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This week's deal between General Motors and the United Auto Workers is being hailed as a new era for Detroit, and for once that advertising may be justified. The UAW in particular made historic concessions that show a new awareness of global competition. What's less encouraging is how much this reality-based compromise still contrasts with the policies that unions and their political friends are promoting in the unreal world of Washington, D.C.

Our friends in the AFL-CIO often think we're too critical, but we're not responsible for taking union membership down to 7.4% of the non-government American labor force last year. (See nearby chart.) The reality of a dynamic world economy did that, assisted by the failure to adapt by union leaders and corporate managers. These columns support collective bargaining, and our belief has long been that if a company's workers vote to join a union, they and the company deserve what they get.


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Looks like Ford is trying to avoid a strike.


The main planks of the United Auto Workers union's deals with General Motors and Chrysler will help Ford Motor Co. become more competitive, Chief Executive Alan Mulally said Friday.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Mulally also said he speaks often with UAW President Ron Gettelfinger, whom he considers a business partner in turning around the automaker.

Ford is next up in negotiations with the labor union, which on Wednesday ratified a historic four-year deal with General Motors Corp. and reached a similar agreement with Chrysler LLC the same day. Before the deals were reached, the union went on strike against both companies.


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