Members of IAM Local 1297 have voted to approve a new five-year contract with Libbey Glass, ending an 18-week strike in Toledo, Ohio. The agreement follows more than a year of negotiations between the union and the company.
T. Dean Wright, Jr., President and Directing Business Representative of IAM District 54, commented on the outcome: “I am incredibly proud of the members of IAM Local 1297 and their families. They stood united in solidarity for 18 weeks, making tremendous personal sacrifices, including during the holiday season, to protect one another and the contractual rights they have fought for over decades. I extend my sincere gratitude to each and every one of them. I also wish to thank my staff at IAM District 54, as well as the Libbey shop committee, who worked tirelessly not only during these past four months of the strike but also through the numerous months of negotiations prior to that, in order to safeguard the rights and benefits of our members at Libbey Glass. Additionally, I would like to offer my deepest thanks to the Toledo-area community for their steadfast support throughout the strike, particularly the labor community and UAW Local 12. I would also like to specifically acknowledge the efforts of USW Locals 700T, 65T, 59M, and their members, to secure improved contracts for all workers at Libbey Glass.”
Key elements of the new contract include an immediate wage increase of 14.25 percent with additional raises in future years. Health insurance premium contributions will not rise in 2026 and favorable plan design features are retained. The agreement also provides a $3,000 signing bonus.
Other provisions include continued premium pay at time-and-a-half for hours worked beyond scheduled shifts in a workday and twelve paid holidays—eight of which fall during Christmas and New Year’s.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) represents around 600,000 active and retired members across various industries such as aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, among others in North America.
