General Motors asked a federal appeals court Friday to overturn an order that requires its CEO to meet with the head of Fiat Chrysler by next week to try to settle a lawsuit related to corruption by union leaders.

GM also asked the appeals court to remove U.S. District Judge Paul Borman from the case.

GM is suing crosstown rival FCA alleging that it got an advantage by paying off union leaders to reduce labor costs during contract talks. FCA's former labor chief, Al Iacobelli, is in prison, although the company denies that it directed any prohibited payments.

Borman described the lawsuit as a "nuclear option" that would be a "waste of time and resources" for years if he allows the case to move forward.

The judge ordered GM CEO Mary Barra and Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley to sit down without lawyers by July 1 and reach a "sensible resolution of this huge legal distraction." Borman wants an update from them on a public video conference that same day.

In a court filing, GM called Borman's order a "profound abuse" of power.