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2001
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New Contract Story by Jennifer John
The B.F. Goodrich plant in Cleveland--whose future was in doubt only two years ago--is on solid ground once again, thanks to a multibillion-dollar, 20-year contract to supply Airbus Industrie with its main aircraft landing gear. The Ohio facility employs 300 UAW workers who will supply landing gear for the A380 passenger jet, manufactured by Airbus, a European conglomerate based in France. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, and others fought to save the plant when a possible Goodrich merger with Coltec Industries Inc. of Charlotte, N.C., threatened to close the facility and leave hundreds of UAW Local 2333 workers without jobs. “This just proves that when workers stand together and politicians stand behind them, they can win big victories,” said Kucinich outside the plant at a March 12 news conference. Kucinich and Republican Sen. Mike DeWine of Ohio and Rep. David McIntosh, R-Ind., joined forces. In summer 1999, Kucinich held bipartisan hearings of the Subcommittee on National Economic Growth--of which he is the ranking Democrat--in Cleveland. Meanwhile, the proposed merger between Goodrich and Coltec failed. By fall 1999, the union had ratified a new three-year contract with Goodrich. As a result of those negotiations, the company guaranteed to keep the Cleveland plant open, despite its restructuring plans. The deal could generate $2-$3 billion for Goodrich over the next 20 years. Goodrich receives about 14 percent of its $3.7 billion in annual aerospace revenue from Airbus, through its sale of wheels, brakes, and other products. This is the first time Goodrich will supply Airbus with main aircraft landing gear. The A380, designed to seat 555 people, will be the largest commercial passenger jet when placed into service in 2006.
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