BY TOM MAILER
Des Moines, Iowa - As the fifth week of the strike at Titan Tire opened here, picket lines remain up and all 650 members of United Steelworkers of America (USWA) Local 164 remain out. Since May 26 one bus has entered the plant every morning with about 30 replacement workers. The strike began May 1 when contract negotiations failed to resolve differences over mandatory overtime, retiree benefits, elimination of a two-tier wage scale, and job security. Titan Tire is the third-largest manufacturer of agricultural and construction tires in the United States.

The Titan bosses are using the DICO plant in Des Moines as a base for dispatching the replacement workers. The history of this plant under Titan illustrates the operating methods of its owner. Titan International, the parent company of Titan Tire, purchased DICO, a wheel-making plant, in 1993. Maurice Taylor Jr., chief executive officer of Titan, immediately forced concessions on the union there and gained an "economic incentive package" from state and local authorities worth more than $1 million. In return, he agreed to keep the plant running. By March of 1995, he had closed the plant.

The strikers have begun to respond to this threat by organizing rallies at an intersection near the DICO plant, which all the replacement workers have to drive by. As many as 60 strikers, family members, and supporters turned out May 28-29. On May 28, they massed in the street, blocking traffic for a time.

The next day the protesters were met by five security guards who attempted to provoke the unionists. Security goons holding video cameras walked up to protesters and put the camera in their faces. Pickets responded by surrounding the goon and holding their picket signs right in front of the camera lens.

As the scabs left the parking lot, they were met by jeering protesters on both sides of the street waving picket signs. The last car out was driven by Joyce Kain, personnel director at Titan Tire. A truck pulled up to block her departure and strikers converged on the car demanding to know why Titan wouldn't sign a contract. She was allowed to pass after a few minutes.

Negotiators exchanged information this past week, according to Local 164's hot line. Negotiations resumed June 1. The union held an informational meeting the next day to discuss future strategies.  
 
 
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