Michelin, union extend contract talks

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://money.excite.com/ht/nw/bus/20060723/hle_bus-n22392790.html



Michelin, union extend contract talks

Sunday July 23, 2:21 AM EDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The United Steelworkers and Michelin North America agreed on Saturday to extend negotiations by 24 hours over a new contract for 4,000 hourly workers at three U.S. tire plants that expires at midnight.

The union hopes to use an agreement that would cover Michelin's BFGoodrich plants in Alabama and Indiana as a model for talks with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (GT) and Bridgestone Corp. , where contracts are also due to expire at midnight on Saturday.

Goodyear and the steelworkers have agreed to a day-to-day extension of contracts covering about 14,000 workers at 12 U.S. tire plants. Bridgestone and the union have recessed talks over contracts covering 6,000 workers at eight U.S. plants.

"While we have made some progress, substantial differences on important issues remain outstanding," the union negotiating committee said in a statement announcing the extension.

The union has said Michelin's initial proposal sought wage cuts of $7 an hour and health-care and pension benefit reductions. Major cuts remained in the company offer's on Saturday, the union added.