Union Uses YouTube To Let Some Air Out Of Goodyear

For several months now, a strike at Goodyear has forced the tire maker to use non-union workers and managers to produce the tires. Now, the United Steelworkers Union has produced an ad campaign to warn consumers that these scab-produced tires might not be up to snuff. And they’ve put some of the ads on YouTube, like the one above.
You can read more about the whole issue, with this story from the AP.
Also, check out the flyer being distributed.
For more information on this strike, visit Goodyear’s site at GoodyearNegotiations.com and the United Steelworkers site at USWA.org.
The Bridgestone/Firestone brand took a beating because of the Ford Explorer tread separation controversy. Here’s a summary of the study that suggests that a labor dispute and strike may have caused poor quality tires at Firestone.
Interesting to see unions use new media to achieve their aims-and producing content to talk directly to consumers about the issues involved. Certainly it’s more effective than a picket line. I’m not brand-loyal when it comes to tires, but I always put higher-end ones on my car, and if I were in the market for some right now, I’d think twice before buying a set of Goodyears, or at least I’d try to find out where they were made and when.