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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

Union Counters, Goodyear and USW Remain Far Apart

(Akron/Tire Review) As promised, the United Steelworkers offered its counter to a master contract proposal laid out by Goodyear last week. The counterproposal was issued late on 15 September, and industry observers note that they were considerably different than the tyremaker’s offer, leading to concern that the two sides remain far, far apart. The union’s plan calls for protected status for all Goodyear plants, wage and benefit increases, and protection of retiree benefits, while Goodyear offered protected status to all but two of its plants, cuts overall employment by 10 per cent, and seeks cuts in wages, benefits and retiree benefits.

20th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Says It Wants BFS-Union Deal Done First

(Akron/Tire Review) In an interesting twist to the current round of master contract talks, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has told the United Steelworkers that it wants the union to reach a deal with Bridgestone/Firestone before it will continue negotiations. It was expected that talks between Goodyear and the USW were further along than those between the union and Bridgestone/Firestone, and that the union’s talks with Bridgestone/Firestone would be more difficult.

12th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Union Says Little Progress Made With Goodyear

(Akron/Tire Review) United Steelworkers say that negotiations with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. continue, but “progress has been slow.” The union also indicated that some job action may be on the horizon. “Goodyear has not moved from its ‘cut and gut’ agenda. Your bargaining committee has remained steadfast and is determined to achieve a contract that is fair and equitable, that protects our retirees and that provides job security for our members, the union said in a memo to members.

29th August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

John Edwards Pleads CTNA Workers’ Case in Letter to Alan Hippe

John Edwards, former US Senator from North Carolina and vice presidential candidate, has written a letter to Alan Hippe, CEO and president of Continental Tire’s North American (CTNA) expressing his concern over the German company’s alleged violations of US labour laws at the Charlotte, North Carolina plant.

16th August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

USW Files Complaint With State Department Against Continental

(Akron/Tire Review) The United Steelworkers (USW) has filed a complaint with the US State Department against German tyre and auto system maker Continental AG, alleging breaches of the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

9th August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Titan, USW Still Working on Contract Details

(Akron/Tire Review) Officials of United Steelworkers Local 890, representing Continental Tire North America’s Bryan, Ohio, OTR tyre plant, say they are close to finalizing agreements that will clear the way for Titan International to buy the facility. As per its contract with the union, before CTNA can sell the plant the USW must settle on a new master contract with the buyer – in this case Titan – presuming the new deal will be at least equal to its current contract.

25th July 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin, Union Agree to Extensions; No Progress Elsewhere

(Akron/Tire Review) The United Steelworkers’ (USW) master contracts with Michelin North America, Goodyear and Bridgestone/Firestone expired Sunday at midnight without incident and without a walkout by union workers. But twice over the weekend the union and Michelin agreed to extensions of their contract – one 24-hour extension on Saturday and a 48-hour extension on Sunday. The contract, which covers Michelin’s unionized plants in Tuscaloosa and Opelika, Ala., and Fort Wayne, Ind., is now scheduled to end at midnight on July 25.

25th July 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Strike Possible; No Contract Extension for BFNAT

(Akron/Tire Review) Unless significant headway is made, say news reports, union workers at three Michelin North America plants were planning to go on strike when their current contract with the tyremaker expires at midnight July 23.

24th July 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Workers Give Union Strike Authority

(Akron/Tire Review) Each of the 12 locals representing Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plants have authorized the United Steelworkers to call a strike should master contract talks bog down. The USW’s contract with Goodyear expires 22 July, and there are no indications that the union is anxious to strike, though. According to the USW, strike authorization was approved by an average of 97.5 per cent of union workers at all of the impacted plants.

7th July 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Union says CTNA Lied About Charlotte Plans

(Akron/Tire Review) Claiming they were lied to by Continental Tire North America (CTNA) management, the United Steelworkers (USW) blasted the tyremaker’s decision to end tyre production early at its Charlotte, North Carolina plant. “They flat-out lied to us,” USW executive vice president Ron Hoover said. “It’s now apparent that Conti never intended to keep making tyres in Charlotte,” he continued, accusing the company of pillaging active and retired members.

11th May 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Report: CTNA Makes ‘Last, Best’ Offer

(Akron/Tire Review) According to news reports, Continental Tire North America (CTNA) presented its “last, best and final offer” to United Steelworkers officials yesterday. The tyre maker’s master contract with the union expires Apr. 30.
The company said its latest proposal was its ninth in an attempt to secure cost cuts of some $32 million at its Charlotte, N.C., plant. Union officials said they are reviewing the proposal, and plan to resume meetings with CTNA this Friday.

27th April 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Unionisation Plans at Michelin’s Canadian Plants Hit Snag

Following Michelin’s decision to close its BFGoodrich plant in Kitchener, Ontario, the United Steelworkers has closed its offices in Nova Scotia, says the Halifax Chronicle Herald. The union has been trying to form a union at Michelin’s three Nova Scotia plants for some time; indeed, during Michelin’s 36-year history in Nova Scotia, a dozen or more attempts at unionisation have failed. The USW says that efforts will continue but will now be centralised from the offices at Moncton, New Brunswick.

27th April 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Union, Titan May Seek ITC Help

(Akron/Tire Review) Various news reports say that Titan International Inc. and the United Steelworkers (USW) plan to petition the International Trade Commission next month, seeking antidumping penalties against companies importing agricultural tyres from China. Reportedly, the parties feel that agricultural tyres imported from China are not being sold in the US at fair prices, even after factoring in freight and raw material costs.

31st March 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Pensler Apparently Out of the Running on Bryan Plant

(Akron/Tire Review) Pensler Capital Corp. is out of the running to buy Continental Tire North America’s (CTNA) OTR tyre plant in Bryan, Ohio, sources told Tire Review. Titan International now appears to be the front-runner to obtain the giant tyre facility.

Pensler, said sources, held a number of negotiating sessions with the United Steelworkers and USW Local 890 to facilitate the purchase, but the union rejected each offer made. Pensler, which owns Denman Tire Corp, came into the bidding in January and had signed a letter of intent to buy the plant on 16 January.

16th March 2006/by Tyrepress Editors