North American Automakers Pledge Joint Effort on AIAG Workplace Standards Training for Automotive Suppliers in China

North American Automakers Pledge Joint Effort on AIAG Workplace Standards Training for Automotive Suppliers in China

April 25, 2007

    SHANGHAI, China, April 25 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Ford
Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and DaimlerChrysler Group
have announced that they will provide free working
conditions training for all of their current suppliers in
China. Developed by the Automotive Industry Action Group
(AIAG), the training is designed to educate the suppliers
on prevailing Chinese labor laws and to reinforce OEM
commitment to healthy and safe working conditions for all
employees in their global automotive supply chains. The
training, which has gained support from the China
Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), will begin
in mid-2007.

    "The single most important resource at any of our
member companies is people," said J. Scot Sharland,
AIAG's executive director. "Given the tremendous
growth of North American investment in the developing
Chinese automotive supply chain, it is imperative that
these companies are cognizant of local labor laws and
fundamentally understand that Ford, GM and DaimlerChrysler
expect 100 percent compliance."

    "To succeed in the automotive business in the
People's Republic of China, companies must understand our
local labor laws and abide by them," said a leader of
CAAM. "We are pleased that the Detroit automakers are
pledging this level of sponsorship for our developing
automotive supply base. The membership of CAAM supports
Chinese labor law education for the supply chain."

    Launched in October 2005, AIAG's global working
conditions initiative is a collaborative industry-wide
project focused on promoting decent working conditions for
the millions of workers around the world involved in the
production of automobiles. AIAG is also coordinating
initial training sessions in Mexico starting in mid-2007
with the Business of Social Responsibility (BSR), a
nonprofit business association that has been awarded a
$165,000 grant from the U.S. State Department to help
support and advance the project and other third-party
providers.

    About AIAG

    Founded in 1982, AIAG is a globally recognized
organization where OEMs and suppliers unite to address and
resolve issues affecting the worldwide automotive supply
chain. AIAG's goals are to reduce cost and complexity
through collaboration; improve product quality, health,
safety and the environment; and optimize speed to market
throughout the supply chain. Headquartered in the metro
Detroit area, its more than 1,500 member companies include
North American, European and Asia-Pacific OEMs and
suppliers to the automotive industry. Additional
information is available on the Internet at
http://www.aiag.org .

    About CAAM

    CAAM is a nationwide automotive industry association of
Chinese automotive vehicle, motorcycle, auto parts and auto
related enterprises and groups, which is legally
established in accordance with the principles of equality
and volunteerism. Its business areas include the study of
economics, innovation and technology within the automotive
industry, suggestions to the government on development
plans and policies, trends of the domestic and
international automotive market, industry statistics under
the authorization of the government, sponsorships of
activities to promote communication between international
automotive industry organizations and organization of
exhibition conferences to help member enterprises engage
the domestic and international market under government
authorization. More information is available on the
Internet at http://www.caam.org.cn .







    For more information, please contact:

     Leslie Santos-Cotham
     Automotive Industry Action Group 
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]