Goodyear, USW Locals Still Negotiating

(Akron/Tire Review – Topeka Capital-Journal) Six months after Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and the United Steelworkers reached a national labour agreement, negotiations continue on a local supplemental contract that has implications for employees’ work and vacation rules.”Everybody in our membership thought this would be an easy deal, but it’s proved harder,” said Glenn Griffith, vice president of Local 307.

Griffith said the national deal, or “master agreement,” sets the tone for such big-ticket items as wages and benefits, but it’s up to local negotiators to work out the smaller points, like work rules and how overtime and vacation can be scheduled. He said the union has been meeting with Goodyear since at least April.

Amy Brei, a Goodyear corporate spokeswoman, said some of the other 11 plants across the country have ratified their local agreements. She couldn’t provide numbers.

There were two local contracts still outstanding after the deal in December – one for the Topeka plant and another for the Topeka warehouse. Griffith said warehouse workers approved their deal July 13 but because of overlapping work agreements, they are waiting for Goodyear and Local 307 plant workers to finalise their deal.

Robert Tripp, president of Local 307, said although the talks have taken longer than he and the union’s membership would have liked, there’s “nothing abnormal” going on. He said there is a possibility of another strike, but at this time, there is no deadline for negotiations.

“We’re going to work with them until we think there’s nothing to work for,” Tripp said.

He added there are “people that probably have the perception” that the tyre company is taking a tough stance during negotiations.

Union leaders wouldn’t discuss specifics of the negotiations, but Griffith said Goodyear “doesn’t seem to have a lot of respect for the needs of our membership.”

Tripp said many union members feel the public forgot about Goodyear workers after the national agreement. He said there is still a lot to work out.

The two sides have been meeting daily, he said, and will continue until they come together. If that doesn’t happen, will the workers strike again?

“If we have to, we will,” Tripp said.