Van Eve is among the 350 members of Local 347 of the International Union of Operating Engineers who went on strike October 10 against Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.'s chemical plant here. After negotiations broke down that day, 300 workers poured out of the plant. "It was quite a scene," said James Baca, a picket captain.

Goodyear wants to contract out the work of up to 150 union members. "The employees scheduled for elimination earn about $20 an hour and receive a wide array of benefits, such as health insurance, pensions, 401(k), and holiday pay," the union's business manager Ben Harrison told the Houston Chronicle. "Goodyear wants to contract out those jobs for $10 to $12 an hour without paying benefits," he said.

Goodyear is also demanding a 20 percent pay cut for operators whose jobs would not be eliminated. The union officials offered a wage cut in exchange for keeping the jobs. This included a 25 percent reduction for those in jobs that are slated to be contracted out, and 5 percent for operators, a proposal rejected by the company.

"We're out here because the company didn't give us any choice," said Ernest Flores, who has worked for 23 years on the polymerization side of the chemical plant. Company cutbacks over the last three contracts include cuts in the medical plan. "That's important here because we work with carcinogens," he said. "We should get hazard work pay. This time they wanted more than we could give back. They want to break us. The company has the attitude of divide and conquer."

Striker Larry Carter explained the union gave the company "every chance to propose a contract we could accept. We even gave them an extension after the contract expired. It is another case of company greed," he said. Referring to Firestone, he pointed out that Goodyear was making a lot of money off the Firestone tire recall scandal. "They are the number one tire maker in the world and they tell us they can't give us fair wages," said Baca.

"There have been three injuries inside the plant in the four days we have been out here," said Carter, who pointed out that the company is bringing in nonunion workers from their Beaumont, Texas, plant to continue operations, working alongside managers.

"Safety is our number one concern," said picket captain Baca. "We work with pure ammonia. If there was a major leak they would have to evacuate a five-mile area. We are concerned with the community; we live here with our families. The company wants to bust the union. They want the union out. Nothing else can explain why they push so hard. But we won't take it."