UAW Preps for Long American Axle Strike

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/03/17/ap4783294.html

By TOM KRISHER 03.17.08, 3:52 PM ET

DETROIT -

Full bargaining teams for the United Auto Workers and American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. haven't met for a week, a strong sign that a three-week strike likely will continue, a labor expert says.

The UAW sent its local union bargainers back to their factories on March 10, and only the top negotiators have been talking since then, a union official said Monday.

"That's an awful sign," said Gary Chaison, a labor specialist at Clark University in Worcester, Mass. "If they're close to a settlement of any type, then the full bargaining committee would meet."

On Monday, workers were preparing for a long strike. The dispute over wages and benefits already has forced General Motors Corp. (nyse: GM - news - people ) to close all or part of 28 plants, affecting more than 37,000 hourly workers, and it has caused thousands more layoffs at other auto parts companies.

A UAW regional office in Detroit put out a call for UAW workers at other companies to join American Axle workers on the picket lines.

"We expect this to be a long and drawn-out strike," said the e-mail message from UAW Region 1A in Taylor. "Everyone must fight to protect these good-paying union jobs and our brothers and sisters."

FULL story at link.

[BearSquirrel2]

1. Industrial Unions listen up ...

I got news for you guys, the economy is going into the crapper. Now is NOT the time to strike. Likely they'll pull out a bargain that grandfathers the old guys at the expense of the new guys. This isn't a way to run a union. Striking when order are down and everyone else would scratch your eyes out for you high school education job is no way to run good public relations.

There are too many well educated people out of work to listen to guys making $25+ per hour plus benefits with no substantial skill set bitch about their lot in life.