UAW, Detroit Diesel Reach Tentative Agreement

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he United Auto Workers union reached a tentative agreement with DaimlerChrysler AG's Detroit Diesel Corp. on Wednesday, ending a brief strike by more than 1,300 workers, news services reported.

UAW did not disclose details of the agreement pending ratification by workers. However, the agreement was expected to preserve jobs at the company's plant in Redford, Mich., the Detroit News said.

Chris Brandt, a spokesman for Detroit Diesel, also declined to disclose details of the deal, the Associated Press reported.

Detroit Diesel designs, produces and maintains heavy-duty diesel and alternative fuel engines, auto diesel engines and related products. It is the sole supplier of diesel engines to DaimlerChrysler's Freightliner Group, the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in North America.

The union's existing six-year contract expired Oct. 31. Workers went on strike Tuesday night, but returned to work Wednesday afternoon and normal production was expected to resume on Thursday.

The stoppage was not expected to affect production at Freightliner, the News said.

Detroit Diesel once was a division of General Motors Corp. Private investors bought it in 1988 and sold it to DaimlerChrysler in October 2000.

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