1:09 a.m., CDT--A possible strike by 12,000 car-hauling Teamsters truckers and other workers against the nation's 17 major auto-hauling operations has been at least temporarily delayed.
Negotiators for the union and the National Automobile Transporters Assn. met past the Tuesday, midnight deadline, trying to resolve their differences. Both sides are to resume their talks at 9 a.m. this morning in Arlington, VA.
The Teamsters are pushing for higher wages and increased pension benefits, including improved health benefits for retirees. They are opposed management's demands for a two-tier wage system that provides lower entry-level wages for new hires as well as relaxed work standards that would force drivers to work longer hours.
Late Monday, negotiators for the auto carriers presented, what they described as a "comprehensive economic proposal" to the union, that addressed the Teamster's concerns over wages and pension benefits. Officials for both sides would not provide any details as to what was contained in the proposal.
In an effort to put pressure on car hauling operators, the union voted overwhelmingly about two weeks ago to strike if a new contract was not ironed out by the deadline.
The last time Teamster car-haulers were on strike was in May, 1995 when they waged a 32-day strike against Ryder System