IAM Local 1297 members at Libbey Glass in Toledo have voted to ratify a new five-year contract, ending an 18-week strike. 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, praised the efforts of the workers: “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.”
The new contract provides an immediate wage increase of 14.25%, with further raises scheduled in later years. Health insurance premium contributions will remain unchanged for 2026, while favorable plan design elements are retained within health benefits.
Other provisions include a $3,000 signing bonus for union members and continued premium pay at time-and-a-half for hours worked beyond regular schedules each workday. Workers will receive twelve paid holidays annually; eight fall during Christmas and New Year’s.
IAM (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) is among North America’s largest industrial trade unions with around 600,000 active and retired members across several industries in both the United States and Canada.
