UAW strikes GM crossover plant in Mich.
UAW strikes GM crossover plant in Mich.
Automotive News | April 17, 2008 - 11:20 am EST
Production of General Motors’ trio of hot-selling crossovers — the Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia — skidded to a halt this morning when UAW hourly workers struck a GM plant near Lansing, Mich.
Neither GM nor the UAW would specify reasons for the strike, but UAW Local 602, which staffs the Lansing Delta Township plant, has yet to sign a local contract agreement with GM. Local agreements cover work rules in specific plants.
“We are disappointed that UAW Local 602 has taken strike action at the Lansing Delta Township plant,” GM spokesman Dan Flores said in an e-mail. “We remain focused on reaching an agreement as soon as possible.”
Second strike in two days
Today’s strike is the second production disruption in as many days. Labor troubles at a carpet supplier Wednesday, April 16, forced GM to halt production at the plant.
GM’s three new crossovers have been bright spots in an otherwise dismal 2008. First-quarter sales of the Acadia were up 77 percent over the same period last year to 20,675. First-quarter sales of the Outlook are up 30 percent, while 11,712 Enclaves were sold in the quarter.
According to The Lansing State Journal, the plant employs about 2,300 workers. The paper reported that while hourly workers were on strike today, salaried employees reported to work.
The disruption on Wednesday took place after 90 UAW workers struck nearby automotive parts supplier Alliance Interiors.
GM had resumed production on its first shift at Delta Township on Thursday, but eventually would have run out of parts again during the day, Flores said.
The UAW remained on strike at Alliance on Thursday, Local 724 President Dean Poggiali said.
GM also faces another possible strike by a UAW local unit at 10 a.m. EdT Friday if the company and local leaders at a Warren, Mich., transmission plant cannot reach agreement.
GM labor headaches grow
The proliferation of GM labor problems has taken place amid a bitter seven-week strike at Detroit-based supplier American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. The cutoff of axle production has idled or slowed some 30 GM plants in North America.
So far, GM executives have expressed little concern publicly about the American Axle strike, which largely has hampered the automaker’s production of large SUVs and pickup trucks. Sales in both of these segments of the U.S. auto industry have suffered due to the weaker economy and rising gas prices.
About 3,650 UAW-represented workers have been on strike at five American Axle plants since Feb. 26. Talks resumed last week, and the supplier has reported some progress in those discussions.
A source with knowledge of the talks told Automotive News late Wednesday that the two sides could reach an agreement as early as this weekend.
Reuters contributed to this report
ENLARGE
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| The UAW today struck the GM plant that makes the Buick Enclave and its crossover cousins, the GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook. |
