CAW concedes to some GM demands

Apparently, GM's November job-cut announcement has had a profound effect on the Canadian Auto Workers. Union management has agreed to a series of changes that will allow the outsourcing of certain service jobs and the reduction of break time at the automaker's sprawling Oshawa plant, which is one of the largest automotive assembly complexes in the world. Not all is said and done, however, as the union's workers still must vote to approve the changes.

Assuming that the vote passes, this could be a landmark moment in the relationship between management and labor in the domestic auto industry. Sure, these are minor concessions, but to have this sort of dialog (or dialogue, since this is Canada we're talking about) outside of a regularly scheduled bargaining session is encouraging and, well, something just shy of jaw-dropping.