(American Axle) Formal talks to resume Wednesday (strike has forced thousands of layoffs at GM)

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Freep.com

UAW local optimistic; chiefs' meeting seen as productive

BY JEWEL GOPWANI

Full bargaining teams from the UAW and American Axle & Manufacturing Inc. are expected to meet Wednesday in the first formal talks between the two sides in a month.

The scheduled talks come after UAW President Ron Gettelfinger and American Axle CEO Dick Dauch met privately Monday in a session that a company spokeswoman called productive.

Perhaps echoing the rapid progress after a high-level meeting during the recent TV writers' strike, Monday's tête-À-tête is being followed quickly by a number of developments in the 6-week-old strike by 3,650 American Axle workers at four plants.

It has forced thousands of layoffs at General Motors Corp. and several suppliers, all of which have had to cut production.


Read more: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080408/BUSINESS01/804080306