DETROIT — Assembly lines at General Motors Corp. pickup and sport utility vehicle plants could come to a halt during a prolonged strike at parts supplier American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc., according to industry analysts.

But the world's biggest auto seller has a large supply of pickups and truck-based SUVs in stock, the analysts said.

About 3,600 workers represented by the United Auto Workers at five plants in Michigan and New York went on strike against American Axle just after midnight Monday. They continued to walk picket lines yesterday with no talks scheduled and each side saying it is waiting for the other to return to the bargaining table.

American Axle is still supplying parts to GM, by far its largest customer, as well as Chrysler LLC and other automakers. The supplier of axles, stabilizer bars and drive shafts will not say how long it can keep shipping the components.

"GM's high truck inventory levels would benefit from a short strike," UBS Securities LLC analyst Rob Hinchliffe wrote in a note to investors.

He also said that American Axle could ride out the strike for a time because it has stockpiled parts.

GM has more than a 150-day supply of Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups and can withstand a short strike with little impact, said Erich Merkle, vice president of auto industry forecasting for the consulting firm IRN Inc. GM, the supplier's former parent, makes up nearly 80 percent of American Axle's business. Chrysler has about 10 percent, with the rest spread among several other automakers, American Axle spokeswoman Renee Rogers said.

The strike has not yet affected GM factories, GM spokeswoman Deborah Silverman said.

The UAW said American Axle is demanding wage reductions of up to $14 an hour as well as elimination of future retiree and pension benefits. The UAW said the company failed to provide the union with enough information to evaluate its proposals.

"The UAW has a proven record of working with companies to improve their competitive position and secure jobs," UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said in a statement. "But cooperation does not mean capitulation. Our members cannot be expected to make the extreme sacrifices American Axle is asking for with nothing in return."

American Axle Chairman and Chief Executive Richard Dauch said the union should give the company the same wage concessions it has agreed to at other suppliers and automakers.

"All of the changes we have proposed have been accepted by the UAW in agreements with our competitors in the United States. I have no idea why AAM is being singled out for a different set of economic conditions," Dauch said in a statement.