Press Release

USWA Announces Details of Tentative Agreement with Bridgestone/Firestone

11/08/96

United Steelworkers Disclose Details of Agreement with Bridgestone/Firestone


PITTSBURGH, Nov. 6 -- The United Steelworkers of America
today released details of a tentative agreement with
Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. The agreement resolves key issues in the
union's labor dispute with the company, covering more than 6,000 USWA
members at seven Bridgestone/Firestone plants.

The agreement was reached at 1 a.m. Monday, November 4, following 72
hours of uninterrupted bargaining in Chicago. In recent months,
representatives of the company and the union had periodic discussions
on a possible resumption of negotiations, which had last been held in
January. Further meetings began on October 28, leading to the
successful round-the-clock talks.

In light of the agreement, National Labor Relations Board hearings
that had been scheduled to begin Tuesday in Pittsburgh were postponed.
The hearings were to deal with NLRB complaints against
Bridgestone/Firestone.

The union also announced a hiatus in its worldwide corporate campaign
against the company, pending expected and prompt resolution of local
issues, documentation of a full agreement, and submission of the
entire contract to ratification.

"This is a historic day for our union and the entire labor movement,"
said USWA President George Becker. "It is also a historic day for
Bridgestone/Firestone, which recognized -- to its credit -- that
settlement with the union was in the best interest of the company, its
employees, and the communities in which they work.

"In a long dispute like this, there are no victors," Becker added.
"However, I am pleased to announce that the union succeeded in
achieving the major goals that we have pursued since this struggle
began.

"Our negotiators did a splendid job in achieving this agreement. But
the real credit goes to the union members at Bridgestone/Firestone
plants who stood firm during this long dispute, the many thousands of
Steelworkers and other union members who supported them in an
unprecedented display of union solidarity, and the unions in foreign
countries who gave incredible assistance to the international campaign
that played a major part in bringing us where we are today."

The agreement covers local unions at five Bridgestone/Firestone plants
that were involved in the strike that began July 12, 1994. Those are
Local 7, in Akron; Local 138 in Noblesville, Ind.; Local 310 in Des
Moines, Iowa; Local 713, Decatur, Ill.; and Local 998 in Oklahoma
City, Okla. It also covers members of Local 884 in Russellville, Ark.,
and Local 1055 in LaVergne, Tenn. More than 6,000 members in all are
covered.

Prior to ratification, each local union will negotiate certain local
issues affecting its individual plant. Informational meetings will
then be held in each location. Ratification of the agreement by the
members is expected to be completed by mid-December.

The agreement provides that union members who have not already been
called back to work will be able to return to their jobs. Other
provisions include:

-- An immediate increase of 40 cents per hour in hourly pay.

-- A $750 signing bonus for all employees.

-- At tire plants, an across-the-board wage increase of 35 cents per
hour on September 1, 1999, and at non-tire plants, a bonus of $500 per
employee on that date. The across-the-board increase will be the first
in the tire industry since 1982.

-- In excess of $15 million in supplemental bonuses for returned
strikers in individual amounts ranging from $5,000 to $11,000,
depending on when the returning strikers returned to work.

-- Restoration of holidays to a total of 11.

-- A $2.00 increase in the defined-benefit pension plan multiplier on
April 23, 1997, and another $2.00 on April 23, 1998.

-- Health program improvements and complete elimination of health
insurance premiums.

-- Complete amnesty for more than 40 employees discharged for alleged
strike-related misconduct.

-- A "successorship" provision requiring the buyer of any
Bridgestone/Firestone facility to negotiate an acceptable contract
with the union prior to purchasing any plant.