Bargaining Digest Weekly by Gordon Pavy, Jan 13, 2007

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/01/13/bargaining-digest-weekly-41/

Bargaining Digest Weekly

by Gordon Pavy, Jan 13, 2007

The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 800 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

Goodyear acknowledges that the three-month strike by United Steelworkers (USW) members cost the company more than $350 million, but they say it was worth it because the contract will save $610 million over three years through $300 million in productivity gains, $75 million in savings from reduced capacity and $275 million in future retiree costs.

In a recent news conference, Goodyear CEO Robert Keegan talked up the new contract as a “milestone.” Some 15,000 striking USW members ratified the new contract Dec. 28 and returned to work a few days later.

In the aftermath of the strike, Goodyear says it will no longer negotiate with USW over retiree medical issues and that it plans to cut nonunion retiree costs and sell the Engineered Products Division. Workers at the four EP plants were offered buyouts in the new contract.

In another action, Machinists (IAM) members are reviewing a new offer from AK Steel, but a gulf remains between the two sides. Some 1,900 steelworkers have been locked out in Middletown, Ohio, since last February.

In Los Angeles, 10,000 engineers in the Engineers & Architects Association ratified a new three-year contract that gives them 3 percent increases each year.

Automaking: More than 1,400 United Autoworkers (UAW) members have accepted an early retirement and buyout offer from auto supplier American Axle. Workers at the five plants who take the buyout and who are not eligible to retire under the buyout will forfeit their medical coverage.

FULL story at link.