Goodyear Plant Workers Vote For Union

(Akron/Tire Review) Workers at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s wire plant in Asheboro, North Carolina, voted to be represented by the United Steelworkers (USW). A secret ballot election was held last week, with a final vote of 173-147 in favor of union representation. The USW said that Asheboro workers participated in a card check election in 2004 “that validated the USW as the official employee representative.” However, some workers there dissented, and legal action was taken. The National Labor Relations Board was brought in to conduct the secret ballot vote.

A statement issued by the USW said, “At Goodyear-Asheboro, the Union entered into a NLRB settlement in January even though both an independent arbitrator and officials in Winston-Salem confirmed that, during the 2004 organizing drive, the majority of eligible Asheboro employees stated that they wanted to be represented by the USW. The NLRB also found no evidence of coercion or intimidation by the USW or Goodyear during the 2004 election process.”