Auto union leader calls for federal action

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- United Automobile Workers President Ron Gettelfinger added his voice to those calling for the government to intervene on behalf of ailing U.S. automakers.

After the Senate failed to pass a $14 billion bailout bill approved by the House of Representatives Thursday, Gettelfinger called on the Treasury Department or the White House to act to "prevent the imminent collapse of the automakers and the devastating consequences that would follow," The New York Times reported Friday.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, had previously called on the White House to come up with a plan.

Failure to help automakers "could be devastating to our economy ... unless the president immediately directs (Treasury) Secretary (Henry) Paulson to explore other short-term financial assistance options," The New York Times reported Pelosi as saying.

Gettelfinger said the union was "being set up" to take the blame by Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., whose proposal calls for significant union pay cuts.

On Thursday, the UAW said it would agree to wages "competitive with those paid by the foreign transplants."

However, the union balked after Senate Republicans said "this had to be accomplished by an arbitrary deadline," the union said.