USW Announces Tentative Agreement with Bridgestone

PITTSBURGH, July 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that the union has reached a tentative agreement with Bridgestone on a new master contract covering roughly 4,000 workers at the company's facilities in Des Moines, Iowa; Akron, Ohio; Bloomington, Ill.; Russellville, Ark.; La Vergne and Warren County, Tenn.

USW Rubber and Plastic Industry Council Chairman Kevin Johnsen, who led the negotiations, credited local union leaders on the Bridgestone Policy Committee for voicing the concerns of the membership at the table.

"We came to the table prepared to negotiate in good faith for a fair contract, and management made us fight for it every step of the way," Johnsen said. "We are proud of what we have accomplished thanks to the unity, strength and solidarity of our members and activists across all of the Bridgestone locations."

"Our members have earned and deserve fair wages, benefits and working conditions," he said. "The proposed contract builds on decades of collective bargaining progress with hard-fought economic and contract language improvements."

Johnsen said that the committee will be presenting the proposed agreement to the membership for ratification.

The USW will not be discussing the details of the proposed new contract with the public until members have had the opportunity to review it with their elected union representatives in the coming days and weeks.

The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in manufacturing, metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in tech, public sector and service occupations.

Contact: Tony Montana – (412) 562-2592 or [email protected]

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)