Workers at Georgia school bus maker Blue Bird approve their first union contract

FORT VALLEY, Ga. (AP) — Workers at a Georgia school bus manufacturer have approved their first union contract. The United Steelworkers union won a union vote in May 2023 at Blue Bird Corp.’s plants in Fort Valley. The steelworkers and company said union members have voted to approve a three-year contract between the company and union. The union says the contract will provide all 1,500 covered workers with at least a 12% raise. The union says the company will contribute to a retirement plan for workers, share profits, and improve health and safety. The negotiations had been closely watched by President Joe Biden’s administration. Blue Bird has gotten federal aid to build electric school buses.