USW Workers Ratify BFNAT Contract

(Akron/Tire Review) Workers at six Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) and Bridgestone Americas Holding (BAH) plants have ratified a new three-year master contract. The contract proposal was accepted by wide margins at BFNAT tyre facilities in Akron; LaVergne, Tennessee.; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Des Moines, Iowa; and Bloomington, Illinois. United Steelworkers (USW) workers at BFNAT’s truck tyre plant in warren County, Tennessee, previously rejected the contract. There was no word what action, if any, union workers there might – or could – take.

“It has been our goal throughout this process to achieve contracts that are in the best interests of both parties and we believe this master agreement reflects that goal,” said BFNAT in a statement. “The new contract increases wages, provides excellent health care with no monthly premiums for active teammates and their families and provides job security with our continued commitment to invest in our US passenger, ag and truck/bus tyre plants. After a long struggle, we were able to successfully maintain pattern bargaining in the industry,” said USW executive vice president John Sellers.