Locals: Goodyear contract is good news for Danville
Local residents agree a new contract that would protect Danville’s primary employer — Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. — from closing its plant would benefit the area, or at least keep the status quo.
United Steelworkers union members at seven plants voted to approve the new four-year contract, which affects 10,300 workers, according to a union news release. The contract protects six factories across the country, requiring minimum staffing levels.
Danville’s USW Local 831 had voted to reject the proposed contract, but the contract was approved as the majority of union members and plants voted for approval. This comes after Goodyear cut 1,700 jobs in the second quarter as sales were down 25 percent, Goodyear reported in a news release in July.
Residents react to the news:
“It’s good. My grandpa worked there. It’s important for everyone, to keep people working.” — Stephen Bolling, student, of Danville
“I think they ought to take what they got and go to work. They’re fortunate they have a job. Probably a lot of people in the community would take their place. I think they’re greedy.” — Donald Murphy, business owner of Danville
“That would be a good thing, if they’re going to keep the plant open and preserve jobs. Danville has lost a lot like Martinsville. Tobacco, textile, furniture has all moved out.” — Mike Jones, chemical operator of Martinsville
“I think they need more jobs than just Goodyear. Everybody falls back on Good-year. They need something like a stadium, a coliseum. Goodyear — it’s good money, good pay, but that can’t be the backbone of Danville. We need new money.” — Nashid Burke, loss prevention officer of Danville
“That’s good. It’ll help our business. We have a big clientele of Goodyear employees. Glad to see they’re at work. I’m surprised they would vote against it as hard as jobs are to come by today.” — Dennis Malloy, customer service representative of Pelham, N.C.
“I work for a tire company, too — Danville Bandag, GCR. So Goodyear and our company are in the same boat. People are just trying to deal with what they’ve got. We’re just hoping and praying we can keep producing; keep manufacturing tires for people to put on their cars. We’ve got to have tires to go anywhere.” — Billy Whatt, salesman of Danville
“It doesn’t affect me personally. It affects the general area. I don’t think it’ll help it. I think it will kind of keep it afloat. We need more businesses that aren’t consumer-driven. We need more manufacturers.” — Roy Swanson, mechanic of Callands
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Reader Reactions
Greatamerican you are a riot. Lying about how much you make. You know you don’t have a job:) punk
you see jelaal is your typical Goodyear piece of trash. he thinks that if people dont work his pathetic factory job that the dont work at all. people like him are typical. You see Goodyear is his life. Its all he has. Uneducated possibly inbred, jelaal has to justify his pathetic existance by claiming you could not possibly have a job better than him. I have a new job and make more than the 13$ an hour I made at goodyear. I make 2.38 more. I have a better standard of health and I am not worried about a stroke in the near future. jelaal thnks unemployment that the company pays in like welfare or something. His sheer stupidity and lack of understanding the benefits given to the unemployed show his 8th grade education. His arrogance is also typical. Look at his statements I paid for this and he thinks people who dont work at goodyear are lazy. This is why people in the community laugh when they go on strike. Thats why supervisors tell the hard workers that union guys are lazy. Jelaal you have never paid anything for me. You are the most ignorant person I have ever seen on here. Learn how unemployment works.You really dont even understand the union do you? You stated that the does not care who it lays off. Well moron the union cant stop a company from laying off employees. I think you are retarded and im sure you can only do labor work. I can tell by your i pay your bills remarks you are a greedy piece of trash. I could care less what you voted you tow the corrupt union line. You would never call me a punk to my face you worthless piece of garbage.
I along with many on this board find it very suspect that you are mad because you got laid off and now all of a sudden you have a job paying $70,000/yr. HAHAHAHAHa
Not only are you upset but you truly are a lying punk. If you making so much money why keep complaining about the little 35,000 a year job that I have. What a moron what a ignoramous what a lying punk. cash that gov check that im paying for punk.
Well well well (jelaal) get your panties out of a ruffle. I make 70,000 a year have a good job i dont need a union thank you very much.Now you take that punk.
I really can’t believe what I am reading, calling these workers greedy. What is wrong with you? I had three members of my family pass away, and they (the workers) took up money for each time, and sent food to me. They were very gracious, during that time, to my family. they are honest workers trying to support their families, wanting only what is fair. Wake up, these are the ones that stand beside you, Corporate America doesn,t, they want to ship your jobs somewhere else. The union stopped them by negotiating, for the worker, both union member, and non-union member, and our country is better for it. Remember who is really on your side.
Deal is good news for locals, well is it a good deal for Goodyear workers and their families because thats all that matters. If Danville business owner paid a living wage and benifits to it owe workers Goodyears contract would mean nothing. Its not up to the hard workers of Goodyear to lower their standard of living to meet what Danville business people are willing to pay theirs. The average worker in Danville can’t afford a set of 4 tires from Goodyear and its not the workers at the plant that are causing this.
We have never learn from our owe history, The workers at Dan River Mills gave in and gave in till all their jobs went to India, so much for saving them.
Instead of giving in to all of Wall Street greed, you blame the poor people tryn to feed their families, Yes GoodYears workers are well paid, thank god someone is. We soon will become a country where we can’t afford to buy the product we make or for that matter what they make in China either.
If you think local 831 is greedy watch the stock market report! Thats greed and they don’t even have to lift a finger.
Here is something many of you may find interesting. Go to this site and type in 831 under the number designation and then look at 2008 numbers.http://erds.dol-esa.gov/query/orgreport.do
I too am a small business owner in the Danville area. I welcome purchases made by Goodyear Danville workers. What people need to realize is that wherever you may work you do not want to lose wages and benefits. While jobs may be more difficult to find in today’s economy, a four year deal may have implications down the road that are not desireable in what may be a good economy by that time. Goodyear looked at getting the same concessions from workers as automakers and airlines that were filing bankruptcies and receiving bailouts. Is voting “yes” for a contract the right thing to do just because you are scared?
Goodyear workers are greedy plan and simple.
Greed? They arn’t greedy, they were fighting to keep what they have, how would like to lose what you worked hard for. They work hard at the Goodyear plant, and believe me they earn every dollar and benefits they get. They weren’t asking for more. People need to get their facts straight, before they start judging them.
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