04/09/2008

Associated Press

The United Auto Workers gave American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. a proposal dealing with economic issues Wednesday as a six-week strike against the company continued.

UAW Local 235 President Adrian King said he could not give details of the proposal.

"We're just waiting for a response," he said Wednesday afternoon.

The proposal came as formal negotiations resumed for the first time since March 10.

American Axle spokeswoman Renee Rogers says full bargaining teams for both sides began talking Wednesday morning and continued into the afternoon.

King, who leads a local at the company's Detroit manufacturing complex, said they likely will meet again on Thursday.

About 3,600 workers at five American Axle plants in Michigan and New York went on strike Feb. 26 mainly over wage and benefit cuts that the company is seeking.

The strike has caused a parts shortage that has forced General Motors Corp. to close or curtail work at 29 factories, including a handful in Indiana as well as a Hummer plant run by AM General LLC in Mishawaka, Ind.