KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) _ Union workers on strike at the General
Motors Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kansas, say they are prepared to stay out for a long time.

Members of United Auto Workers Local 31 also say they are hopeful a new contract will be negotiated soon. They went on strike Monday morning after negotiations for a local contract failed.

Local president Jeff Manning says the company wants to disregard seniority when placing employees in jobs at the plant. And he says
workers won't return without a seniority agreement.

A lengthy strike could be crippling for GM because the Fairfax plant makes the Chevrolet Malibu, which has been selling well.

A GM spokesman says the company will consider increasing Malibu production at a plant in Michigan.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)