Members voted by a wide margin in August to ratify a new three-year contract with BFGoodrich that covers about 2,500 workers at facilities in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Fort Wayne, Ind.
The new collective bargaining agreement includes annual wage increases and bonuses, maintains quality, affordable health care coverage, and strengthens retirement benefits.
“The hard-working members at these locations, along with tire workers across the industry, have faced a number of challenges in recent years, first and foremost the threats of foreign competition and unfair trade,” International P resident Thomas M. Conway said.
“They should be proud that they were able to reach an agreement that maintains family-supporting jobs while ensuring the long-term competitiveness of their facilities.”
The USW’s previous three-year agreement with BFGoodrich expired on July 27. The two sides began talks for a new contract this spring. The new agreement runs through July 30, 2022.
Solidarity key
Kevin Johnsen, the new chairman of the USW’s Rubber/Plastic Industry Council, said the agreement was a testament to the strength and solidarity of the union’s membership.
“It was only by standing up with one voice and confronting these challenges together that we could reach a fair and equitable agreement,” Johnsen said.
Overall, the USW represents more than 18,000 workers in the tire industry at companies including BFGoodrich, Goodyear, Bridgestone-Firestone, Titan, Cooper, Sumitomo and Uniroyal.