USW Members Ratify Master Agreement with Goodyear
This week, the United Steelworkers (USW) said that members have ratified a new master contract with Goodyear covering roughly 2,600 workers at facilities in Akron, Ohio; Topeka, Kansas; and Danville, Virginia, through April 28, 2029.
USW International Vice President Emil Ramirez, who chaired negotiations with Goodyear, said that members showed incredible solidarity to win economic and contract language protections in the face of management’s aggressive drive for deep cuts.
“Instead of allowing management to divide us, the membership stood together to defend our contract from the radical cuts that Goodyear demanded,” Ramirez said. “We negotiated a fair agreement that provides additional security for earnings without sacrificing COLA or abandoning our health care.”
Ramirez said that the negotiating committee also won meaningful lump-sum payments, enhanced severance provisions and bargained a new Income Security Benefit while resisting proposals from Goodyear management to eliminate profit sharing and reduce vacation, overtime and premium pay.