USW sets vote date for Titan contract

FREEPORT, Ill.—The United Steelworkers union will vote May 17 on the tentative five-year labor agreement with Titan International Inc.

According to a statement by Local 745 in Freeport, the union will present the contract to the membership during a May 13 meeting. From there, the local unions will vote whether to accept the tentative agreement.

The pact covers Local 164 in Des Moines, Iowa; Local 745 in Freeport; and Local 890 in Bryan, Ohio. An earlier update from Local 745 indicated that District 7 Director Mike Millsap said all remaining unresolved contract issues have been settled and had been reviewed by the negotiating committee.

The tentative deal provides wage increases of 1.5 percent in the final three years of the deal and keeps the health care cost split at 80-20. No further details were provided.

Earlier statements on Local 745's website said Titan's previous offers did not include wage increases and increased the cost of health care in the final three years.

The two sides had been operating off the previous contract since it expired Jan. 13.