More GM plants idled by American Axle strike

The Associated Press is reporting that United Auto Workers and auto parts maker American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. went back to the bargaining table Friday, trying to end an 11-day strike that has affected factories in the U.S. and Canada.Company spokeswoman Renee Rogers told the AP that negotiators talked Thursday and were back at the table on Friday. She said she did not know what was discussed.The bargaining came as General Motors Corp. said parts shortages from the strike would force it to shut down part or all of 19 assembly and components factories, including its van assembly plant in Wentzville.

On Friday, GM added eight components plants to the growing list and said the strike had affected more than 27,000 hourly workers in the two countries.Factories added Friday included Flint South, engines; St. Catherines, Ontario, engines and components; Baltimore, transmissions; Bay City, engine and transmission components;

Bedford, Ohio, and Defiance, Ohio, casting; Fredericksburg, Va., transmission components; and Parma, Ohio, transmission components, GM said on its website.

All eight plants are scheduled to go on partial shutdown starting Monday, the Detroit-based automaker said.

Laid-off workers will get most of their pay and benefits under their contract with GM.

A message seeking comment was left with the UAW.

About 3,600 UAW workers at five American Axle plants in Michigan and New York walked off their jobs Feb. 26 after contract talks broke down over wages and other issues. The strike triggered parts shortages, mainly for GM’s pickup trucks, large sport utility vehicles and vans.

GM has said it has an ample supply of the vehicles and that it would take up to 90 days for the strike to affect sales of its flagship pickups, the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra.

Detroit-based American Axle makes axles, drive shafts and stabilizer bars for GM, Chrysler LLC and other automakers. GM, which spun off American Axle in 1994, makes up nearly 80 percent of the company’s business.

The strike also could affect Chrysler, which says its Newark, Del., assembly plant could be temporarily closed as early as next week. American Axle makes components for Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen SUVs made in Newark, as well as two versions of the Dodge Ram pickup made in Saltillo, Mexico, spokeswoman Michele Tinson said.

The UAW has said American Axle is demanding wage reductions of up to $14 an hour as well as elimination of future retiree and pension benefits. The union also accused the company of unfair labor practices, which the company has denied, and it said American Axle failed to provide the union with enough information to evaluate its proposals.

American Axle, however, says the union should give the company the same wage concessions it has agreed to at other suppliers and automakers. American Axle says its manufacturing workers can make up to $73.48 per hour in wages and benefits, three times the rate at its U.S. competitors. The company wants to cut that to $20 to $30 an hour, which would be similar to the agreements reached between the UAW and the in-house axle-making operations at Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler as well as at other suppliers such as Dana Corp. and Delphi Corp.

The company also has said its original U.S. locations have lost money for the past three years.