Contract talks continue Thursday at Lordstown

Progress is being made in contract talks critical to saving General Motors’ Lordstown complex, but much is yet to be settled, a union official said.

“It’s been a struggle, but there’s been significant progress,” said Brandon Michaels, leader of the skilled trades bargaining team for United Auto Workers Local 1112.

The fragile nature of the talks was seen Wednesday when Michaels walked out of talks on a new deal for skilled trades workers at the assembly plant. Talks had been held for 38 straight days, but Michaels called them off in a dispute over how overtime is assigned.

Tom Mock, plant spokesman, said tonight that management negotiators plan to continue bargaining today.

Ben Strickland, Local 1112 shop chairman, who was out of town Tuesday and Wednesday, said when reached tonight that talks will continue today. He said he didn’t consider the talks broken off at any point.

Strickland is in charge of all bargaining for Local 1112. He said he’s optimistic that union and management will come to terms.

Dan Flores, a GM spokesman in Detroit, said he wasn’t aware of what happened at the bargaining table today but said both sides “have been working through some tough issues to secure the future of the plant.”