The union said the new, three-year agreement secures retiree health care benefits and dramatically increases Goodyear’s investments in union facilities.
In a victory for workers, the tentative agreement requires Goodyear to rescind its demand for immediate closure of its Tyler, Texas, plant and instead provide for a one-year period of transition during which workers will have the opportunity to take advantage of sizeable retirement buyouts.
Goodyear sought to close the Tyler plant–its third plant closure in four years–despite making nearly $500 million in profit last year. In moving to close the plant, Goodyear tried to walk away from promises the company made to work in partnerhip with the USW and not cut jobs after union members came to Goodyear’s aid several years ago by taking wage and benefit freezes when the company experienced financial hardship.
"This agreement validates the solidarity of our members and their families, who wouldn’t allow the company to walk away from obligations earned through a lifetime of hard work and loyalty," said USW President Leo Gerard. "We owe a debt of gratitude to the entire labor and activist communities, which rose with unprecedented solidarity to challenge Goodyear’s assault on our members."
The tentative agreement was endorsed by the USW’s Goodyear Policy Committee, made up of local union leaders from the company’s master contract facilities throughout the U.S. Members at these locations will vote at ratification meetings in their communities on Dec. 28.
Although details of the tentative agreement will not be released until the workers have voted, the union said that the agreement addresses three crucial areas of concern by:
- Establishing an innovative company-financed trust of more than $1 billion that will secure medical and prescription drug benefits for current and future retirees.
- Enhancing the ability of USW-represented plants to meet the challenges of global competition by having Goodyear triple its capital investments to at least $550 million in those plants.
- Maintaining affordable, high quality medical and prescription drug coverage for active members and retirees.
On Dec. 16, thousands rallied in support of the striking workers at Goodyear tire sales outlets across the country, and Goodyear was voted corporate Grinch of the Year this week in Jobs with Justice’s annual Grinch contest. Many gave generously to the USW Strike Fund to help workers and their families through the holidays.
USW members had been on strike at 15 plants across the nation since Oct. 5.
Tula Connell writes for http://blog.aflcio.org, from which this article is adapted.
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The union said the new, three-year agreement secures retiree health care benefits and dramatically increases Goodyear’s investments in union facilities.
In a victory for workers, the tentative agreement requires Goodyear to rescind its demand for immediate closure of its Tyler, Texas, plant and instead provide for a one-year period of transition during which workers will have the opportunity to take advantage of sizeable retirement buyouts.
Goodyear sought to close the Tyler plant–its third plant closure in four years–despite making nearly $500 million in profit last year. In moving to close the plant, Goodyear tried to walk away from promises the company made to work in partnerhip with the USW and not cut jobs after union members came to Goodyear’s aid several years ago by taking wage and benefit freezes when the company experienced financial hardship.
"This agreement validates the solidarity of our members and their families, who wouldn’t allow the company to walk away from obligations earned through a lifetime of hard work and loyalty," said USW President Leo Gerard. "We owe a debt of gratitude to the entire labor and activist communities, which rose with unprecedented solidarity to challenge Goodyear’s assault on our members."
The tentative agreement was endorsed by the USW’s Goodyear Policy Committee, made up of local union leaders from the company’s master contract facilities throughout the U.S. Members at these locations will vote at ratification meetings in their communities on Dec. 28.
Although details of the tentative agreement will not be released until the workers have voted, the union said that the agreement addresses three crucial areas of concern by:
– Establishing an innovative company-financed trust of more than $1 billion that will secure medical and prescription drug benefits for current and future retirees.
– Enhancing the ability of USW-represented plants to meet the challenges of global competition by having Goodyear triple its capital investments to at least $550 million in those plants.
– Maintaining affordable, high quality medical and prescription drug coverage for active members and retirees.
On Dec. 16, thousands rallied in support of the striking workers at Goodyear tire sales outlets across the country, and Goodyear was voted corporate Grinch of the Year this week in Jobs with Justice’s annual Grinch contest. Many gave generously to the USW Strike Fund to help workers and their families through the holidays.
USW members had been on strike at 15 plants across the nation since Oct. 5.
Tula Connell writes for http://blog.aflcio.org, from which this article is adapted.