[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 3 (Friday, January 6, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  THE STRIKE AT BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE

  Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, on July 12, of last year, 4,200 members of 
the United Rubber Workers went on strike at Bridgestone/Firestone. The 
plants are in Decatur, IL; Des Moines, IA; Oklahoma City; Akron, OH; 
and Noblesville, IN. Negotiations had been going on for some time prior 
to that on the new contract. The United Rubber Workers had insisted on 
a similar contract to the contract they had with Goodyear. Bridgestone/
Firestone, which is wholly owned by a Japanese company, insisted they 
could not do that, and then negotiations broke off.
  The distinguished Senator from Ohio, as well as some of our 
colleagues, met with the Japanese Ambassador and urged that they renew 
negotiations. Unfortunately, the situation has deteriorated so that 
Bridgestone/Firestone has said they are going to permanently replace 
all these workers.
  It is the first time in modern history that that has been done in a 
large scale, with the exception of the PATCO strike. And there, 
frankly, you had people who were breaking the Federal law, and 
President Reagan--and I think it could have been handled better--but 
President Reagan made the proper decision that you cannot violate the 
Federal law and he replaced the workers.
 This is an unusual situation. It is contrary to the traditions of 
labor-management relations in our country. Interestingly, it would be 
illegal in Japan.

  Now, we have a situation where 2,000 or more workers are going to be 
permanently replaced. It is not going to be good for labor-management 
relations in those communities. It is not going to be good for United 
States-Japanese relations. It is just a bad situation all the way 
around. My hope is that we can urge our friends in Japan and urge the 
leaders of this company to recognize this is not wise.
  Short-term may save a few bucks. I do not know any of the details of 
the negotiations. But I have been involved in labor-management 
negotiations often enough that I know if you sit around a table and try 
and work things out, generally you can work out a practical compromise. 
I urge they do that. That they not go ahead as they are now planning.
  I will, later today, be contacting some of our colleagues in the 
affected States with a resolution that they may want to cosponsor, 
urging that they get back to the negotiating table and not have this 
permanent striker replacement. It is interesting that of the modern 
nations only Great Britain, Singapore, and Hong Kong permit permanent 
striker placement, plus the United States. But we have a tradition of 
not doing it. That tradition is occasionally violated by a very small 
company, but rarely by any company this large.
  I hope we can have some common sense by the leaders of this industry. 
I hope the leaders of this industry and the United Rubber Workers can 
get together. I urge them not to proceed with the permanent replacement 
of these workers.
  I yield the floor, Mr. President.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Tennessee.
  Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Clerk will call the roll. The assistant 
legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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