Goodyear workers taking strike to NYC celebrations
Thursday, November 30, 2006
MARK SLUDER/NASCAR SCENE /
Striking Goodyear tire workers and their supporters are demonstrating against the company in New York City, in conjunction with NASCAR's Champions Week celebration.
The action started on Wednesday and is scheduled to continue through Friday, when the awards ceremony is held at the Waldorf-Astoria, according to a press release.
The release asks: "Will defective tires make their way into Goodyear stores or on NASCAR tracks in 2007?"
Goodyear workers went on strike on Oct. 5, though the stoppage did not affect any of NASCAR's series this season.
The strike by members of the United Steelworkers union has sparked rumors that NASCAR was considering rival manufacturer Hoosier as a tire supplier for next season. Officials from both NASCAR and Goodyear have said that isn't the case.
"They're still capable of producing tires for Cup, and we've been assured by [Goodyear officials] that they will have enough tires for next year," Jim Hunter, NASCAR's vice president for corporate communications, said Nov. 17. "They're able to continue to produce race tires at this point, and they say they will be able to, regardless of the [strike] circumstances."
