Workers Vote to End Walkout at Peterbilt Plant

NASHVILLE — Workers at a Peterbilt Motors Co. “big rig” tractor plant voted 284 to 84 on Saturday to end a three-month strike after the company threatened to hire replacement workers.

The workers approved the same contract they had rejected a week ago. The pact includes a 3.5% raise and requires employees to pay part of their health insurance costs.

“I consider it probably the worst contract that’s ever been negotiated insofar as the differences between the old contract and the new contract,” said Mike Brown, president of United Auto Workers Local 1832.

But officials at Peterbilt’s parent company, PACCAR Inc. of Bellevue, Wash., warned that replacement workers would be hired if strikers did not return to work by Aug. 17. Union officials said workers would return Monday.

The 400 workers at the plant make the “big rig” tractors used to pull 18-wheel truck rigs.