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7 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 71/2000
Midnight tonight is the deadline for leading tyre multinational Bridgestone to reach a settlement at nine unionised plants in the USA.
That is when extensions of contracts (collective agreements) at the plants expire.
The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) is seeking a comprehensive agreement that improves working conditions, wages and pensions for its members working at all of these Bridgestone/Firestone facilities.
Some 8,000 US Bridgestone workers are ready to strike if necessary from one minute after midnight onwards.
As the deadline approaches, Bridgestone is under growing pressure from its workforce around the world to reach an agreement. The USWA is affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), which recently set up a global network of trade unions in Bridgestone.
At the network's launch last month in the American city of St. Louis, Bridgestone union leaders pledged their "support and solidarity" to the USWA in this round of bargaining, and called on their members "to engage in solidarity activities" in support of the USWA in the event of a strike.
Letters from unions representing thousands of Bridgestone workers in eight countries have been sent this week to Yoichiro Kaizaki, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the tyre multinational, expressing support for the USWA and urging the company to settle contract negotiations with the union before midnight tonight.
In addition, these unions have sent worker delegations to see local Bridgestone/Firestone plant managers in their respective countries this week to deliver the same message.
Unions that have taken action so far - all representing Bridgestone employees - are Lastik-Is in Turkey; the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa; the Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union; the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in the US; the Fédération de la Metallurgie in Canada; the Frente Unica de Borracha of Brazil; the Sindicato Unico de Trabajadores del Neumático Argentino; and the Sindicato de Trabajadores Bridgestone-Firestone of Chile.
Adding his voice to the demand for a settlement was Fred Higgs, ICEM General Secretary, who today urged Kaizaki to "amicably and expeditiously reach a just new agreement" with the USWA. Higgs indicated that the ICEM is prepared to mobilise its affiliates around the world in support of the USWA but expressed his hope that "a mutually agreeable settlement can be reached without a strike."
That is when extensions of contracts (collective agreements) at the plants expire.
The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) is seeking a comprehensive agreement that improves working conditions, wages and pensions for its members working at all of these Bridgestone/Firestone facilities.
Some 8,000 US Bridgestone workers are ready to strike if necessary from one minute after midnight onwards.
As the deadline approaches, Bridgestone is under growing pressure from its workforce around the world to reach an agreement. The USWA is affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), which recently set up a global network of trade unions in Bridgestone.
At the network's launch last month in the American city of St. Louis, Bridgestone union leaders pledged their "support and solidarity" to the USWA in this round of bargaining, and called on their members "to engage in solidarity activities" in support of the USWA in the event of a strike.
Letters from unions representing thousands of Bridgestone workers in eight countries have been sent this week to Yoichiro Kaizaki, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the tyre multinational, expressing support for the USWA and urging the company to settle contract negotiations with the union before midnight tonight.
In addition, these unions have sent worker delegations to see local Bridgestone/Firestone plant managers in their respective countries this week to deliver the same message.
Unions that have taken action so far - all representing Bridgestone employees - are Lastik-Is in Turkey; the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa; the Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union; the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in the US; the Fédération de la Metallurgie in Canada; the Frente Unica de Borracha of Brazil; the Sindicato Unico de Trabajadores del Neumático Argentino; and the Sindicato de Trabajadores Bridgestone-Firestone of Chile.
Adding his voice to the demand for a settlement was Fred Higgs, ICEM General Secretary, who today urged Kaizaki to "amicably and expeditiously reach a just new agreement" with the USWA. Higgs indicated that the ICEM is prepared to mobilise its affiliates around the world in support of the USWA but expressed his hope that "a mutually agreeable settlement can be reached without a strike."