USWA Press Release: Union President Re-asserts Sole Condition for Meeting with Bridgestone

07/22/96

USWA PRESIDENT GEORGE BECKER ASSERTS CONDITION FOR MEETING WITH
BRIDGESTONE

    PITTSBURGH, July 18 -- George Becker, international
president of the United Steelworkers of America (USWA), stated today
that he would be willing to meet personally with Bridgestone/Firestone,
Inc., once the company restores the jobs of all of its U.S. workers who
were illegally replaced during the two-year labor dispute between the
union and the company.
    Becker's statement was issued in response to reports of the
Rev. Jesse Jackson's meeting Thursday, July 18, in Tokyo with officials
of Bridgestone, Inc., the Japanese parent of Bridgestone/Firestone.  The
Bridgestone officials reportedly told Jackson that they want to meet
with President Becker and that Becker should become involved in future
negotiations.
    Becker stated:
    "I would be willing to meet with appropriate officials of
Bridgestone/Firestone as soon as one simple condition is met.  That
condition is the return to work of all of the workers whom the company
has illegally replaced at its U.S. facilities.  Until that condition is
met, any meeting with me would be pointless.
    "Last December, I met in Tokyo with Bridgestone's chairman,
Yoichiro Kaizaki, who expressed to me his desire that we resolve our
labor dispute.  At that time, our union's top-level negotiating team was
engaged in contract talks with Bridgestone/Firestone that we hoped would
lead to a fair settlement.
    "Unfortunately, the company destroyed that hope when, on January 27,
its negotiators presented demands purposely designed to kill the
negotiations.  At that point, I personally directed our negotiating team
to withdraw from the talks.
    "While the Steelworkers carry out a worldwide campaign to publicize
Bridgestone/Firestone's anti-union, anti-worker conduct in the
United States, we have amply demonstrated our sincerity in wanting to
negotiate a fair contract that will meet the needs of both the company
and the union.  I urge the company to make a similar show of sincerity
by immediately restoring all of the illegally replaced workers."