Firestone Strike Averted

N A S H V I L L E, Tenn., Sept. 2 -- More than 8,400 Bridgestone/Firestoneworkers at nine plants remained poised to strike at a moment’snotice today, but union negotiators said progress was being madein round-the-clock talks with the embattled tire company.

About 90 minutes before workers in Ohio and six other statesplanned to walk off the job at midnight today, negotiatorswith the United Steelworkers of America agreed to indefinitelypostpone the strike deadline.

It was welcome news to Nashville-based Bridgestone/FirestoneInc., already hit with the recall of 6.5 million allegedlydefective tires, a Labor Day weekend warning from the federalgovernment that another 1.4 million might have problems, andwide-ranging investigations into allegations that Firestone tirescaused at least 88 deaths in the U.S. and more overseas.

Pulling the Plug At Any Time

“We’re still encouraged by the progress that is being made inthe negotiations, and we hope to work through the remaining issuesas soon as possible,” Bridgestone/Firestone spokeswoman CynthiaMcCafferty said Saturday.

But Garry Manning, president of the United Steelworkers ofAmerica’s Local 1055 in LaVergne, cautioned that the union “couldpull the plug at any time.”

“There was no extension signed. It’s just hour to hour, minuteby minute,” Manning said from the hotel in suburban St. Louiswhere talks were taking place.

He declined to say what sticking points remain, but earlier theunion said it couldn’t agree to company proposals on mandatoryovertime, pension and insurance changes and seniority rights.

The company says a strike would have minimal impact onproduction or on its efforts to produce enough tires to replacethose involved in the recall, saying that most of the replacementtires are being made at nonunion plants in the Carolinas or aCanadian factory covered by a separate union contract.

Union officials and industry analysts scoff. Already, manycompany stores are low on stock or running out of replacementtires.