United Auto Workers Local 22 in Detroit has the eerie, empty feel of so many UAW locals these days.

The main plant it once served, the Clark Street Cadillac plant, was demolished almost 15 years ago. Its active membership stands at 1,582, a shadow of its 13,000-plus peak 30 years ago. Most offices in the local are vacant due to staff layoffs and many corridors are dark to try to save money on the electric bill.

"Now, we're cutting bone," said President George McGregor, who will slash his own salary in January for the second time in two years. "Every UAW president I know, most of them are in the same situation. So, when you ask me when we meet ... are UAW leaders prepared to make further cuts? All I can say is I'm going to trust our leadership.

"If we get asked to make further cuts of plants, then, I'm sure the leadership will protect us as much as they can and hopefully it includes incentives," he said.

McGregor and other local UAW presidents and executive chairs will gather today at the Detroit Marriott hotel in the Renaissance Center for an emergency meeting to discuss further cuts the UAW may be forced to make to help the Big Three secure a government bailout.

This morning's meeting comes the day after automakers said they needed to reopen the landmark 2007 labor contract that cut the wages of new employees and will shift the retiree health care benefits to the UAW in 2010. There are reports that job banks programs -- where workers still receive most of their pay despite being laid off -- will be eliminated and the retiree health care issue will be opened again.

Most local UAW officials, like McGregor, said they weren't sure what to expect at the meeting, which is to be followed by another one for each auto company.

Local 599 executive chair Terry Everman agreed that details were sparse.

"There's so many rumors going on in the media, a lot of us are prepared to just attend and let our leadership give us the accurate information," said Everman, who represents workers at GM Powertrain. "None of us have the agenda for the meeting, so, I don't believe any of us really can forecast."

Still, given the unprecedented situation the Detroit automakers find themselves in, he's not ruling out anything, he said. "In this environment, clearly, things will likely move quickly," he said.

The union has lost some 119,000 auto workers nationwide since 2006 and now represents 139,000 active workers.

It agreed last year to a contract that reduced hourly pay and benefits for new hires to about $26 from about $78, and they wouldn't be eligible for fixed-benefit pensions. The contract also called for creating union-managed trusts that will take over retiree health care obligations starting in 2010. And the number of workers in the jobs bank has been cut to less than 3,600 since the 2007 contracts were approved.

Now, the UAW is under pressure to find more drastic solutions. Two weeks ago, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger began signaling that the union may be flexible in making concessions to push through an aid package. Gettelfinger said Tuesday on a local radio show that "we recognize that there may be additional sacrifices required."

The Local 22 office shows just how much sacrifice has been made. The local is down to two phone lines, after eliminating a toll-free line for its retirees. In January, there will be one full-time secretary compared with five a year ago. It also is looking to rent some of its space to other unions as a way to pay its utility bills.

Local 22 represents the Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly Center where the Buick Lucerne and Cadillac DTS are built. It also represents the GM Powertrain Livonia plant where the GM Northstar engine is assembled and the Hamtramck Plant, which is slated to make the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, a vehicle that carries many hopes for GM.

"People don't realize most of our new workers will be coming in at $14 an hour," which is less than half of what current assembly workers make. "They won't get the pension I enjoy," he said.

"But if you ask me will we get through this, I say, yes, we will. I totally, totally have faith in our leadership and they have never steered us wrong. I know times are beyond tough, but I believe the American people will come around. This is a world problem with this credit situation. We can overcome this with the help of God."