GM, union have a history of distrust: Company urged to change to become more competitive

DETROIT - For General Motors Corp. to reach its goal of becomingleaner and more competitive globally, labor experts say it needs tochange the way it deals with its biggest union - soon.

With GM's North American production at a virtual standstillbecause of two parts plant strikes, the world's No. 1 automaker isforecasting its U.S. sales will be down as much as 40 percent thismonth. That could make it No. 2 in sales behind Ford Motor Co. forthe first time in decades.

Nearly 172,000 GM workers are idled because of the strikes, andthe production loss in June alone cost the company an estimated $1.18billion.

GM is looking at ways to resume production at up to 10 …