Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. workers have approved a new contract that will prevent the potential closing of factories in six states in the next four years.

The United Steelworkers said Saturday that the agreement covers about 10,300 workers. Voting concluded at seven plants late Friday night.

The contract provides minimum staffing levels at six of the seven Goodyear plants represented by the steelworkers union. It also calls for Ohio-based Goodyear to invest $600 million at the plants, keeping them up to date.

The deal protects factories in Akron, Ohio; Gadsden, Ala.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Topeka, Kan.; Danville, Va., and Fayetteville, N.C.

A plant in Union City, Tenn., was the only one not protected. A local agreement negotiated in April provided for up to 600 workers there to receive buy outs.