Ford acceptance indicated on pay-cut, price-cut plan

Ford Motor Company officials were expected Thursday to announce their reluctant acceptance of a United Automobile Workers proposal pairing car price cuts with union contract concessions.

Industry sources told a Detroit radio station Ford would go along with the plan if key portions of it were made permanent, which apparently conflicts with the union's stand that any concessions be considered temporary.

GM's acceptance of the proposal Tuesday put pressure on the No. 2 automaker to go along with it or risk wrecking the bargaining process.

The plan drawn up by GM chairman Roger Smith and the UAW calls for car prices to be cut according to the amount of concessions agreed to by the union.