DETROIT, April 6 (UPI) -- Five General Motors Corp. plants could face strikes unless negotiations on local contracts are concluded quickly, U.S. auto industry experts said.

The United Automobile Workers notified the company this week of its desire for progress in contract talks, The Detroit News reported.

The factories involved are a truck assembly plant in Arlington, Texas; a metal stamping plant in Parma, Ohio; and three Michigan plants -- one in Warren that makes transmissions, the truck assembly plant in Flint and the Lansing plant where crossover sport utility vehicles are assembled.

Only 12 GM assembly plants are operating right now because the walkout at American Axle has left the others without parts. The Flint plant is partly shut down.

The three assembly plants, especially Lansing, produce popular GM models, and local strikes would be a major problem for the company, the newspaper said. The shutdowns caused by the American Axle dispute have actually helped the company to cut inventories.