American Axle needs to close some plants in order to become a leaner, more competitive business for future years. Ron Gettlefinger, chief of the UAW mob, has called this "an insult." In fact, he has even taken to calling the company "Mexico Axle." That private businesses cannot open, run, or close their plants as they please should be an indication of the basic problem with unions, which are predatory, parasitic, and collectively anti-private property. Let's look at some snippets that tell the story of the American Axle/GM strikes:

GM believes the UAW threats, all against factories that either make critical models for the automaker or supply the parts to build them, are a tactic being used to draw the company into the strike against American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc., according to several sources familiar with negotiations. Labor law prohibits the union from striking because of a dispute elsewhere; many think the union is using local negotiations to apply indirect pressure.

...The American Axle strike, in its ninth week, has created a parts shortage that has forced GM to idle or cut production at more than two dozen North American factories. But GM's bottom line has been relatively unscathed since the affected factories produce slow-selling large trucks and SUV that were backing up on dealer lots.

At one point, it seemed the strike threatened production of GM's hot-selling Malibu. Then Bo Andersson, GM's purchasing chief, told reporters that the Malibu was safe no matter what happened with American Axle. Within days, the UAW local representing the Malibu plant in Kansas City threatened a walkout.

Many industry watchers -- and company insiders -- think the move was just one more signal that the union is pushing the automaker to ante up cash so American Axle will offer its workers a richer deal.

So the Malibu plant went on strike, one of two walkouts at critical GM factories. In a real free market, any management team dealing with a group of striking employees could fire 'em all and be done with it.