WASHINGTON—The National Labor Relations Board has ruled that employers cannot prevent workers from wearing union apparel or insignias on the job, absent special circumstances that justify such a restriction.

TONAWANDA, NY — General Motors will invest $6.7 million in its engine plant here to upgrade production systems.

CHATTANOOGA, TN—For the second time in five years, a slim majority of hourly workers at Volkswagen's 8-year-old assembly plant here has rejected a bid to unionize with the UAW. Voting from June 13 to June 15 showed that 51.8 percent of workers cast ballots against the union.

LAKESHORE, ON—Union workers at Integram Seating, which assembles the seats for Chrysler minivans, have voted in favor of going on strike, if necessary.

WINDSOR, ON—CAW members at Chrysler’s assembly plant here have voted almost unanimously in support of a strike as a way to back workers’ contact demands. The union’s expires in mid-September.

TORONTO—Two of Canada’s most prominent unions—the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union—are holding merger talks in what could become the biggest consolidation in Canadian labor history.

WASHINGTON—Labor concessions and substantial government subsidies have been crucial to the revival of U.S. manufacturing, says one expert.

WINDSOR, ON—Union workers at two suppliers to Chrysler’s assembly plant here ratified new contracts Sunday. But, talks have broken off at another supplier, Oakley Industries.