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The United Steelworkers and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the two unions representing most of Harley-Davidson’s production workers, have ended a 22-year contract intended to promote collaboration between the company and its employees on a wide range of issues. President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Robert Martinez said that while the contract worked well for years, Harley-Davidson has not been upholding the contract and increasingly making unilateral decisions that affect its workers. In May, the motorcycle giant announced their plans to open an assembly plant in Thailand, though reassured the workers that they will continue to produce parts domestically. Workers at the US plants are expecting temporary furloughs this fall, and union officials point to the use of seasonal, temporary employees as a large part of the reason for many layoffs.