CINCINNATI (Sept. 14) — Goodyear has placed a new contract offer in the hands of United Steelworkers negotiators, but the union believes the company is still asking for "drastic concessions."
The proposals, presented Sept. 12, are closely based on the agreement the union reached with Michelin North America Inc.´s BFGoodrich tire unit early last month, Goodyear said.
The offer includes plant protection for all but two Goodyear plants covered under the master contract; pay increases for about a third of the workforce and pay protection through July 2009; pension increases; plant investment guarantees; an exit incentive for up to 10 percent of the active work force; and establishment of a part-time support unit.
Several of the proposals were addressed similarly to the BFG pact, Goodyear said.
The union believes Goodyear is picking and choosing issues from the BFG and other contracts to put a positive spin on its offers while still including "Draconian" cuts, a USW spokesman said.
The union expects to send a response to the Goodyear proposal today, the spokesman said. More than 12,000 Goodyear hourly employees covered by the master contract have been on a day-to-day extension since the old pact expired July 22.