Friday Alert Special Edition
  December 12, 2006
Alliance for Retired Americans
888 16th Street, N.W. -  Washington DC, 20006 - (202) 974-8222 - www.retiredamericans.or

 SPECIAL EDITION - RETIREE HEALTH CARE AT STAKE

"DAY OF ACTION" PLANNED FOR SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16

Steelworkers on Strike at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company Need Your Support
Over 15,000 members of the United Steelworkers (USW) have been on strike at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for two months, fighting to protect retiree healthcare benefits and to keep good union jobs in America.  These workers, at 15 plants across the US and Canada, are fighting for their livelihoods, their families, and their union brothers and sisters. 

USW active and retired members bent over backwards to help the company in 2003, when Goodyear was on the brink of bankruptcy.  The negotiated contract allowed Goodyear to cut wages, health care and pensions and to close the Huntsville, Alabama plant.  The USW then worked closely with the company at every plant location to increase productivity and enhance production efficiencies.

Now Goodyear expects USW members to accept additional plant closures and more wage and health care cuts, while other stakeholders reap in the rewards of the company's turnaround.  Goodyear's stock is worth almost five times as much as it was in early 2003, and top executives have awarded themselves millions of dollars in bonuses.

"When Goodyear laments its 'legacy cost,' what it's really saying is it intends to walk away from its commitments for medical care to both active and retired workers.  The plain message to Wall Street is that Goodyear is getting out of the retiree health care business," said Edward Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance.  "Goodyear's issues in North America are not operational.  The company has balance sheet problems that were created when top management did not fully fund its workers' pension and retiree health care - multiple times - when it had the money to do so," Coyle continued.

Added Ruben Burks, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance, "There are more than 30,000 retirees across the U.S. who gave their working lives to Goodyear. Their retiree health benefits are not a gift.  They earned those benefits, and they would be devastated to lose them."

"The Steelworkers need to know they are not alone in this fight, that millions of union members, retirees, and their families are at their side and standing with them, against Wall Street, to protect their jobs and benefits," said George J. Kourpias, President of the Alliance.

What You Can Do
On Saturday, December 16th, USW is planning to leaflet over 100 Goodyear distributor/retail stores across the county.  While USW will take the lead in organizing many locations, they have asked the AFL-CIO to lead the mobilization effort in a number of key states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.  Retiree participation will be critically important to ensuring the success of these events, where the goal is for a minimum of 15-20 activists to meet at the stores to leaflet customers, inform them about the strike as well as the actions of the Goodyear CEO, and ask them to talk to the store manager about their concerns.  Going directly to consumers sparks quick reactions from corporations.  Send the message to Goodyear that the USW workers have an army of supporters behind them.

The final list of leaflet sites is being confirmed with the USW, but Alliance members can begin preparing for Saturday's Day of Action by calling toll-free 1-877-511-8792 to find an event near you.  You can also find you local labor contacts on the web at www.aflcio.org/aboutus/unioncities.

A REGULAR EDITION OF THE FRIDAY ALERT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15.

Become part of a progressive grassroots movement! Join the Alliance: www.retiredamericans.org/join