USW Challenges BFGoodrich Closure Announcement, Demands Bargaining Over Impact on 1,000 Tuscaloosa Workers

Contact: Tony Montana - (412) 562-2592 or [email protected]

PITTSBURGH - The United Steelworkers (USW) today challenged BFGoodrich management's decision to close its Tuscaloosa, Alabama, manufacturing facility, a move that will impact approximately 1,000 members of USW Local 351L, their families and the broader community.

The union said it will demand to bargain with the company over the effects of this decision and will use every available avenue to protect the rights and interests of the workers who built this facility and helped make the company successful.

"BFGoodrich workers have dedicated years of their lives to producing quality products and strengthening this company," said USW District 9 Director Daniel Flippo. "They deserve respect, transparency and a meaningful voice as they face the consequences of a decision made by corporate executives."

Flippo said that the USW will stand with its members, their families and the Tuscaloosa community throughout this process. The closure of a major manufacturing facility does not just affect the people who work inside the plant - it impacts local businesses, families and an entire community that has depended on these good jobs.

"The workers at this facility are more than numbers on a balance sheet," Flippo said. "They are neighbors, parents, community members and skilled professionals who have spent years contributing to this company's success. We will fight to ensure they are treated with the dignity and fairness they have earned."

Flippo said that the union will seek negotiations with management regarding the impacts of the closure, including issues affecting workers' livelihoods, transition support and other consequences of the company's decision.

"Corporate decisions have real human costs," Flippo said. "BFGoodrich must be held accountable for the impact of this announcement, and the company must meet its obligations to the workers and community that supported it."

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of people in tech, higher education, public sector and service occupations.

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