Resolved issues may revive talks in Axle strike

Eric Morath / The Detroit News

One unfair labor practice charge filed against American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. is resolved, and a second one could be soon — making both union and company officials hopeful that substantial bargaining could resume as early as this weekend to bring an end to the 39-day long strike.

One charge, the firm’s premature canceling of health care benefits for some workers, was resolved Thursday. The second, the withholding of needed financial data is under review, said UAW Local 235 President Adrian King, who represents workers at the Detroit plant.

United Auto Workers union officials from all five striking plants in Michigan and New York will meet today in Detroit to review the additional data.

"This shows that the company is addressing the unfair labor practice charges," King said. "Hopefully at these meetings (today) and Saturday, we can resolve the unfair labor practice charges and move forward with serious negotiations."

American Axle spokeswoman Renee Rogers also viewed resolving the charges as progress in the prolonged strike.

"We believe that AAM’s thoughtful and timely response to the requests and claims of the UAW serves as a clear indication that AAM stands ready to negotiate in good faith to resolve the UAW strike and get all facilities up and running," she said.

UAW members walked off the job Feb. 26 after rejecting the company’s request to cut wages and benefits. The strike has caused the partial or complete shutdown of 30 General Motors Corp. plants, idled supplier facilities and laid-off an estimated 40,000 people in the United States and Canada.

UAW President Ron Gettelfinger wrote today in The Detroit News that the union is planning a rally April 18 at Hart Plaza in support of the striking workers.

The unfair labor practice charges have for weeks stood in the way of holding formal negotiations, which will likely discuss a reduction in wages and benefits in exchange for bonuses and buyouts for existing workers.

The company has reinstated health care and disability benefits to injured workers, King said. Those workers should have retained those benefits, despite the union’s strike. The same applies to family members who were receiving long-term medical care, such as a surgery or child-birth, before the strike began.

Also the company will reimburse laid off workers for health insurance that was prematurely terminated, King said. Starting today, top union leaders will review the additional financial data to determine if they have information to make decisions regarding proposals that affect pensions, health care and profit-sharing.

If that data is deemed sufficient, the second unfair labor practice charge will be dropped, and the union will ask the company to resume bargaining."We’d like nothing better than to cancel our rally on April 18th because the strike was resolved by having a ratified contract," Gettelfinger wrote.