Autoneum strike ends; new contract reached

About 270 union workers at an Autoneum plant in Bloomsburg, Pa., reached an agreement last week with the Swiss automotive insulation supplier, ending a nearly weeklong strike by Local 1700.

Chief among worker complaints was Autoneum’s position that workers pay 5 percent more of their health care costs outside of usual yearly increases. In a new four-year contract that was approved 223-56, costs for the top tier insurance plan will stay the same for the next two years.

In addition, workers will make $1 more a hour, retroactive to May 15, Fox 56 in Pennsylvania reported Friday.

Further details about terms of the contract were not available on Monday.

Autoneum works with almost every major automaker, including General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, according to its website. The Bloomsburg plant had received awards from Toyota in 2011, Ford in 2014 and GM in 2021.

GM told Automotive News last week the strike had not affected its operations.

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Joint Board of Workers United, the joint board for Local 1700, said in a statement on its website that workers were happy with the contract.

“All workers returned to their jobs with a renewed sense of pride and restored dignity!” the statement said.

Autoneum reported a first-half net loss of 12.8 million Swiss francs ($13.6 million) this year compared with a profit of 25.5 million francs ($27 million) during the same period last year.

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