The plant produces Gunite-brand brake drums, hubs and other wheel-end components for the North American commercial vehicle industry and is one of the country’s oldest continuously-operating manufacturers.
“Accuride greatly appreciates our Rockford associates’ commitment to creating an industry-leading, globally competitive facility,” says Rick Dauch, Accuride president and CEO. “This shared achievement underscores the talent and dedication of our Rockford team and follows Accuride’s three-year, $61 million investment in new production equipment and process upgrades that is enabling them to achieve world-class quality and operating performance.
“This new agreement ensures that customers can rely on the dependable supply of world-class, Made-in-the-USA products from Gunite.”
The parties entered into their prior CBA in November 2010. The new agreement is retroactive to Nov. 18, 2014 and effective through March 25, 2019.
Accuride says it follows the company’s recently negotiated and competitive long-term agreements:
- March 2013 with the Canadian Auto Workers at its London, Ontario, steel wheel plant,
- November 2013 with the U.S. Steelworkers at its Brillion Iron Works facility in Brillion, Wisc., and
- May 2014 with the United Auto Workers at its Erie Operations aluminum wheel plant in Erie, Pa.
Together, these CBAs provide Accuride with labor stability at its U.S. and Canadian union-represented operations through March 2018 and into early 2019. The new agreements also ensure that Accuride has the operational flexibility to be competitive as it pursues profitable growth in the cyclical core markets it serves, the company says.
