Goodyear master contract assured of ratification

GADSDEN, Ala. (Sept. 12)—United Steelworkers of America Local 12 members at the Goodyear tire plant in Gadsden voted by a 75-percent margin to ratify the master contract in voting completed Sept. 11, becoming the 12th local to do so, according to the USWA Web site. Local 831 in Danville, Va., will cast its ballots today, becoming the last location to vote on the tentative master pact. Thus far, only Local 878 at the Union City, Tenn., tire factory turned down the contract, with 52 percent of its members opting to reject the agreement. Under union rules, the contract had to be approved by a majority of the 14 locals, and those locations voting in favor had to represent a majority of the 20,000 USWA members covered by the pact. So with just the one local left to vote, the agreement is assured of ratification, although USWA officials will wait until Sept. 15 to announce final vote tallies.