United Auto Workers members at Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) rejected a second tentative agreement with the truck manufacturer on Sunday, casting greater percentages of no votes than the first proposed contract they rejected in May.
Local 2069 members voted 91% against salary language and 90% against hourly and common language in the proposed six-year agreement, according to a tally sheet posted on the local’s Facebook page.
The local union struck the plant that builds all Volvo trucks for North America for 13 days in April. UAW leaders called off the strike on April 30, angering rank-and-file members who said they did not get to see specifics of the first tentative agreement before halting their job action.
Based on comments on social media, Local 2069 members appear to be as angry with their union negotiators as they are with the contract offers.
It was unknown whether a strike would resume.
“We are committed to the collective bargaining process, and remain confident that we will ultimately be able to reach a mutually beneficial agreement,” VTNA New River Valley Vice President and General Manager Franky Marchand.said in a statement.
Drawn out negotiations
Negotiations began on Feb. 8. A 30-day extension from the end of the current agreement March 16 expired on April 17 when the 2,900 union members walked out. They have been working since April 30 under terms of the expired five-year agreement reached in 2016.
The New River Valley plant employs more than 3,300 people. A $400 million investment for advanced technology upgrades, site expansion and preparation for future products, including the Volvo VNR Electric truck is underway.
The plant has added 1,100 jobs since the last union agreement was implemented in 2016. It expects to add about 600 positions this year.
Separately, stockholders in Sweden’s AB Volvo, the parent of VTNA, will vote June 29 on a company proposal to pay a special dividend of $1.14 a share, proceeds from the $2.28 billion sale of its UD Trucks subsidiary in Japan to Isuzu Motors Ltd.
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