Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson Inc. and two United Steelworkers local unions in Wisconsin said Monday morning the two sides had reached a tentative agreement on a new contract.
Union members from USW Local 2-209, which represents around 730 workers at Harley’s Pilgrim Road plant, and USW Local 460, which represents 280 workers at the company’s Tomahawk plant, voted on the contract Monday.
By early afternoon, Harley had released a statement indicating the USW workers had ratified the agreement. Union officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The two unions previously rejected a new five-year contract earlier this month, although both sides agreed to continue negotiations. The previous contract ended on March 31 but was extended through 11:59 p.m. April 14.
Another Harley union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ Lodge 78, which represents around 90 workers in the Milwaukee area, accepted the new contract on April 1.
Harley said the contract voted on by the USW workers on Monday was substantially the same as the one ratified by the IAM members.
In previous statements, Harley touted a 14% wage increase over the life of the contract, along with no changes to health care in the first year of the deal, pension enhancements, incentive plans and retirement incentives for those eligible for retirement.
The unions, however, said the company was “out of touch” with workers in the plants and had made the negotiations about economic issues only. Union officials said non-economic issues like the treatment of seniority, use of temporary labor and surge production practices were among the critical issues to them.
Note: This story has been updated to reflect Harley’s statement regarding a ratified contract
