USW ratifies deal at Cooper Tire in Ohio, ending lockout

UPDATE (Feb. 27) — Steelworkers ratify agreement with Cooper Tire, ending lockout — The USW said that members of Local 207L have ratified a five-year contract with Cooper Tire, ending a three-month lockout at the company’s Findlay, Ohio tire plant. The new contract was ratified with approximately 66% of the 948 ballots cast.

(Feb. 24) — Here’s the official press release from Tony Montana (not making that up) at the the United Steelworkers union:

PITTSBURGH — The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that the union has reached a tentative agreement with Cooper Tire and Rubber Company on behalf of the 1,051 members of USW Local 207L who have been locked-out since Nov. 28, 2011 at the company’s Findlay, Ohio tire plant.

The union will be scheduling an informational  meeting  for members to discuss the tentative agreement with their negotiating committee before a ratification vote on Monday, February 27. The union will not publicly discuss the details of the agreement until the members of Local 207L have had a chance to review it.

The USW represents about 850,000 working men and women in the United States and Canada in a wide variety of industries, ranging from glass making to mining, paper, steel, tire and rubber and other manufacturing environments to the public sector, service and health care industries.

(Feb. 23) — The United Steelworkers union is reporting today that it has reached a tentative agreement with Cooper Tire, which has locked out 1,051 USW members at its Findlay, Ohio, plant since November. As a result, the union has cancelled nationwide actions set for this Saturday, Feb. 25, including in Puyallup.

Instead of leading demonstrations against the companies on Saturday, USW Local 207L members in Findley will be meeting that day to discuss the deal and will vote on the proposal Monday.

More details to come.