Majority of UAW Local 1112 membership approves local contract

By Kalea Hall

khall@vindy.com

LORDSTOWN

A majority of United Auto Workers Local 1112 members voted in favor of a new local contract with General Motors after a 24-hour vote that started Monday.

The contract was approved with 76 percent voting yes.

The production members approved the contract with 78 percent of the vote, while the skilled-trades members voted down the contract with 55 percent voting no.

“We are waiting on direction from the region,” said Glenn Johnson, president of Local 1112.

Johnson said union leadership will meet with the skilled-trades workers to find out their concerns with the contract.

UAW Local 1112 represents about 3,000 assembly-plant workers at the General Motors Lordstown Assembly Plant where the Chevrolet Cruze is built.

A tentative agreement between Local 1112 and GM was reached in late January.

The bargaining committee fought to keep work that traditionally had been done by UAW workers.

Issues the committee worked on during negotiations included health and safety, job standards, temporary employees, departmental language, material guidelines, medical coverage, restroom sanitation, skilled-trades cross-training and other issues, according to a flier sent out by Local 1112 on Jan. 20.

On Feb. 12, members of UAW Local 1714, which represents about 1,400 fabrication-plant workers at the Lordstown facility, approved its local contract overall with 53 percent voting yes.

The skilled-trades workers approved the contract with 68 percent of the vote, and the production workers turned down the contract with 52 percent voting no.

Local 1714 had an informational meeting with members last Thursday to go over their concerns. The union leadership brought the concerns to the management.

“I feel the talks were positive,” said Robert Morales, president of Local 1714.

Both Local 1112 and Local 1714 voted in favor of the national agreement with GM in November.

Ninety percent of the Local 1112 membership voted with 72 percent approving the national contract that includes pay raises across the workforce, improved health care for tier-two workers and an $8,000 signing bonus if ratified.

Eighty-seven percent of the Local 1714 membership voted with 65 percent approving the contract.