STRIKE HITS BRAZIL'S LARGEST AUTO MANUFACTURER
An indefinite strike by 47,000
carworkers on Tuesday closed most Brazilian plants of
Autolatina, the company said.
    Autolatina, one of the world's largest automakers, said it
had offered its employees a pay rise of 20.66 pct, adding that
the workers were pressing for a 65.9 pct rise.
    The strike is the first to hit operations of Autolatina
since it formally came into existence on July 1. The company
groups Ford and Volkswagen in Brazil and Argentina.
    A spokesman said factories in Argentina were unaffected. He
said about 9,000 of the company's 55,900 employees in Brazil
were still working and some production was continuing.
 Reuter
