Union vote begins at Goodyear plant in Danville

DANVILLE -- Union workers began voting yesterday morning on a tentative agreement between Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and United Steelworkers Local 831 that could result in the loss of at least 400 jobs at the company's tire manufacturing plant here.

Voting continued all day and into the evening.

The agreement would reduce production from a seven-day operation to five days a week, with from 300 to 400 layoffs and as many as 200 buyouts of employees.

Goodyear announced yesterday that it would cut 5,000 jobs nationwide, including 400 in Danville. About 2,400 people currently work at the Danville plant making aircraft and truck tires.

The terms of the agreement, obtained by the Register & Bee, provides for the company to offer up to 200 buyouts to employees with a minimum of six months of service.

Employees between the ages of 53 and 55 with at least 28 years of service as of March 1 are eligible for the buyouts. Those choosing a buyout can get $2,000 per year they worked at the plant, up to $40,000. After those buyouts, the company will still reduce the labor force with layoffs.

The union and Goodyear drafted the tentative agreement after both sides agreed recent furloughs have not done enough.

Sarah Arkin is a staff writer for the Danville Register & Bee.