PITTSBURGH (Aug. 9, 2004) — The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) has declared a strike deadline of 12:01 a.m. Aug. 12 for about 3,400 members working at Michelin North America Inc.'s three unionized BFGoodrich tire manufacturing plants.
The union's policy committee will continue to meet with Michelin negotiators in Pittsburgh to try to reach a settlement prior to the deadline, the USWA said. There still are many unresolved issues to be addressed, the union said, and progress has been slow in many areas.
Hourly employees at the BFGoodrich factories have been working on extension since their master contract expired in April 2003. The two sides have been negotiating in Pittsburgh since July 14. The union previously had set a bargaining deadline of Aug. 11.
Separate talks also are taking place in Pittsburgh between Michelin and the USWA regarding a strike at the company's Kitchener, Ontario, tire facility. About 1,000 Steelworkers there walked out June 1.