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GM, as well as Ford and Chrysler, are trying to cut what they say is about a US$25 per hour labour cost gap with their Japanese competitors. Industry analysts say the costs must be reduced for the U.S. companies to survive. GM has about $51 billion in unfunded retiree health care liabilities, and analysts have said it wants to pay the union about 65 per cent of the cost to form the trust. The union has hired an outside consultant to study GM's proposal, the people said. GM spokesman Tom Wickham and UAW spokesman Roger Kerson declined to comment on the talks Thursday. The union's contract with GM has been extended hour by hour since Friday. With both sides far apart on economic issues, the talks likely will take several more days to complete, one of the people briefed on the talks said. If the VEBA goes through with all three automakers, the UAW would become one of the nation's largest consumers of health care. At all three companies, the UAW would be responsible for health benefits for roughly 540,000 retirees and spouses.