General Motors plans a seventh plant shutdown next week as the fallout from a UAW strike against American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. moves into its second week.
A GM spokesman said today that the automaker’s Toledo, Ohio, transmission plant expects to close Monday, March 10, because of the strike called by the union. The Mishawaka, Indiana, plant, which makes the Hummer H2, already was scheduled to shut down today. This will be the sixth plant to be idled by the walkout.

The strike is having a chain reaction effect across the entire automotive industry.  Suppliers and third-tier service companies are beginning to feel the pinch.  This could not have come at a worse time, the economy is already spiraling down to recession and we’re about to enter an important spring season where the gas prices will be approaching $3.50 per gallon.  GM and the rest of the American manufacturers need to join forces with their unions and find a way to make this all go away… fast.