June 2, 2008: Performance Transportation Services (PTS) is the latest Teamster employer to ask a bankruptcy court to impose concessions on its workers, in this case 1,300 carhaulers.

The company will be in court within days to ask for a 15 percent wage cut.

Teamsters Call on PTS to Return to Multiemployer Talks

www.teamster.org

May 31, 2008

Teamster carhaul local unions will be holding strike votes this weekend after Performance Transportation Services, Inc. (PTS) filed 1113-E relief in bankruptcy court and requested 15 percent wage concessions.

PTS’ filing followed the company’s decision May 29 to withdraw from multiemployer contract talks that have been under way.

“PTS management’s actions during the late stages of talks are completely unacceptable and we are pursuing options in federal court to compel PTS to return to the multiemployer negotiations immediately,” said Fred Zuckerman, Teamsters Carhaul Division Director and lead negotiator. “We simply cannot allow PTS to walk away from negotiations at the 11th Hour — PTS is acting in bad faith by walking away now after several months of negotiations.”

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 

David Barkholz
and Robert Sherefkin
Automotive News
April 8, 2008 - 3:18 pm ET

General Motors is reopening two assembly plants this month with axles supplied from Mexico by American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc., sources have told Automotive News.

The 7-week-old UAW strike at five American Axle plants had shut GM’s light-truck plant in Fort Wayne, Ind., until the company this week resumed production there of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. GM also intends to restart production of its full-sized pickups in Oshawa, Ontario, starting the week of Monday, April 21.

American Axle is supplying the plants from its factory in Guanajuato, Mexico, the sources said.

It is the same plant that has supplied axles and other parts throughout the strike to GM’s Silao, Mexico, factory and an SUV plant in Arlington, Texas.

UAW STRIKE AT AMERICAN AXLE
Automaker shifts axle supply priorities away from SUVs

David Barkholz
and Robert Sherefkin
Automotive News
April 7, 2008 - 11:49 am ET

GM intends to close its Arlington, Texas, SUV plant after this week, while reopening two plants previously closed by the UAW strike at American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc., said GM spokesman Dan Flores.

The pickup plants are in Fort Wayne, Ind., and Oshawa, Ontario. The plants make the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Fort Wayne reopened today with one shift. It adds another Monday, April 14. The Oshawa plant reopens April 21, with two shifts.

GM can afford to make the change because it has ample supplies of SUVs.

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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]