VTNA Plant Remains Open After UAW Rejects Contract
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Volvo Trucks North America announced employees represented by the United Auto Workers rejected a new five-year labor agreement covering approximately 2,900 members of UAW Local #2069 at the New River Valley truck assembly operations in Dublin, Va.
The company has been informed that UAW-represented employees would report to work May 17.
In a statement, the UAW said its members voted down a tentative agreement in a ratification vote May 16. “The tentative agreement, negotiated during an April strike, voted against common language by a 91% margin; hourly language was defeated by a 91% margin; and salary language was defeated by 83%. Members of UAW Local 2069 will continue working and go back to the bargaining table shortly.”
The Volvo VNR Electric is set for a serial production launch this spring. (Volvo Trucks North America)
“We look forward to working with the UAW to resolve whatever the outstanding issues are, and we remain confident that we will be able to reach a mutually beneficial agreement,” said NRV General Manager Franky Marchand.
Negotiations began Feb. 8, and the two sides reached a tentative agreement April 30, following a strike that went into effect April 19.
The NRV plant employs more than 3,300 people, about 2,900 of whom are UAW members.
The plant is in the midst of a $400 million investment for advanced technology upgrades, site expansion and preparation for future products, including the innovative Volvo VNR Electric truck.
The plant has added 1,100 jobs since the last union agreement was implemented in 2016, and is on track to have a net increase of approximately 600 positions in 2021, according to VTNA, a unit of Volvo Group. — Transport Topics
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