Skip to main content

Morning 4: UAW workers strike at American Axle plant in Michigan

Here are the top stories for the morning of June 1, 2026

UAW President Shawn Fain join union members at the Three Rivers American Axle plant on Sunday, May 31, 2026, to announce a strike. (Courtesy of United Auto Workers)

Morning 4 is a quick roundup of stories we think you should know about to start your day. So, let’s get to the news.


UAW workers strike at American Axle plant in Michigan — and more news

Nearly 1,000 United Auto Workers at American Axle in Three Rivers, Michigan, walked off the job at midnight on Monday after failing to reach an agreement during contract negotiations.

According to the UAW, workers at American Axle — a Tier 1 parts supplier to General Motors — took “major concessions” to save the facility from closure during the Great Recession in 2008, with many long-time workers seeing their wages cut nearly in half from $29 an hour to $14.50 an hour.

Wages at American Axle currently top out at $22 an hour, and workers say they plan to strike until they get a better deal.

Read more here.


Local teens get behind the wheel at B.R.A.K.E.S. driver safety program

More than 100 local teens got behind the wheel this weekend — not just for fun, but to practice the kind of skills that could one day save their lives.

The nonprofit B.R.A.K.E.S. — which stands for Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe — held its hands-on teen driver safety program over the weekend, running multiple small-group sessions so every student could get time behind the wheel.

Read more here.


WB I-696 ramps to Woodward closing as ‘Restore the Reuther’ work continues

Drivers should expect ramp closures along Interstate 696 and Woodward Ave starting June 1 as part of the “Restore the Reuther” project.

Beginning Monday after 9 a.m., the westbound I-696 ramp to Woodward Ave will close until mid-August while crews continue work in the area.

Read more here.


Sterling Heights, other cities taking steps to minimize crypto kiosk fraud

When people started showing up to gas stations and party stores in Sterling Heights to drop thousands of dollars into machines that looked just like ATMs, police knew something had to change.

Scammers used crypto kiosks as a one-way door for other people’s money.

“The police started reporting large frauds and people being scammed out of a lot of money using these kiosks, and I think it caught everybody off guard about how fast these kiosks started proliferating around the state,” said Dale Dwojakowski, Sterling Heights assistant city manager.

Read more here.


Weather: Perfect weather for a freshly washed car across Metro Detroit

If you’ve been putting off washing the car, now is the time. Southeast Michigan is entering a phenomenal stretch of weather featuring plenty of sunshine, comfortable temperatures, and low humidity through the middle of the week.

Expect mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies with afternoon highs in the 70s to near 80 degrees through Wednesday.