Union Plays Santa with Christmas Cash

The twelve thousand Goodyear workers now entering their third month of strike action are receiving an early Christmas bonus from their union. The Pittsburgh based United Steelworkers union announced on Tuesday that it will give a $100 Christmas bonus to the striking Goodyear workers and to the approximately nine hundred other workers striking or locked out from other companies.

This money will be given on top of the weekly strike benefit the workers receive from the union. The 850,000 member strong USW possesses a $150 million strike fund from which it pays striking workers. The standard amount of strike pay given out is $100 per week, increasing to $115 if a strike lasts longer than eight weeks.

Ohio based USW spokesman Dave Prentice said that the striking workers are in good spirits, stating that “we are maintaining our solidarity and we are taking care of our members as best we can. The morale is high,” He added that “we will be there as long as it takes.”

Speculation continues as to when the union and Goodyear will reach an agreement, with some sources claiming that a resolution will be arrived at as early as January.