Goodyear, Bridgestone Reach Deals with USW

Both Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and Bridgestone Americas have reached tentative agreements with the United Steelworkers (USW), avoiding strikes in several plants across the U.S.

Goodyear reached a tentative agreement with USW on July 27, the deadline for its former contract. The deal, covering 8,500 employees, still needs to be approved by the majority of the six local USW unions.

“I am happy we didn’t have to strike," Terry Brewington, vice president of Local 959 and a Goodyear employee, told local media. "Our company is doing good. They have a great workforce. We’re proving you can have a manufacturer in the United States and be profitable."

The Goodyear contracts affected include plants in Gadsden, Ala.; Akron, Ohio; Buffalo, N.Y.; Danville, Va.; Fayetteville, N.C. and Topeka, Kan.

Bridgestone Americas also reached an agreement with USW. The agreement will affect roughly 4,500 employees at plants in Akron; Des Moines, Iowa; Russellville, Ark.; and LaVergne, Tenn.

There is no news on an agreement between Michelin North America and USW, which also expired on July 27.

The company has two union plants in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Fort Wayne, Ind.

GRI recently conducted programs in Sri Lanka to empower women and motivate children under its Green x Circle initiative. The company said these endeavors aimed to address the needs of the community, focusing on both women empowerment and youth motivation.

GRI recently organized a training program titled "Management of household finance under current economic conditions" at the Ingiriya Rubber Collecting Center in Sri Lanka, South Asia led by Shashika Nimali, an NLP practitioner and life coach. The company said this initiative provided women in the industry with essential skills and knowledge to effectively manage household finances. GRI's tailored training sessions equipped participants with tools for informed decision-making, ultimately fostering greater financial security and independence, the company said.