CUYAHOGA HEIGHTS, Ohio -- The United Autoworkers has ended what the union called the longest strike in its history, a nine-year walkout at Park-Ohio Industries Inc.'s Ohio Crankshaft plant.
The strike ended Sunday when union members voted unanimously to approve a three-year agreement.
'We've just been picketing and doing whatever we have to do to survive,' said George Montgomery, a lathe operator at the plant for 20 years before the strike. 'I'm glad it's over.'
UAW officials said there were about 120 workers at the plant when the strike started in 1983. About 78 temporary replacement workers continued to manufacture crankshafts for locomotives and large trucks at the Cuyahoga Heights facility.
Thomas McGinty, chairman of Park-Ohio, said the contract includes pension improvements and medical benefits paid completely by the company. The agreement calls for pay raises of 30 cents an hour in the second and third years. Workers made about $11 per hour before the walkout started.
McGinty said the company will pay the UAW about $500,000 to settle an unfair labor practice claim filed by the union and to compensate the union and its members for expenses incurred during the strike. The contract also will settle a pending lawsuit over medical benefits.
McGinty said he was not certain when the striking union workers would return to work. He said a lot has changed inside the plant during the nine years.
'It will be a while before we get them all back,' said McGinty. 'We will have to bring them in as we are able to train them.'
