Titan International Inc. CEO and President Morry Taylor says the United Steelworkers have approved Titan's acquisition of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'s farm tire plant in Freeport, Ill. Titan is now negotiating with the local branch of the union that represents the factory, which is part of Titan's overall purchase of Goodyear's farm tire division.
Titan must first negotiate a new contract with the Steelworkers before it can buy the Goodyear property.
Taylor tells moderntiredealer.com that he and other Titan officials met with local union representatives earlier today.
"I introduced my negotiating team and met their team," he says. "We basically went over our philosophy, what we're trying to do, where we're at. We gave them a full contract proposal."
Reps from the local union plan to visit Titan's Des Moines, Iowa, plant on Aug. 2. "Negotiations will start on Aug. 8."
Freeport, says Taylor, is a "high-wage" facility. "It has a really good workforce."
The $100 million sale of Goodyear's farm tire unit to Titan was supposed to have gone through last month but has been knocked back to Sept. 1, according to Titan officials.
