PITTSBURGH—Members of the United Steelworkers voted to ratify a three-year labor agreement with Michelin North America Inc.'s BF Goodrich tire unit. The deal covers approximately 2,450 employees at plants in Fort Wayne, Ind., and Tuscaloosa, Ala.
They are the only two unionized Michelin North America facilities.
BF Goodrich said the deal was reached in a "cost competitive and challenging environment." Steelworkers rejected an agreement by a narrow vote on Aug. 8-9, and the company did not elaborate on what changes were made to the deal that made it pass during this most recent round of voting.
According to information posted on the Steelworkers website, workers in Tuscaloosa had approved the earlier deal, but workers at Fort Wayne rejected it by more than 100 votes.
United Steelworkers previously ratified new labor agreements with Goodyear and Bridgestone Americas Inc.
Six Goodyear plants voted to accept a four-year deal by a 3-to-1 margin.
The Bridgestone agreement covers 4,500 workers at six facilities in Akron; Des Moines, Iowa; Russellville, Ark.; La-Vergne, Tenn.; Warren County, Tenn.; and Bloomington, Ill.
The deal with Goodyear covers 8,500 workers at plants in Akron; Buffalo, N.Y.; Danville, Va.; Fayetteville, N.C.; Gadsden, Ala.; and Topeka, Kan.