Bradford White employees approve deal, ending seven-week strike

Bradford White workers this weekend voted to approve an agreement with the company, ending a nearly seven-week strike that began in mid-September. 

The backstory: After more than two months of failed negotiations between the water heater manufacturer and United Auto Workers Local 1002, which represents employees at Bradford White’s primary manufacturing plant in Middleville, Michigan, more than 1,200 workers went on strike on September 16.

• Union members called for higher wages, more paid time off, and better insurance options, among other demands, as Homepros previously reported. 
• This weekend’s agreement follows several previous failed votes over the past couple of weeks. 

What’s happening: United Auto Workers Local 1002 confirmed Monday that the agreement passed overnight on Saturday with 58 percent of the vote; however, the details of the new contract in comparison to the previous offers remain unclear. 

• “The agreement provides meaningful wage increases and valuable benefits for our employees and their families, upholding our commitment to being a leading manufacturing employer in West Michigan,” a Bradford White spokesperson told a local news outlet in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming our team back to the plant.”