By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – The Goodyear-Dunlop plant on Sheridan Drive in Tonawanda is not affected by an announcement late last week that Goodyear is planning to close more plants.
Under the agreement that ended a three month strike late last year, the Tonawanda plant is protected through at least July 2009. United Steel Workers Union spokesman Wayne Ranick said the agreement also provides another key safeguard that protects the plant.
"Part of the agreement that was very essential was the fact that we negotiated a $550 million investment package. So, I don't think a company would be willing to put this kind of money into facilities that they were planning to close in the short term," Ranick said.
Ranick said the new contract also provides job security for the Tonawanda plant's 1,200 workers by requiring Goodyear to operate it at 90 percent capacity.