Marion's General Motors plant was forced to idle its second-shift workers this week as the result of a continuing work stoppage at parts supplier American Axle & Manufacturing.
Fred Cox, GM's spokesman for the Marion Metal Center, said the plant was operating Monday and that the facility was never shut down, but some workers were out of work for the time being.
"Marion is operating fully on first shift and down on second shift," Cox said.
United Autoworkers Local 977 President John Pence confirmed that Marion's second-shift employees were temporarily laid off this week but that first and third-shift employees continue to work.
"Effective (Monday), they're off this whole week," Pence said of the second-shift workers. "After that, if the strike is still going, we'll review the situation."
Pence said language in the national GM-UAW contract does not allow a shift to be idled for more than one week. Should the strike continue, GM will begin temporarily laying off workers on a seniority basis, Pence said.
He estimates that 35 percent to 40 percent of Marion's 1,220 UAW workers have been affected by the situation.
Pence has spoken to several of the workers, who expressed to him their desire to return to work as soon as possible. He said workers eventually will recoup most of the wages from unemployment benefits and the company's sub pay.
Sub pay is a GM-funded program that reimburses workers up to 85 percent of wages after unemployment wages. Pence said this fund is used companywide and would be diminished quickly in the event of a national GM shutdown, but he expects second-shift workers to receive money from the fund for this week's layoff.
GM is applying pressure to American Axle, the automaker's largest supplier in its truck division, to resolve the strike quickly, Pence said. He believes a deal between American Axle and the UAW is near.
Negotiators for the two parties were at the bargaining table Monday.
The strike, which began Feb. 26, has now shut down all or part of 28 GM plants in North America.
As a result of the shutdowns, GM's stock fell to its 52-week low Monday, going as low as $20.74 before closing at $20.89.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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