DETROIT — While General Motors is restarting truck production it had halted because of the UAW strike at American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc., auto dealers say they’re in no hurry to get more trucks on their lots. They have plenty.

Even though GM stopped filling orders for some trucks this month, dealers around the country interviewed today said they’re not losing truck business because of American Axle-related inventory problems.

“We’ve got a lot of inventory that’s still sitting on the ground,” says Doug Niemeyer, sales manager for Buick, Pontiac and GMC at Bommarito Automotive Group in Ellisville, Mo.

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Total units lost to American Axle strike: 285,503General Motors is starting to make up production it lost because of the UAW strike at American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc.

But the automaker won’t say how soon it expects to be able to bring production up to normal levels if UAW members approve a tentative contract later this week at the supplier.

Today, GM resumed full production at its Arlington, Texas, truck plant. On Monday, May 19, the company resumed production on one shift at its Moraine, Ohio, assembly plant. The Moraine plant had been closed, and the Arlington plant had been producing on one of its two shifts because of parts shortages.

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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.

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 

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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DETROIT — The bitter labor stalemate between American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. and the UAW appears to be over, with significant progress taking place at the bargaining table.

A tentative contract agreement could be reached by this weekend, a source familiar with the discussions told Automotive News late Wednesday.

” They are very close,” the source said. ” They could reach an agreement by this weekend. Both sides have finally come to their senses.”

As with any protracted labor negotiation, there is no guarantee a deal can be reached, but this is the first sign of real progress in the dispute that has all but halted General Motors’ SUV production in the U.S.

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DETROIT — General Motors said today it will spend $200 million to build an engine and components plant in Joinville City, Brazil.
Production will begin in the fourth quarter of 2009. Once operating, the plant will employ 500 workers and generate 1,300 indirect jobs, GM said in a statement.
“The decision to build a new engine plant in Brazil is essential to our ability to expand vehicle …  story  

DETROIT — The UAW strike at American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. that has halted light-truck production at General Motors soon may push the automaker to close its first car assembly plants.
GM could stop building the Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 in Lordstown, Ohio, by April 4 because of a shortage of a brake part made by American Axle, according to an Associated Press report. …  story  Published: Mar 27 4:00 pm U.S. Eastern time [REG]

Automotive News
March 7, 2008 - 12:01 am ET
UPDATED: 3/7/08 5:09 p.m. EST

DETROIT — General Motors said Friday that nine more parts plants are cutting shifts and reducing work because of the UAW strike at American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc.

The list of affected GM plants now stands at 29, including seven assembly plants.

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All told, GM has now lost production of 18,315 vehicles a week, according to the Automotive News data center.

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……..UPDATE……..

American Axle threatens to shrink U.S. operations

DETROIT — American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. said late Tuesday that it would consider further shrinking its U.S. operations if the UAW doesn’t agree to lower wages and benefits.

In the statement, the company said it has informed the UAW of its position as the union’s strike against the driveline parts supplier enters its third week.

About 3,600 UAW workers at five U.S. American Axle plants struck the company on Feb. 26. Negotiations have been off-and-on since then. The two sides will reconvene direct contract talks Thursday, the statement said.

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