Impact of parts strike widens to 28 GM factories
DETROIT -- Day-long negotiations between the United Auto Workers and auto parts maker American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings were held Saturday, the 12th day of a strike that has affected dozens of factories in the United States and Canada, including several in Ohio.
Company spokeswoman Renee Rogers said talks ended shortly after 8 p.m. Bargaining was to resume at 9 a.m. Sunday, she said.
The bargaining came as General Motors Corp. said parts shortages from the strike would force it to shut down part or all of 28 assembly and components factories. On Friday, GM added 17 components plants to the growing list and said on its website that the affected plants employ more than 37,000 hourly workers.
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; two transmission plants in Ypsilanti Township; Tonawanda, N.Y., engines; and stamping plants in Flint; Grand Rapids; Indianapolis; Mansfield, Ohio; Marion, Ind.; and Parma, Ohio.
All 17 additional plants are scheduled to go on partial shutdown starting Monday, the Detroit-based automaker said. Not all workers at the plants will be laid off, but those who are will get most of their pay and benefits under their contract with GM.
Messages seeking comment were left with the UAW.
About 3,600 UAW workers at five American Axle plants in Michigan and New York struck Feb. 26 after contract talks broke down over wages and other issues. The strike triggered parts shortages, mainly for GM's pickups, 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.
GM, which spun off American Axle in 1994, accounts for nearly 80% of the company's business.
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