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John Edwards Supports Continental Tire Workers in North Carolina:
Sends Letter to Company CEO and President
For Immediate Release August 15, 2006
Pittsburgh - John Edwards, former U.S. Senator from North Carolina and vice presidential candidate, has written a letter to Alan Hippe, CEO and president of Continental Tire's North American subsidiary, to express his concern over the German company’s alleged violations of U.S. labor laws and intent to gut health insurance for hundreds of retirees and their families at the Charlotte, North Carolina plant.
“It has come to my attention that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently filed a formal complaint against Continental Tire charging the company with refusing to bargain collectively with the United Steelworkers by unilaterally imposing $32 million in contract concessions, laying-off employees, and eliminating tire production at its Charlotte facility,” stated Edwards. “I understand that Continental’s decisions will force hundreds of retirees in North Carolina who are not yet Medicare-eligible to either use three-fourths or more of their pension income to pay for health care insurance or drop their health care coverage altogether and become dependent on taxpayer-funded health care.”
Edwards called upon Hippe to “respect the right of your workers at your Charlotte facility to bargain collectively through their union, the United Steelworkers.”
A trial on the NLRB complaint is scheduled for November 28, 2006.< | 
2006 RELEASES AND ADVISORIES
