USW@Work - National College Players Association - United ...

"I think when a man retires fromGoodyear with a contract, that's the wayit should be. He's earned his retirementwith no givebacks,'' James Sr. said.The support strikers received wasevident in both large and small waysranging from a massive National Day ofAction at Goodyear retail locationsaround the country to individual donationsfrom retirees, neighbors, merchants,churches, other unions and progressiveorganizations.On Dec. 17, just days before the finalround of negotiations resumed after along hiatus, an estimated 50,000 unionmembers and supporters turned out athundreds of Goodyear retail locations toprotest and boisterously tell consumershow the company was treating itsemployees. It was the single largestlabor protest in the United States in atleast 15 years.Standing shoulder-to-shoulder"Special thanks go out to all of ourAFL-CIO union affiliates, activistgroups, community organizations, businessesand public officials who not onlyunderstood our struggle, but stood shoulder-to-shoulderwith us," Gerard said.Even with the USW paying out about$1.5 million a week in strike benefitsthrough the locals, the financial toll onmembers was incalculable, what withwinter heating bills, mortgages and rent,medicine, food and other expenses.USW members in both the U.S. andCanada raised funds through plant gatecollections and distributed turkeys andother food for the holidays. Christmastoy drives helped children enjoy the holidays.Staff members at the USW andthe AFL-CIO kicked in too.Giving is a USW tradition"Generosity is a steelworker tradition,"Wayne Fraser, the USW'sOntario/Atlantic Director in Canada,said after members in Sudbury and SaultSte. Marie raised more than $15,000 in aweek.In Topeka, Kan., a car dealer donated$10,000 to Local 307 just beforeChristmas because many of his friends,neighbors, relatives and employees hadworked at Goodyear.In Tyler, Texas, 22-year Goodyearemployee Ronnie Dickson and his wifeKim set up a "Kelly Kids" fundraiser toprovide toy store gift cards for 655 childrenwhose parents were on strike."I'm proud of the people I workwith," Dickson said on the 62nd day ofthe strike as Christmas neared. "I'mproud people are still out. It's somethingwe believe in and are fighting for, sowhy punish our children over it."United Auto Worker Local 686 chartereda school bus to bring food, toysand other Christmas supplies to strikingworkers at the Goodyear-Dunlop plantin Tonawanda, N.Y."We wanted to make sure they hadmeals and toys for the kids," said Local686 member Jim Krolikowski. "With allthe uncertainty in the business rightnow, it could very easily have been uson strike."Michael Shupe, of Fayetteville, N.C.,recalled how one fellow striker wasgiven $200 from others on the picketline when they found out he needed totravel because of a death in the family."That's what these people are allabout,'' Shupe said as the strike ended."They're family."Photo by Gerald Dickey.10 winter 2007 • USW@Work