New audio from the Goodyear training on their zero-tolerance policy

New audio from the training at the Topeka Goodyear plant gives more details about what was talked about in that meeting.
Published: Aug. 19, 2020 at 5:45 PM CDT
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TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - New audio from the training at the Topeka Goodyear plant gives more details about what was talked about in that meeting, including updates on their zero-tolerance policy.

UPDATE: The CEO of Goodyear has released a statement saying the company has revised some of their policies.

The meeting has come into question after a photo of a slide showed what is and isn’t acceptable in the workplace.

13 NEWS-WIBW obtained an audio recording of the presentation. The speaker referenced instances of racial graffiti in the locker room, and detailed what is and is not allowed under the company’s zero-tolerance policy.

“Some people may wish to express their views on social justice or inequity or equity issues such as black lives matter or LGBTQ pride on their face coverings, shirts or wristbands. That will be deemed approved because it applies with a zero-tolerance stance,” the speaker said during the meeting. “However if any associate wears all, blue, white lives matter shirts or face coverings, that will be not appropriate.”

The unidentified speaker says the rules were created to make a better work environment.

“The rules around now what you can wear. Let’s try and comply with these so you know everybody feels good in this factory. I want to make sure guys, think about what we do in this factory, in this factory right. We all work together to make tires that’s what we do. That’s what we get paid to do. So, let’s continue to do that and do the right thing and keep this place what it has always been, a good place to work,” the speaker said.

The speaker does not specifically mention the Donald Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ slogan shown on the slide, but did say political campaigns are a no-go.

“Democrat. Republican. Trump. Biden. Sanders. Whatever. That will no longer be allowed in the plant,” he listed off.

The photo has since gained national attention including an acknowledgement from President Donald trump calling for a boycott on the company’s tires.

In a statement Wednesday morning, Goodyear said its corporate office did not create or distribute the slide. A spokesperson declined comment when asked if it was created locally, or if the content was inaccurate.

The local United Steelworkers Local 307 declined comment, but the national union responded to the President’s tweet with the following:

“During the past year, our union and our individual members reached out directly to the President and his White House staff on countless occasions as Goodyear was closing its 90-year-old American tire plant in Gadsden, Ala., which resulted in hundreds of workers losing their jobs,” USW International President Tom Conway said.

“This closure happened as imported tires from around the globe flooded the U.S. market, leaving the union no choice but to again file a trade case challenging these unfairly traded imports.

It would have been nice if the President would have paid as much attention to that loss of American jobs as he does to his MAGA hats. Maybe a tweet or two back then would have been helpful.”

Listen to the full audio here:

Audio from the training at the Goodyear Plant in Topeka.

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