By MEGHAN DURBAK, Kokomo Tribune staff writer
Approximately 6,000 local members of the United Auto Workers union will vote today on a tentative agreement with Chrysler LLC.
Members of UAW 685 and 1166 are scheduled to vote on the contract throughout the day. Already several UAW members have expressed opposition to the new contract.
Six locals representing around 11,000 of the UAW's 45,000 Chrysler workers have so far rejected the proposed contract.
Since voting started Thursday, at least seven locals representing around 9,000 workers have voted to accept the contract, including locals at two engine plants, which have been promised future products.
The UAW leadership gained a notable victory Saturday with contract approval at Locals 412 and 889, which represent an estimated 2,700 workers at a variety of Chrysler locations, according to a person familiar with the voting results.
Local UAW President Guy Barger hopes the Kokomo members will vote in favor of the agreement.
"This is a very crucial vote, there's a lot at stake," Barger said. "It would be in the best interest of Kokomo if it did pass."
UAW 685 members will cast votes at 8 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. today.
The primary criticism of the contract is an apparent two-tiered wage system and a failure to assure members of job security.
UAW officials and Chrysler agreed on the tentative contract on Oct. 10, after a 6 hour strike.
Darrell Blasius, a UAW 685 retiree, plans to vote against the contract.
"It doesn't sound real promising for our employees that are still working," he said. "The security doesn't sound right for me for the future down the road."
Blasius referred to Chrysler cutting back on production, specifically a reduction in the sale of larger vehicles such as the SUVs and Durangos.
"If there is no replacement for them, the challenge is how are you going to keep people working?" Blasius asked. "As a retiree, if we don't keep people working my money isn't going to be coming in."
Blasius is not alone in his dislike of the tentative agreement.
Kokomo skilled-trades committeeman Shawn Fain, at Local 1166, recommended voting against the deal in a letter on the union's Web site, saying he told UAW leadership that in approving the deal "you might as well get a gun and shoot yourself in the head."
In an open letter to the membership, Barger wrote, "No one likes concessions, however these are concessionary times. The Big 3 are now a minority in their own market in the U.S. It's all about being competitive, for if you are not competitive, you are out of business."
He added, "The International leadership that negotiated this tentative agreement feels that it is the best that they can extract from Chrysler/Cerberus."
A majority of Chrysler's 45,000 UAW members must ratify the agreement before it can take effect.
"If it's voted down, who knows what it may lead too." Barger said.
The Associated Press contribunted to this report.