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UAW 1112 contract vote results

LORDSTOWN, Ohio - The results are in, UAW members voted in favor of a new contract with General Motors.

Nationally more than 60 percent of workers were in favor of the deal.

The numbers for local 1112 were even higher than the national totals.  Lordstown union leaders say that's important for the plant's future.  "This is security for Lordstown," says 1112 President Jim Graham.

Graham and Shop Chairman Ben Strickland say this vote had a lot more riding on it than just a single contract.  "It's astronomically huge.  Because what it sends is, it sends a message up to the corporation, up to the international union, that I have a membership that can work together, that is concerned about their future, that will build a quality car for the general public," says Strickland.

That's important because, at least for now, production of the Cruze only goes through 2014.  Then Lordstown will need a new vehicle to produce.

Seventy-four percent of 1112 production members and 69 percent of skilled trades workers passed the new contract.

Graham says, "When the leadership goes up to Detroit and says, OK guys we need a new product in Lordstown, these figures are going to make them listen."

The new contract gives each union member a $5,000 dollar signing bonus, $1,000 dollar lump sum payments in each year of the contract and the possibility of thousands more in profit sharing, and a wage increase for second tier workers.

The deal also offers a special attrition option for skilled workers and retirement eligible employees, and it eliminates the legal services plan, which provided attorneys for UAW members free of charge.

GM officials say this contract has the lowest economic impact on the company of any agreement over the last four decades, expect for 2007 and 2009 when there were concessions.

They describe the deal as a win, win for the company and for the union.