Ironhorse
10-05-2006, 03:43 PM
Goodyear Workers Go On Strike
At Tyler's Goodyear Plant, at Noon on Thursday, the promised strike began. Workers began walking out on their jobs, saying the company won't guarantee their job security.
This affects Goodyear plants nationwide.
One of the major sticking points in the negotiations, whether the Tyler plant and one in Gadsden, Alabama will be permanently shut down; eliminating thousands of manufacturing jobs.
According to Local union workers the two sides are still very far apart. The company has not guaranteed the two plants will remain open, and there are still differences in health care and retirement benefits.
Harold Sweat the Vice President of USW Local 757 says "We appreciate all of the support that we've received from the community from the state, they seem to be willing to help but at this point, Goodyear is not willing to give us any help."
Tyler's plant brings in approximately a billion dollars to the statewide economy.
Yesterday state and local representative offered up an aggressive 12- million dollar incentive package to keep the company here.
State Senator Kevin Eltife says, "The service sector would feel it because there would be less spending in our economy. All levels of government would feel it. The school district would lose 3 or 4 million dollars a year in revenue. And I can tell you it would end up with increased property taxes for everybody".
The shut down of the plant started this morning. Trucks were lined up, ready to leave. The workers were loading up their tool boxes; not sure when they would return.
Link (http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5501719)
Goodyear actually offered these employees a nice package to not strike. Its not about money to these employees. Its about another U.S. company (Goodyear) wanting to move manufacturing to countries like China. Instead of taking Goodyears money, these guys stood up for their co-workers in Texas and Alabama to secure their jobs. I feel proud to be an American worker today.
At Tyler's Goodyear Plant, at Noon on Thursday, the promised strike began. Workers began walking out on their jobs, saying the company won't guarantee their job security.
This affects Goodyear plants nationwide.
One of the major sticking points in the negotiations, whether the Tyler plant and one in Gadsden, Alabama will be permanently shut down; eliminating thousands of manufacturing jobs.
According to Local union workers the two sides are still very far apart. The company has not guaranteed the two plants will remain open, and there are still differences in health care and retirement benefits.
Harold Sweat the Vice President of USW Local 757 says "We appreciate all of the support that we've received from the community from the state, they seem to be willing to help but at this point, Goodyear is not willing to give us any help."
Tyler's plant brings in approximately a billion dollars to the statewide economy.
Yesterday state and local representative offered up an aggressive 12- million dollar incentive package to keep the company here.
State Senator Kevin Eltife says, "The service sector would feel it because there would be less spending in our economy. All levels of government would feel it. The school district would lose 3 or 4 million dollars a year in revenue. And I can tell you it would end up with increased property taxes for everybody".
The shut down of the plant started this morning. Trucks were lined up, ready to leave. The workers were loading up their tool boxes; not sure when they would return.
Link (http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5501719)
Goodyear actually offered these employees a nice package to not strike. Its not about money to these employees. Its about another U.S. company (Goodyear) wanting to move manufacturing to countries like China. Instead of taking Goodyears money, these guys stood up for their co-workers in Texas and Alabama to secure their jobs. I feel proud to be an American worker today.