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DETROIT (Reuters) — Auto parts supplier American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. on Tuesday said contract talks with the UAW aimed at settling a three-month-old strike had stalled since Sunday.

The Detroit supplier, which relies on General Motors for about 80 percent of its sales, said negotiations were snagged on two issues: health-care benefits and supplemental unemployment benefits.

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American Axle said the UAW had asked for a signing bonus of $5,000 for each of its workers under a new contract and had asked for one-time buyouts of up to $140,000 for American Axle workers who agree to leave the supplier’s payroll.

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Money would be used for UAW buyout program
DETROIT — General Motors has agreed to pay $200 million to help with employee buyouts and “buy-downs” to help resolve a crippling strike at American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc.
In a regulatory filing today, GM said the agreement is “predicated upon an expedited resolution to the ongoing strike called by the International UAW against American Axle.”
About 3,650 workers at five …  story 

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UAW STRIKE AT AMERICAN AXLE

DETROIT — General Motors has told its dealers it has suspended production of some 2008 full-sized trucks and SUVs because of the American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings strike.

The vehicles:

• GMC Yukon

• GMC Denali

• GMC Sierra heavy-duty regular cab

• GMC Sierra heavy-duty extended cab

• GMC commercial heavy-duty

• Chevrolet Tahoes and same variants for Chevrolet full-sized trucks.

“Essentially, we’re not accepting any more orders,” says Randy Fox, GMC spokesman

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POSTED: 2:54 pm MST February 1, 2008

UPDATED: 3:16 pm MST February 1, 2008

 Ariz. — An elderly couple was seriously injured Friday when their car slammed into the back of a big rig unloading new cars at a Scottsdale Lexus dealership.Police said the woman was driving when the couple’s sedan, heading east on McDowell Road at about 40 mph, collided with an 18-wheel car hauler that had stopped in the roadway to unload cars.The new vehicles had all been unloaded from the truck, allowing the couple’s sedan to go up the car hauler’s ramp and slam into the back of the cab before coming to rest hanging halfway off the ramp.Police said the couple was taken to a Scottsdale hospital, the man with life-threatening injuries.

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May 1, 2008

Teamster leaders negotiating the National Master Automobile Transporters Agreement said both sides remain apart on key issues, but they are cautiously optimistic that the issues will be resolved.

National contract talks resume May 18-31 in Arlington, Virginia.

“We remain apart on key issues but we are making progress and we are cautiously optimistic that we will resolve the differences by the end of this month,” said Fred Zuckerman, Director of the Teamsters Carhaul Division.

The agreement, when reached, would be retroactive to May 31, when the current contract expires.

“When we are done, I fully expect that we will have protected our members’ health, welfare and pension benefits, and increased their job security,” Zuckerman said.

The current contract covers about 9,000 workers.

Meanwhile, carhaul Teamsters are invited to attend two of the remaining meetings at local unions to give input on what issues should be the priorities at the bargaining table.

Meetings have already been held in Detroit; Toledo, Ohio; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and in Louisville, Kentucky.

The following meetings are scheduled:

• Dallas, Texas, Local 745, noon Sunday, May 4,

• Buffalo, New York, Local 449, 9 a.m. Saturday, May 10, and

• Lansing, Michigan, Local 580, 7 a.m. Monday, May 12.

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May 2, 2008

Leaders from Local 89 in Louisville, Kentucky are trying to stop a Canadian company from assisting Ford in eliminating 450 Teamster jobs at a carhaul rail-loading and vehicle-handling company in the city.

Since 1956, Teamsters have been loading Ford vehicles since Ford’s Louisville Assembly plant opened that year. Teamsters have also loaded Ford vehicles since its Kentucky Truck plant opened in 1969.

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UAW official: Half of striking workers will take buyouts

Two American Axle forging plants likely to close
DETROIT — The outgoing president of a key UAW local at American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. said today that he expects at least half of the 3,650 striking workers at the axle maker to take a buyout once a contract is completed.
Adrian King, president of UAW Local 235 representing workers at American Axle’s Detroit complex, said talks probably will last beyond the weekend. He said it … story Published: May 2 4:17 pm U.S. Eastern time [REG]

Ford to launch more UAW buyouts

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. will offer more buyouts to hourly workers at assembly plants in Chicago and Louisville, Ky.
Mark Fields, Ford President of the Americas, confirmed in an interview with Automotive News that those two plants will be part of another round of buyouts the automaker is about to begin. The new round will target only certain plants, and the offers have not gone out, … story