Tell Goodyear: Respect Workers, Keep Your Promises

Nearly 16,000 United Steelworkers (USW) members are on strike at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., fighting on behalf of all of us to keep good jobs here in America and for a fair deal on retiree health care benefits.

As the holidays approach, please support our brothers and sisters by signing this petition telling Goodyear to respect workers and keep its promises. The petition will be delivered immediately to Robert Keegan, GoodYear President, CEO, and Chairman.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Goodyear: Respect Workers and Keep Your Promises

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Goodyear forced nearly 16,000 workers to strike on Oct. 5, by making it clear the company would not negotiate a fair and equitable contract with the USW members. These workers are sacrificing their livelihoods on behalf of all U.S. workers--including Goodyear's customers--to keep good jobs in America and preserve promised benefits.

USW members and retirees made great sacrifices in 2003 to keep Goodyear out of bankruptcy. Now the company's stock is worth nearly five times as much as it was in early 2003 and top executives have awarded themselves millions of dollars in bonuses--but Goodyear still wants more.

It is unreasonable and unjust to expect USW members to accept additional plant closures and more wage and benefit cuts while other stakeholders reap in the rewards of the company's turnaround. And it is unacceptable that Goodyear intends to walk away from its commitments to workers and retirees.

This strike is a fight for all of America's workers.

We, the undersigned, support our brothers and sisters on strike at Goodyear and demand Goodyear respect its workers, keep its promises and negotiate a fair contract with USW members.

Signed by:

Campaign Launched:
December 14, 2006

Background Information

Nearly 16,000 Goodyear employees are facing the holidays without paychecks. For two and a half months, the USW members have been on strike in a brutal fight for job security and a fair deal on retiree health care. They are sacrificing for all of us—and they need our support.

When Goodyear was on the verge of bankruptcy three years ago, USW members and retirees accepted wage, health care and pension cuts and the closing of a plant to save the company. It worked—today Goodyear is highly profitable and able to lavish big bonuses on its executives. But the company wants still more sacrifices from workers.

Please sign the petition telling Goodyear to respect its workers and keep its promises.