UAW and American Axle resume negotiations

Bargaining teams for the United Auto Workers union (UAW) and American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. will resume formal negotiations on April 9 for the first time in almost a month.

The call to resume collective bargaining came after a meeting between UAW president Ron Gettlefinger and American Axle chief executive officer Richard Dauch. The negotiations are aimed at settling a UAW strike at American Axle plants in New York and Michigan that is now in its seventh week.

About 3,600 UAW workers at five American Axle plants struck on Feb. 26 when negotiations on a new contract broke down over wages and benefits. The strike has caused a parts shortage that has forced General Motors Corporation to close or suspend work at 29 of its factories.