News From USW: USW Prepared to Return to Bargaining Table When Goodyear Indicates Willingness to Negotiate Meaningful Plant and Retiree Medical Security

PITTSBURGH--The following is a letter from USW:

                                November 3, 2006
Mr. James L. Allen
Director, Global Labor Relations
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
1144 East Market Street
Akron, Ohio 44316-0001
Dear Mr. Allen:

On October 31, you stated that:

         "Goodyear remains ready to return to Cincinnati to
         continue bargaining toward a new Labor Agreement".

At our meeting this morning you reiterated the Company’s position that, despite the Union providing you with numerous reasonable alternatives, the Company is intent on continuing to close North American tire factories. You also refused to make any changes to your offer of October 5, which included completely washing your hands of your legal and moral obligations to 30,000 retirees and surviving spouses by setting up a trust fund that will run out of money in a few years, leaving people who worked a lifetime building this Company with nothing.

Based on your statements, be advised that the Union is prepared to return to the bargaining table as soon as the Company informs us that it is prepared to make a proposal that provides security to all steelworker factories and if you insist on using a trust to provide retiree health care, fund it with enough resources so that current employees can expect to receive benefits consistent with the existing program when they retire.

                                      Sincerely,
                                      (signed)


        Thomas M. Conway                         Ron Hoover
  Vice President (Administration)      Executive Vice President, RPIC



    Kevin Johnsen            Harry Alford         John Rutherford
USW/Goodyear Coordinator    Table Committee       Table Committee
                           LU President 878L     LU President 843L



 Jim Wansley            Mark "Spanky" Kurkowski      Danny Barber
Table Committee             Table Committee         Table Committee
LU President 746L          LU President 135L       LU President 831L