American Axle conducts testing of job applicants

[DainBramaged]

American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. has begun testing a pool of potential job candidates now that it has collected more than 1,000 applications. Company spokesperson Renee Rogers said the company is building a pool of temporary replacement workers " in anticipation of the buyouts and early retirements we expect" after the UAW's two-month-old strike ends at the Detroit-based supplier. The UAW is concerned that the applicants may be used for replacement workers for the strikers.

Company testing of potential employees comes after UAW President Ron Gettelfinger met earlier this week with company CEO Richard E. Dauch. The strike at American Axle has shuttered or hampered production at 30 General Motors parts and assembly operations. American Axle staffers have begun an extensive interviewing process. The company is expected to test applicants' hair follicles over the traditional urine testing for more precision. Dauch has little tolerance for the use of alcohol on company property because of safety concerns.

American Axle Is requesting that applicants test at a Detroit area high school. Wendy Thompson, the retired ex-president of UAW Local 235, said that workers may organize an informational picket at the testing facility. Testing is also under way in Kalamazoo, near where American Axle has a plant in Three Rivers, Mich.

Separately, GM said on Wednesday it had reached a tentative agreement with one of five UAW local units at GM plants that have threatened to strike. The local units have threatened strikes at the GM plants over slow progress in completing the local details needed.

The tentative agreement was reached with UAW Local 1005, which represents more than 1,300 hourly workers at a plant in Parma, Ohio, that has been partly idled by the American Axle strike, GM spokesman Dan Flores said.

GM remains in talks with union leaders at four other plants where it received notices from UAW locals, Flores said. Those plants are in Warren, Flint and Lansing-Delta Township, Michigan; and in Arlington, Texas.


http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080409/ANA02/521286248/1128 (subscription only, sorry)