talks move into high gear

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WAYNE, Mich., Oct. 15 (UPI) -- United Auto Workers talks with Ford Motor Co., the last of the Detroit automakers without a union agreement, moved into high focus Monday.

UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said Monday he had negotiated with Ford as recently as Friday.

"We're continuing to work with them now. They're combing through the agreement, obviously, at Chrysler, and we're getting ready to start up," he said.

Neither Ford Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally nor UAW officials would characterize the negotiations, but UAW Vice President Bob King told The Detroit Free Press the company and the union had a good relationship.

"This negotiation is one more opportunity to improve over our competitors," Mulally said as he toured the Wayne, Mich., assembly plant where the automaker and workers celebrated the new 2008 Ford Focus with a Sync in-car communications and entertainment system developed by Ford and Microsoft Corp.