Workers go on strike at BFGoodrich Tires

Workers at BFGoodrich’s plant in Kitchener, Ontario, began strike action on June 1st in a protest against changes made to their contracts. United Steelworker’s Ontario Director, Wayne Fraser, says that workers produce “a number of high quality tyres and are not prepared to accept deep cuts to their benefits.”

The Michelin owned company is demanding that workers pay a portion of their health benefits and is imposing a lifetime cap on health care benefits for future retirees. Plans to contract out jobs have also angered the workers who feel that their livelihood is being threatened.

Representatives from the local union and the Canadian Ministry of Labour spent the previous weekend trying to negotiate a settlement, but BFGoodrich was unwilling to make any concessions.