Negotiations between the United Steelworkers (USW) and Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. are getting tense as the USW 72 hours’ notice that will terminate the extension of its labor contract with the tire maker.
According to Jim Allen, Goodyear's chief negotiator, the two parties are continuing to negotiate in Cincinnati, OH. “The 72-hour notice simply creates a new deadline, which helps bring focus to the discussions as we work toward a new agreement,” he said. “While we are working hard toward successful resolution, in the event that does not occur Goodyear has contingency plans in place to continue operating our factories and serving our customers.”
If a new deal or extension isn’t reached when the three-day deadline expires, several scenarios are possible, Allen noted:
- The 12 plants governed by the labor contract could continue to operate as normal
- Goodyear could lock out the 14,000 USW workers covered under the contract
- The union could call a strike.
“We’ve been telling the company that we would stay at the bargaining table as long as progress was being made,” said USW executive vice president Ron Hoover. “There’s no sense continuing these talks if Goodyear is intent on gutting our contract and closing our plants.”
