News From USW: Goodyear Workers Ratify Join 17,000 Other Steelworker-Represented Employees with Contracts at Goodyear North America

PITTSBURGH--June 22, 2006--News From USW: The United Steelworkers (USW) announced today that its members at Goodyear's Asheboro, NC wire plant ratified a contract by a 98% vote. The contract covers 330 workers.

"It was a long process, but our members here refused to be denied," said Jerry Hall, one of five bargaining committee members chosen by USW-Asheboro membership. "All the outside interference just made us stronger."

In 2004, the workers in Asheboro participated in a card check election that validated the USW as the official employee representative. The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, whose membership and funding remain a closely guarded secret, filed objection to the election process on behalf of a few workers involved.

Faced with the prospect of litigating their USW representational rights for several years, during which they would be denied union representation, the union reached a settlement that called for the NLRB to conduct a secret ballot election. In a secret ballot election conducted last summer, the workers once again chose USW representation.

The agreement provides for a general wage increase and a bonus upon ratification. Health care issues were addressed and cost-controls were established. In addition, a strong grievance procedure was created and successorship language was written into the contract. The latter provides job and union security protections for the members in the case of a plant sale.

The USW represents some 70,000 members in the tire, rubber and plastics industry and 850,000 overall in the U.S. and Canada.