TORONTO - Federal Industry Minister Tony Clement has indicated the government is flexible about when General Motors Canada and its unionized workers reach a new labour agreement, so long as it's part of a finished restructuring plan delivered by the end of May.
The Canadian Auto Workers union has said the federal and Ontario governments set last Friday as the deadline for GM to reach a labour agreement with the CAW.
But the two sides are still mired in negotiations this afternoon.
Clement had planned to travel to Washington, D.C., today to discuss the new deal with U.S. officials, but a spokeswoman in his office said his trip had been delayed until later this week.
Clement says May 31 is the hard and fast deadline for GM to present its restructuring plans to governments in the U.S. and Canada and the government wants a labour agreement to be reached and ratified before then.
GM has asked the Ontario and federal governments for $6 billion in emergency loans to get the automaker through a severe slump in sales.
