Texarkana union ratifies agreement with Cooper

Dec. 15, 2008

The United Steelworkers of America Local 752L overwhelmingly ratified a three-year labor contract with Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. on Friday. Local 752L represents workers at the company's Texarkana, Ark., manufacturing facility.

(For more information, see "Cooper and Texarkana union reach tentative agreement," Dec. 11, 2008).


"We want to thank the local union officers for their leadership during this sensitive period," says Mark Krivoruchka, senior vice president of global human resources. "They provided guidance and cooperation to help the

Texarkana plant achieve cost savings in order to help strengthen Cooper Tire's competitive position.

"We need this spirit of collaboration to continue as we face the challenging times ahead in the U.S. tire market."

Last month, Cooper announced that it is conducting a capacity study at its four domestic tire plants that will likely result in restructuring, "including capacity consolidation and geographical shifts (of) production" (see "Cooper reviews financial packages for plants," Dec. 2, 2008). Since the announcement, Cooper has ratified labor agreements with workers at its Texarkana and Findlay, Ohio, plants.

The other two plants are in Albany, Ga., and Tupelo, Miss.