Updated: 10:12 p.m. ET Dec 15, 2006
The US Army is considering measures to force striking workers back to their jobs at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber plant in Kansas in the face of a looming shortage of tyres for Humvee trucks and other military equipment used in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A strike involving 17,000 members of the United Steelworkers union has crippled 16 Goodyear plants in the US and Canada since October 5.

The main issues in dispute are the company's plans to close a unionised plant in Texas, and a proposal for workers to shoulder future increases in healthcare costs.

An army spokeswoman said on Friday that "there's not a shortage right now but there possibly will be one in the future".

According to Duncan Hunter, chairman of the House of Representatives armed services committee, the strike has cut output of Humvee tyres by about 35 per cent.

Mr Hunter said that the army had stopped supplying tyres to units not related to the Central Command, which is responsible for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Tyres were also not being provided to army repair depots.

While concern has centred on the Humvees, tyres are also critical to aircraft and other military equipment.
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According to Mr Hunter, the army is exploring a possible injunction under the Taft-Hartley Act to force the 200 Kansas workers back to their jobs.

Story.

Wikipedia entry for Taft-Hartley Act.

Edited to add: Steelworkers on what's up.

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Judge limits pickets outside Topeka's Goodyear plant
Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. - A judge imposed restrictions on union picketing at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. plant after accusations of harassment and vandalism.

Anorder, issued by Shawnee County District Judge Charles Andrews, prohibits the United Steelworkers from having more than 25 pickets in front of the plant at any time. It also bars union members from damaging property or harassing temporary employees.

The order, issued Thursday, was prompted by allegations by Akron, Ohio-based Goodyear that strikers threw nails, impeded traffic into the plant and harassed workers crossing picket lines.

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[ 17 December 2006: Message edited by: blake 3:17 ]

Area union members deliver donations and support to striking Dunlop workers

By Cortney McMahon
The Tonawanda News

It was crowded on the picket line in front of the Goodyear-Dunlop plant in the Town of Tonawanda on Monday.

Union members from across Western New York joined Local 135, the area Steelworkers union chapter, on the picket lines — and they came loaded.

“We’re here to support to our brothers and sisters,” said Paul Siekjak, president of United Autoworkers Local 686, which represents workers at Delphi in Lockport.

Local 686 bussed in about 900 pounds of canned food, a van full of toys, gift cards, cash and a $500 check, Siekjak said.

“There will be no bare Christmas trees,” he said.

This is the third time Local 686 joined the Dunlop strikers. In the past, the union brought donations as well, including frozen hamburgers and hot dogs, Siekjak said.

It is important for union members to stick together because they are all in the same boat and fighting for the same cause, Siekjak said.

“The only way it is going to stop is by sticking together,” he said.

UAW Local 774 members, from the Tonawanda Engine Plant, also took up a collection last week for their union brothers and sisters at Dunlop, said Peter Masich, UAW Local 774 president. The members raised about $7,500, he said.

“Unions are in trouble,” Masich said.

If one union goes down, they all go down, said Eric Martin, a member of UAW Local 1097 from Rochester.

December 21, 2006
Tony Van Alphen
Business Reporter

Major auto assembly plants in Canada could face disruptions next month if they continue using tires from strikebound Goodyear operations across the continent, says union leader Buzz Hargrove.

Hargrove, president of the Canadian Auto Workers, said yesterday his staff have notified General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler about pending interruptions in vehicle production if the Goodyear walkout drags on and they don't find other tire brands.

"If they don't want to face an interruption in production, they had better look for other tire sources," he said in an interview.

About 15,000 members of the United Steelworkers, including 450 in Canada, have remained off the job at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. since Oct. 5 in an increasingly bitter contract dispute over company demands for concessions.

Goodyear is using supervisors, replacement workers and returning strikers to continue its tire production in the United States.