PITTSBURGH (July 30) — The United Steelworkers of America has set a bargaining deadline of Aug. 11 for master contract negotiations with Michelin North America Inc., the union announced July 29.
In a newsletter to members, the USWA/BFGoodrich Tire Manufacturing Policy Committee said the negotiation process, which began July 14 in Pittsburgh, has moved slower than anticipated. "We felt that it was necessary to do this in order to force the company into serious negotiations," the newsletter said.
The bargaining process affects about 3,400 workers at three unionized BFGoodrich tire plants in the U.S., located in Opelika and Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Fort Wayne, Ind. The hourly employees have worked on an extension since their previous master contract expired in April 2003.