Goodyear workers to vote on new contract

Union employees at the Gadsden Goodyear Plant are scheduled to vote nextTuesday and Wednesday on a proposed new four-year contract between the United Steelworkers and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company which union officials say is much better than the last two contracts.  The proposed contract includes a minimum staffing level of hourly workers, a 50 cent per hour raise each year for the bottom two tiered paid employees which will affect about a quarter of the workers at the Gadsden plant. The proposed contract also includes the restoration of cost of living adjustments negotiated in 1976 and grandfather status for employees hired before 2006. Once ratified the contract calls for a thousand dollar signing bonus for all employees. It also includes addition vacation weeks for 20 year employees as well as increased contribution to the 401 k plans for some employees . Officials say employees will be voting at the union hall next Tuesday and Wednesday from 5:30 TO 8:30 each evening.