Solidarity Brings Success in Labor's Fight at Goodyear

Pressure from CWA and the rest of the labor movement helped force Goodyear's hand at the bargaining table, ending a three-month strike with a contract that secures retiree health care benefits and protects jobs at 12 U.S. plants represented by the Steelworkers.

The 15,000 striking workers returned to their jobs Jan. 2 after ratifying the three-year contract over the holidays. The strike began Oct. 5.

CWA President Larry Cohen called the contract a "huge victory" for the striking workers and the American labor movement, as all unions are facing battles over health care and job security.

"Today we can all celebrate the kind of victories our movement can experience if we dig deeper and build the solidarity we will need to preserve our standard of living and build our power," Cohen said. "But we can't rest on our laurels. There is lots of hard work ahead and the key to our success lies in building the stewards army."

As Cohen took a lead role in rallying labor for the Goodyear fight, CWA members and staff turned out for December leafleting and demonstrations at the tire company's stores across the country.

"We owe a debt of gratitude to the entire labor and activist communities, which rose with unprecedented solidarity to challenge Goodyear's assault on our members," USW President Leo Gerard said.

The contract establishes what the USW calls an "innovative company-financed trust" of more than $1 billion that will secure medical and prescription drug benefits for current and future retirees.

Goodyear has closed several U.S. plants and sent thousands of tire company jobs to China and other countries with low wages and lax labor laws. The new contract allows the company to close one more plant, in Tyler, Texas, by the end of 2007. However, the contract also requires the company to triple its capital investments to at least $550 million in Steelworker-represented plants.