FINDLAY, Ohio (Feb. 24, 2012) — United Steelworkers (USW) Local 207L has reached a tentative agreement with Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. over a new contract covering 1,051 union workers at Cooper's Findlay tire plant.
The union has scheduled a ratification vote for Feb. 27 and will be holding an informational meeting for members to discuss the tentative agreement with the negotiating committee before the vote.
The workers have been locked out of Cooper's headquarters plant since Nov. 28 after they rejected Cooper's proposed contract at that time.
The union said it will not discuss the details of the agreement publicly until the members of Local 207L have had a chance to review it.
In a Cooper press release, Jack Hamilton, Findlay plant manager, said the factory "and its members have been a critical component of Cooper´s success throughout the years as well as a key contributor to the Findlay community. Our main objective during this negotiation was to attain a long-term agreement that better positioned the Findlay plant to succeed in a global competitive environment. We are happy to have reached an agreement that will bring our co-workers back to work with a competitive compensation and benefits package while also solidifying Cooper´s ability to profitably grow our business in the North American market."
Cooper quoted Rod Nelson, president of USW Local 207L, as saying the union´s Findlay plant members "wanted a fair contract, and we want this plant to be the best in the company. Through some difficult negotiations, we were able to tackle several key issues our people had with the previous tentative agreement and help the company reach its productivity goals. We are proud to work for Cooper and look forward to contributing to its future."