BY TIM MAILHOT
DES MOINES, Iowa - As the contract expiration date of midnight April 30 approaches, members of United Steelworkers of America (USWA) Local 164 at Titan Tire here are preparing for a fight.

"Every day people are wearing union buttons to work, and every Friday is T-shirt day," said Chris Boagard, a tire builder at Titan. "Flyers have been circulated through the plant, too," he explained. "Some just say `six days left' or `five days left,' counting down the days. Another says `164 we'll take no more.' And then a couple of times a week, everyone gathers in one of the break areas after punching out and marches out together, shouting, `We want a pension, we want a pension.' " The current owner, Maurice Taylor, Jr. refused to include a pension plan in the contract forced on the local three years ago.

Across town, members of USWA Local 310 at Bridgstone/Firestone stand ready to help out on the picket line. On April 28 members of the local produced a flyer to be distributed throughout the plant calling on all members to show their support by joining Local 164's picket line. Titan Tire produces tires for agricultural, construction and mining industries.  
 
 
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