GM lost 285,000 units to American Axle strike

With closure to the American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings strike in sight, General Motors is pushing forward to resume production at the idled and slowed plants -- assuming UAW members approve a tentative contract later this week. As of Monday, the following plants were back in operation:

• Bay City, Mich. (engines, transmissions, components)
• Flint, Mich., North and South (engines, components)
• Livonia, Mich. (engines, components)
• Parma, Ohio (components)
• Romulus, Mich. (engines)
• Saginaw, Mich. (metal casting)
• Silao, Mexico (engines)
• St. Catharines, Ontario (engines, components)
• Tonawanda, N.Y. (engines)
• Willow Run, Mich. (transmissions)

Each week the strike has dragged out, GM has lost significant production (29,925 vehicles were lost in the week ending April 26 alone). If GM cannot boost additional manufacturing output, by the end of this week the total number of lost units could be as high as 285,503. Even if the American Axle strike is settled, the UAW is still striking at GM's Fairfax assembly plant over the role of seniority in job placement. That labor dispute alone is costing the company 4,627 units each week.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]