2 GM Plants Struck; Effects May Spread : Labor: A walkout at two brake plants may soon cause parts shortages at General Motors’ facilities nationwide.

More than 3,000 workers at two General Motors Corp. brake plants went on strike Friday in a contract dispute that could affect GM supplies across the country.

Members of United Auto Workers Local 696 took up pickets at the GM Delco chassis division plants just after a 10 a.m. strike deadline.

“We’re disappointed that it ended up as a strike,” GM spokeswoman Sheila Main said. “We know that both sides want to get this settled as soon as possible, and that’s our goal.”

Joe Hasenjager, president of UAW Local 696, said the dispute centers on GM’s use of subcontractors at the plants and a speed-up of assembly lines.

He said progress was made in negotiations and talks with the company were continuing.

But the strike could cause headaches at other GM factories. The two plants, which employ about 3,300 workers, supply other GM plants with brakes, brake systems, bearings and suspensions.

Main said the plants supply GM plants across the country with the ABS-VI anti-lock brake system, which is used on a variety of 1992 model cars and minivans, including the Chevrolet Cavalier, Pontiac Grand Am and three GM minivan models.

The auto maker has put great stock in the system, saying its lower cost allows GM to install it on lower-priced cars.

Main acknowledged a strike could affect operations at other GM plants across the country, but declined to say to what degree.

In Detroit, GM spokesman John Maciarz also declined to speculate on how the strike would affect other GM plants.

He said GM uses the “just-in-time” delivery system, in which parts are supplied as needed rather than taken from a large inventory.

Hasenjager, the union president, said he wasn’t sure how soon the strike would affect other GM plants.

“We know what we supply and in the quantities and where it all goes,” he said. “They have been doing some shipping last night and today. We know that.”

Hasenjager alleged that the company violated provisions of a three-year contract approved last year. Besides the subcontracting and work speed-ups, he said, the union is concerned about “outsourcing,” in which work is transferred from the plants to foreign countries or non-union workers.

“You have to stand up for your rights,” striking worker Ron Madden said. “This is something that has been negotiated in the 1990 contract, and the company’s not living up to it, doesn’t want to.”

Several workers said they support the strike.

“What has to be has to be,” Robin Wright said. “We’ve got to go ahead and save our jobs.”

“It’s either take a stand now or forever hold your peace,” Randall Smith said.

Hasenjager said striking workers would begin receiving $100 a week in strike benefits if the walkout enters a ninth day.