BFNAT Local Agrees to Re-Vote on Contract

(Akron/Tire Review) There may not be a strike at Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire’s (BFNAT) truck tyre plant in Warren County, Tennessee, after all. United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1155 leaders yesterday announced that they would allow rank and file members to re-vote on BFNAT’s master contract offer, beginning today.

“After serious consideration about the options available to USW Local 1155 membership, the negotiating committee has decided to allow the membership of Local 1155 to re-vote the companies (sic) last offer for settlement,” read a statement issued yesterday by Local officials. “It is understood if ratified this agreement will include the 35-cent COLA adjustment effective July 4, 2005.

“If the agreement is not ratified, the five-day intent to strike will be reissued.” The statement concluded. According to the union, the re-vote begins today and will last through 25 July.

Local 1155 membership previously had rejected BFNAT’s master contract, with some 85 per cent of the 700 workers at the Warren County plant voting against the three-year deal. Meanwhile, six other BFNAT tire plants and Bridgestone Americas Holding industrial goods facilities ratified the deal.

Local 1155 negotiators met with BFNAT officials Tuesday, according to news reports, and left the table after several hours without a revised contract offer. BFNAT has repeatedly said it would not renegotiate with the union, and was prepared for a strike, which the Local had called for as of midnight Friday.
However, based on the statement issued by the union concerning a COLA increase, there may have been some tweaking of the contract specifically for Warren County workers. The scheduled re-vote would, at minimum, push any potential strike date back to 31 July.