Facts needed: Giti Tire addresses US workforce claims

Giti Tire has responded to allegations of problematic employee relations at its Richburg plant in the USA. Following the publication of a joint letter penned by the United Steelworkers (USW) union and “more than 40 civic, faith and government leaders,” David Shelton, director of industry relations, Giti Tire Manufacturing (USA), states that the tyre maker “always welcomes sincere and legitimate input from our team members and other community members.” He adds that Giti Tire’s policy is to ensure it possesses “all the facts and accurate information” before taking action on such matters and calls upon others to do likewise.

In a letter dated 23 November 2021 and addressed to Phang Wai Yeen, chief executive officer of Giti Tire Manufacturing (USA) Ltd., the representatives of church groups, political and civil rights organisations, local councils and trade unions state that workers at the Richburg plant have reported “mandatory overtime, unpredictable schedules, low wages, and the inability to have time off to spend with their family without retaliation.” They further claim that attempts by workers to form a union were met by intimidation as well as threats to close the plant.

“We strongly request you immediately cease this immoral activity in our community that defeats the common good,” states the letter to Mr Phang. “Allow Giti Tire employees to discuss issues relating to improving the working conditions including pay and the elimination of workers’ rights abuses in the factory. In your capacity, Giti has the power to fix these grievances by allowing workers to democratically decide, without fear of retaliation, if they wish to collectively address issues at work.”

A USW press release indicates that Giti Tire’s security turned away representatives of the letter’s signatories when they attempted to deliver the correspondence in person. A key issue for the USW is alleged harassment of workers wishing to join the union’s ranks. “The leaders of Richburg and Chester County have put Giti on notice,” states USW District 9 director Daniel Flippo. “Our community will not tolerate the mistreatment of workers who only seek fairness and a voice on the job.”

Organised, union-led effort

Following the letter’s publication, David Shelton emphasised that “Giti Tire is proud to call South Carolina home to our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility where dedicated team members produce high-quality, American-made tyres.” He points out that the tyre maker has been able to provide an “exceptional array” of jobs in the local area for operators, technicians, polymer experts, engineers in chemical, mechanical, civil, computer science, and electrical fields, administrative, finance and accounting, and other occupations. “All while providing strong benefits and competitive salaries,” he adds.

“We certainly hope others will also be diligent in confirming the facts and evaluating items coming from parties outside of our Chester County operations who are providing false and misleading information,” Shelton continues. “We recognise this is part of an organised, union-led effort. People who have been a part of our community, and surrounding communities, know that you can have problems with union representation that can hurt job security and long-term success. These are facts people need to know before even thinking a union is best for them and their families.”

Dramatic production response

Addressing issues related to overtime and “unpredictable schedules,” Shelton points out that the situation seen in recent months has been the exception rather than the rule. “At Giti Tire, we have always recognised that our team members are the strength of our operations and the key to our future success. This was exceptionally clear as the United States reopened from the COVID-19 shutdown. Like many companies, we experienced an increase in demand for our products, requiring a dramatic production response.

“Our Giti Tire team joined together and sacrificed time and energy to restart operations and serve our customers,” Shelton continues. “Once operations fully restarted and demand normalised, our production and schedules also returned to a more balanced work life experience and we were able to provide salary increases for many.”

The director of industry relations notes that Giti Tire has striven to increase employee communications and engagement as it has worked to navigate the pandemic over the past 20 months. “Our 600 employees are our number one priority and most valuable asset. We believe they can, and should, be able to communicate directly with us without the need of a third party such as a union.

“Therefore, we always welcome the opportunity to hear from employees and provide open lines of communications,” concludes Shelton. “We also want to ensure citizens in South Carolina know the facts and we look forward to sharing our story. Chester County is an excellent home for Giti Tire. We are continuing to invest in our South Carolina operations as we plan to be here for many years to come.”