Chrysler plants in Indiana reject proposed contract

DETROIT, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Two Chrysler LLC component plants in Indiana on Tuesday voted to reject a proposed contract, marking the latest setback to a tentative four-year deal negotiated by the United Auto Workers union.

The votes by the two UAW locals, which represent over 4,000 Chrysler workers, push the cumulative vote against the contract to a slight majority, according to a running tally of the ongoing plant-by-plant votes in the closely watched ratification battle.

A UAW local official in Kokomo, Indiana said a Chrysler casting plant there had rejected the proposed contract by a 79-percent margin while a nearby transmission plant had rejected the deal by a 72-percent margin.

Key Chrysler plants in Michigan and Illinois will vote on the proposed contract on Wednesday and Friday.