10,300 workers at seven tire plants in the Northeastern US have ratified a new four year agreement with Goodyear Dunlop Tires North America Ltd. The new contract runs through 2013 and protects six of the seven plants from closure during that time (the exception being a light truck tire plant in Union, Tennessee). Goodyear also pledged several hundred million in funds to keep the company globally competitive. Among the unions that ratified is nearby Tonawanda, New York, which employs about 950 people. The only union not to ratify the agreement was the local at Danville, Virginia. Voting finished up late last week, and the new contract goes into effect today, until July 27, 2013.
See "New Goodyear Dunlop deal takes hold", Thomas Hartley, Bizjounals.com, September 20, 2009