Workers at Detroit Diesel Plant Go on Strike

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bout 1,300 workers at DaimlerChrysler AG's Detroit Diesel Corp. plant in Redford, Mich., went on strike Tuesday night, the Detroit News reported.

The United Auto Workers union, which represents the workers, and plant management are deadlocked over whether DaimlerChrysler would build a new diesel engine at the Redford plant, the News reported.

Workers have been without a contract covering wages and benefits since Oct. 31, when the current pact expired.

An assemly worker told the News that the Redford plant supplies 85% of the engines to Freightliner LLC's heavy-duty truck making plant in Cleveland, N.C. The worker said plants in Portland, Ore., and Mexico could also be affected.

In Redford, Detroit Diesel's primary product is the Series 60 diesel engine for commercial trucks.

Chris Brandt, spokesman for Detroit Diesel and Freightliner, said the company has taken precautions to ensure engine production continues.

And the Detroit Free Press reported the sides could reach a tentative agreement soon.

DaimlerChrysler bought the remaining shares in Detroit Diesel in 2000 from racing mogul Roger Penske to bolster the automaker's commercial truck and engine business.

The $423 million deal made Detroit Diesel the exclusive provider of diesel engines to DaimlerChrysler's Freightliner Group, which builds trucks under the Freightliner, Sterling and Western Star brands.

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