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