03-28-03: Workers authorize possible strike

03-28-03: Workers authorize possible strike

By LANCE MIHM
The Daily Standard

    ST. MARYS - Workers at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plant in St. Marys overwhelmingly voted to allow their union to strike if ongoing contract negotiations fail.
    The vote by members of the United Steel Workers Local 200 was 366-9 in favor of authorizing a strike. Voting took place Sunday through Wednesday and results were made public Thursday. The vote did not call for a strike, but authorizes a strike to begin if negotiations fail, union representative Gary McMullin said.
    The union represents 525 workers at the plant in St. Marys. Thirteen other Goodyear plants nationwide also are going through negotiations. North American Tire, a division of Goodyear, is handling negotiations for the company.
    Neither side would offer any details on the negotiations, but a news release by the union says recent management decisions by the company have put the future success of the company at risk. Complaints included frequent leadership changes, decisions to change work schedules and the lack of long-range planning.
    Contract negotiations began March 13 and are still in the infant stages, according to representatives from the union and the company.
    "We are progressing as expected," North American Public Relations Vice President Chuck Sinclair said this morning. "There are not any target dates established yet. We expect that to happen late in the first week or early in the second week of April."
    The employees' current contract expires April 19. If an agreement is not met by midnight April 19, union terms say a strike could begin.

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