Navistar, UAW Talks Continue Following Contract Expiration

United Auto Workers employees at Navistar International Corp. remain on the job following Friday’s expiration of a contract between the two sides, news services reported.

A Navistar spokesman said the company and union have found “common ground” in the negotiations, but the expired contracts have not been extended, the Dayton (Ohio) Business Journal reported.

The UAW represents about  575 workers Navistar’s Springfield, Ohio, plant, which makes medium-duty diesel trucks, the Business Journal said.

In October 2007, the UAW called a strike at nine locations before the union approved a deal about two months later. (Click here for previous story.)

In addition to the Springfield plant, other Navistar facilities affected by the expiring UAW contract include plants in Ft. Wayne, Ind., and Melrose Park, Ill., as well as parts distribution in York, Pa.; Dallas and Atlanta, the Business Journal said.

Of the 2,000 workers working at those sites, officials said about 500 have been laid off or are on leave, the paper reported.