The United Auto Workers union expects a crucial round of restructuring talks with General Motors Corp "to intensify this coming week" ahead of an end-of-May deadline set by the Obama administration.

In an e-mail message sent to rank-and-file workers, the union also repeated its opposition to GM's plans to close 16 U.S. manufacturing plants and cut about 21,000 jobs while also planning to increase vehicle imports from GM plants in lower-wage economies such as Mexico, South Korea and China.

"The UAW is actively involved in these complex negotiations, which involve the Obama auto task force, GM management, bondholders and secured lenders, dealers, parts suppliers and other stakeholders," the union said in the message. "These negotiations will have a major impact on wages, benefits and jobs for active and retired UAW members.

"We are expecting the restructuring negotiations to intensify this coming week,"

The unusual email message to UAW-represented workers comes as UAW President Ron Gettelfinger and GM Chief Executive Fritz Henderson are both due in Washington on Monday for talks with U.S. officials.

[...]

In its email message to members sent late Sunday, UAW leadership urged auto workers and retirees to write to President Barak Obama and ask him to dictate job-saving changes to GM's restructuring plan.

When it comes to these "negotiations" it is always important to remember that the UAW already has an existing contract with GM.  They are not asking for anything new or different.  GM is the one seeking to break the current contract.  The UAW leadership obviously is aware of the tough financial times.  They have already made concessions that have benefited GM.  Now they are being asked to make even more, a lot more.  This is the face of GM essentially telling them jobs are going regardless.  At what point is enough.  At what point will the workers be taken into consideration?