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Bridgestone workers back on the job

Workers at Bridgestone Australia’s Salisbury factory in South Australia returned to work on Monday (April 2) after a three-day lockout without pay. However, while they may be back at work, their pay dispute is no closer to being resolved and further industrial action has been planned for the coming weeks.

Colin Fenney from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union told Australian media that the lockout has only strengthened the workers’ resolve. “They’re a bit angry at the moment actually because, like I say, the company’s locked them out,” he said, adding that the employees had become ‘stronger’ and ‘more united’ through the experience.

2nd April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Australia Locks Workers Out

In a continuation of the industrial action that has hampered operations at Bridgestone Australia since the start of March, on the evening of March 27 the tyremaker locked around 450 workers out of its Adelaide plant and suspended production for three days. The affected staff are mainly those working in a production or maintenance capacity at the plant.

Bridgestone claims its action was a necessary response to three weeks of union agitation, including strikes, overtime bans, and work stoppages. “This is about survival of the plant in a tough automotive manufacturing environment,” stated a Bridgestone spokeswoman.

Earlier in the day union representatives had met with plant management to discuss the dispute over pay rises, however the two parties failed to reach any agreement.

28th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Industrial Action Brings Bridgestone Production to a Stop

Industrial unrest is continuing at the newly privatised Bridgestone Australia plant in Salisbury, South Australia. The tyremaker has taken the decision to halt production at the plant while it tries to resolve its differences with the factory’s 600 workers. A union campaign in support of a new enterprise agreement began in early March.

The company stated on March 27 that the campaign – including overtime bans and four-hour stoppages – had caused significant disruption to production during the month. “Despite further discussions between the parties, an escalation in industrial action this week has forced the company to inform its employees that it has suspended production for three days, commencing this evening,” Bridgestone announced. However the company was quick to add that the decision would not disrupt customer supply and delivery.

Bridgestone also warned the workers of the consequences of continuing action that harmed the plant’s viability. Chairman and CEO Mac Ohashi said “Continuing industrial action may impact on the company’s capacity to pay future wage increases.”

27th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Strikes Continues at Bridgestone Australia

Workers at the soon to be privatised Bridgestone Australia plant in Adelaide have gone on strike and are contemplating whether to continue their industrial action. The workers are seeking a 12 per cent wage increase over three years, considerably more than Bridgestone Australia’s offer of 6 per cent plus a AUD$2000 (£820) signing bonus and a productivity-linked $3000 (£1,225) over three years.

Bob Donnelly, speaking on behalf of the union representing the striking workers, stated that the tyremaker was paying its employees less than the industry standard.

22nd March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Privatisation of Bridgestone Australia Approved

Following a AUD$50 million (£20.5 million) deal approved by shareholders on March 20, Bridgestone Australia is set to become a private company. At present minority shareholders hold about 14.5 million Bridgestone Australia shares, while Bridgestone Corporation possesses more than 22 million shares, or 60.3 per cent. Bridgestone Corporation intends to offer minority shareholders AUD$3.40 (£1.40) a share, comprising of a return of capital of 50 cents and a fully franked dividend of $2.90. Following the buyout Bridgestone will be delisted from the Australian Stock Exchange on May 30, 2007.

20th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Back to Work at Bridgestone Australia

Production has resumed at Bridgestone Australia’s Salisbury plant as employees previously stood down during industrial action returned to work. However the company has been advised that more industrial action is in the pipeline, with overtime bans imposed for the week of March 12 and a 24-hour strike scheduled on March 19.

A Bridgestone spokesman has assured consumers that supplies of Bridgestone products would not be affected by these actions.

9th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Stands Down Workers at Striking Plant

Further to reports that Bridgestone workers in South Australia had commenced industrial action over a pay dispute, the company has released news that, as a result, it has taken the decision to stand down workers. Bridgestone management says the action has affected production and therefore some staff have been told not to return to work until further notice.

8th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Australia Workers Begin Industrial Action

Bridgestone workers in Australia have followed their threats with action, and employees at the company’s Salisbury plant near Adelaide, in South Australia, have begun industrial action over a pay dispute. According to Bridgestone, production and maintenance staff at the plant commenced a series of four-hour stoppages at 2am on March 8.

8th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Workers Vote to Strike in Australia

Employees at a Bridgestone factory in South Australia have voted to take strike action in order to obtain a wage rise. The company offered workers at its Salisbury plant a pay rise of up to 6 per cent over four years, however the workers’ representative body, the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU), has referred to the rise as insulting.

2nd March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

USW to End Contract Extension With Goodyear

The United Steelworkers (USW) has advised Goodyear that it was giving the company the required 72-hour notice to terminate the extension of the parties’ labour contract. The contract expired on 22 July 2006, and both parties agreed to an extension that could be terminated with 72 hours notice. Some industry observers have interpreted this to be a precursor to industrial action. A possible strike would affect Goodyear’s 12 North American plants (eight tyre factories and four engineered products plants).

3rd October 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Breakthrough in Pirelli Talks

Talks between Pirelli and the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) have resulted in Pirelli tabling an “improved” pay deal. Although exact details of the pay offer have not been disclosed T&G representatives told Tyres & Accessories that it was enough for the union to “suspend” industrial action. According to T&G, the details will be released once the union members have been notified of the new offer. A ballot will be conducted in the first week of September.

“The proposals we will now put to our members are a significant improvement on the company’s previous ‘final’ offer,” said T&G national organiser for manufacturing Peter Booth. “The offer fully justifies the strong stance taken by our members in support of their pay claim, and I believe it an acceptable conclusion to this claim.”

Pirelli originally offered workers a 1.1 per cent pay rise back in April. This was followed by the 2.2 per cent offer which provoked the union’s strike ballot. The latest offer, which was negotiated with the assistance the conciliation service ACAS, seems sure to be in excess of this. Pirelli representatives were unavailable for comment.

A union spokesperson refused to comment on the union’s perspective of the long-term future of the Carlisle plant until after the ballot.

17th August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli and Unions to Discuss Strike Action

Representatives from Pirelli Tyres UK and unions representing workers at the company’s Burton and Carlisle production plants are to meet. The talks, scheduled for later this week, are seen as an attempt to avoid the planned strike action, which is due to take place on 25 August.

15th August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Workers Balloted Over Industrial Action

In the UK, two Unions are today balloting Pirelli workers at plants in Carlisle and Burton-on-Trent about possible industrial action, following the rejection of a 2.2 per cent pay offer. The largest Union is the Transport and General Workers, which has 900 members at Pirelli, while the second Union is Amicus, with 200 members. A T&G spokesman described the plants as “highly profitable for Pirelli”, adding: “The plants need support and investment, not a squeeze on pay.”

10th July 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Dispute Resolved

Workers at Michelin’s Stoke-on-Trent remix factory have voted to end industrial action. Members of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) had been refusing to work overtime for the past two weeks. Workers voted to accept the manufacturers revised deal “under protest,” T&G convenor Robert Taylor is reported as saying.

There will now be a £650 unconsolidated pay rise for 2005 with potentially £350 in performance-related pay and a minimum of a two per cent increase next year, he said. Managers at Michelin are said to be “pleased the pay situation has been resolved.”

29th March 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Pay Dispute Worsens

Workers at the Michelin tyre factory in Stoke-on-Trent have voted to take industrial action in a dispute over pay. The workers had previously decided to take measures including ‘working to rule,’ but then suspended preparations following a “positive” meeting with management. Now around 400 members of the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) have decided to demonstrate outside the Remix plant. An overtime ban has been in place since 6:00am on Friday. As a result of the action, production at the plant is said to be very slightly down.

15th March 2005/by Tyrepress Editors