Local 1155L Bargaining Update July 13, 2022

Bargaining Update | July 13, 2022 | Click here to download a printable version of this update.

Your USW bargaining committee has continued negotiating with Bridgestone since our last update. We are disappointed to report that we are frustrated by the lack of real progress up to this point. This is due to the company’s refusal to address a number of issues that we have brought to the table.

Bridgestone continues to propose changes that would reduce our active and retiree health care benefits, restrict our bidding opportunities and further erode our seniority rights.

These unacceptable proposals come at a time when the company has been very successful financially. In 2021, Bridgestone Americas posted more than $12 billion in sales with an Operating Profit of $1.6 billion and has averaged over $1 billion in Operating Profit each year since 2017. These outstanding numbers are directly related to our hard work and productivity.

Your committee will continue bargaining until the expiration date of July 29. We sincerely hope that Bridgestone is prepared to make a genuine effort to reach a fair agreement.

Over the next two weeks there will be more opportunities for you to show the company just how serious we are about negotiating an agreement that addresses our needs. We encourage all of you to participate and show management our solidarity around our contract goals – and that their outrageous proposals will never be acceptable.

We will continue to keep the membership updated as negotiations continue. 

Your Policy Committee,

Drew Rodriguez Tommy Winkles President, Local 1155L Policy, Local 1155L