American Axle reports progress in talks with union

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2008/05/american_axle_reports_progress_2.html

by Tom Krisher |The Associated Press
Monday May 12, 2008, 4:34 PM

DETROIT (AP) -- A spokeswoman for American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. says company and union negotiators made a lot of progress in bargaining Sunday.

But Renee Rogers would not talk about specifics of the negotiations or say if the company and United Auto Workers are close to a deal.

About 3,600 workers have been on strike since Feb. 26 in a dispute over the company's demand to cut wages and benefits to match its competition. The strike has crippled General Motors Corp.'s production of pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles.

UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said Saturday that negotiators were close until the company proposed closing another factory in New York. Gettelfinger called that an insult.

Negotiations continued on Monday.