Two quick hits on strike news. Last week, I wrote about the UAW strike at American Axle, in the context of how African-American workers, in particular, are being hurt in the attack on decent manufacturing jobs. There seems to be some talking going on, according to The Detroit News:

American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. and the United Auto Workers union are scheduled to resume contract negotiations at noon — the first time the two will talk since some 3,600 UAW workers walked out of five American Axle plants Feb. 26. The resulting parts shortage has forced the idling of several General Motors Corp. plants and supplier facilities.

Workers at a GM assembly plant in Wentzville, Mo., have been told that plant will be idle today, and GM plants in Saginaw and Moraine, Ohio, are scheduled to shut Monday.

    Meanwhile, across the pond, per The Wall Street Journal, German workers are taking to the streets:

BERLIN — A flurry of strikes is hitting Germany, targeting its airports, rail networks and public services in a sign of worsening labor relations in Europe’s largest economy.

Ground staff at German airports walked off work yesterday morning, forcing the cancellation of more than 300 flights. Berlin transport workers also began a 10-day, near-total shutdown of the capital city’s bus and subway services. Train drivers are threatening a nationwide strike on Monday.

The strikes are aimed at backing up unions’ demands for steep pay raises, ending years of wage restraint by German labor unions. Public-sector union ver.di, which organized the transport strikes, is demanding raises of at least 8% for public-service employees.