Contract finalized at Jeep

10/16/2002

A new labor contract at the Toledo Jeep Assembly Plant has been finalized.

The skilled tradesmen at the plant, represented by United Auto Workers Local 12, have accepted with an 82 percent vote the work rules they rejected when other production workers at Jeep voted this month to ratify a new one-year agreement.

Company and union representatives were making plans yesterday to implement work rule changes affecting 700 skilled trades workers, said Nick Vuich, union chairman.

The union hopes the changes will encourage the company to reduce use of outside contractors, creating work for 30 skilled trades workers on indefinite layoff and 100 others without permanent posts. In the vote, union members were given the option of accepting the changes or continuing the existing rules, Mr. Vuich said.

The new contract, which affects 3,800 hourly and 500 laid-off workers at Toledo Jeep, provides for a 3 percent wage increase and improvements in pensions and other areas.