News From USWA: Steelworkers Begin Contract Talks With Goodyear; Job Security via Investment in North America Plants Key; International Delegation to Join Union for Opening Bargaining Session

    PITTSBURGH--March 12, 2003--News From USWA: The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) announced that it is beginning master contract negotiations with Goodyear in Cincinnati, Ohio tomorrow. The talks will address contracts covering 20,000 members and 22,000 retirees across the U.S. The current three-year agreement is set to expire on April 19, 2003 at the Goodyear and Dunlop plants and on July 6, 2003 at the Kelly-Springfield facilities.
    USWA International Vice President Andrew V. Palm will lead the USWA Goodyear/Kelly-Springfield/Dunlop bargaining team. "The security of our members' jobs, wages, benefits and retirement earnings are our paramount concern," he stated. "We are convinced that Goodyear can return to profitability while also ensuring these basic protections."
    "We do not intend to allow the company to restructure itself on the backs of its workers," Palm continued. "If they don't see us as part of the solution, it will only compound problems."
    Palm pointed out that Goodyear cannot blame its financial problems on labor costs since it operates under a pattern agreement that provides a level playing field for wages of all tire and rubber producers, including Bridgestone-Firestone and Uniroyal/Goodrich, Michelin. These companies reported profits in the most recent fiscal years.
    "While we don't see Goodyear's financial position nearly as dire as many analyst's forecast, we agree with the common perception that the company needs an aggressive plan to optimize such things as research and development, marketing, and sales," stated Palm. "We look forward to working with the company in negotiations to get Goodyear back on track."
    The local unions involved in the contract negotiations include:

    Goodyear Local 2 - Akron/Green, Ohio
    Goodyear Local 12 - Gadsden, Alabama
    Dunlop Local 135 - Buffalo, New York
    Goodyear Local 200 - St. Marys, Ohio
    Goodyear Local 286 - Lincoln, Nebraska
    Goodyear Local 307 - Topeka, Kansas
    Kelly-Springfield Local 745 - Freeport, Illinois
    Kelly-Springfield Local 746 - Tyler, Texas
    Goodyear Local 831 - Danville, Virginia
    Goodyear Local 843 - Marysville, Ohio
    Goodyear Local 878 - Union City, Tennessee
    Goodyear Local 904 - Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
    Dunlop Local 915 - Huntsville, Alabama
    Kelly-Springfield Local 959 - Fayetteville, North Carolina

    An international delegation of union officials from Goodyear facilities around the world will join the USWA Bargaining Team at the opening bargaining session. The delegates include representatives from Brazil, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Germany. Like their U.S. counterparts, the delegates belong to the 20-million member International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Union (ICEM).
    In 1997, the USWA and ICEM jointly hosted the First Goodyear World Conference in Cleveland, Ohio. Delegates from 18 countries representing workers from Goodyear facilities on every continent attended. A Global Goodyear Steering Committee was established and delegates from six regions spanning the world were elected. The Steering Committee most recently met last October during the World Rubber Conference held in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
    The USWA is also beginning master contract negotiations with Bridgestone-Firestone and Uniroyal/Goodrich, Michelin this week. The former will be conducted in St. Louis; Missouri and the latter will take place in Knoxville, Tennessee.
    Typically, preliminary negotiations go on for about two weeks before the USWA bargaining teams meet collectively to designate a "target company." The Steelworkers then bargain an agreement with the target that serves as a pattern agreement or template for the other negotiations.
    The USWA represents 1.2 million active and retired members in North America, including nearly 90,000 active workers in the rubber and plastics industry. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, the USWA has 12 districts spanning the continent and more than 2,000 locals.
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