UAW union workers at Bradford White Corporation in Middleville, Barry county’s largest employer, went on strike at 12am Wednesday morning. The more than 1200 members of United Auto Workers Local 1002 walked off the job at midnight after the union failed to reach an agreement with the company.
Bradford White manufactures water heaters at the Middleville plant. The company also has operations in Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, and owns the Niles Steel Tank company. Only Local 1002 in Middleville, part of UAW Region 1-D in Michigan is involved, the first time the Middleville employees have walked the picket line since 1978.
According to union bargaining chair Randy Tobias, the current contract that was agreed to in 2020 expired on September 1st, but a 15-day extension was put in place to allow time to negotiate a new labor contract. Two offers were made by the company but were both turned down by about 95% of the union workers.
The union workers are seeking higher wages, a better paid time off program, and better health insurance benefits. Bradford White has reached out to the workers, and both sides hope to resume negotiations soon but there is no clear timeline.
