166/23 Natthagan 3 Phaholyothin 52 Klong Thanon Saimai Bangkok 10220

Tel. and Fax No. 972-7035, 01-8229477

Website: www.workers-voice.org, Email: adtu06@yahoo.com

To:

Robert J. Keegan, Chairman and CEO
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

1144 E. Market Street
Akron , Ohio 44316

2006-10-11

Dear Mr. Keegan,

I am writing to you on behalf to the Alliance of Democratic Trade Unions (ADTU) in Thailand regarding the situation at Goodyear Thailand Ltd., where the workers are not able to exercise their right to freedom of association. During the past years Goodyear Thailand has been using short-term contract labor and labor agencies to exclude employees from the collective bargaining agreement. Furthermore, several workers who have tried to work for improved conditions at the plant have been dismissed.

Specifically, I am writing to you regarding Mr. Anan Pol-ung who was fired on August 17 this year. T he human resource manager, Mr. Prasarn Luetra Koon, told Anan that he was being fired because of his union activities.

However, the reason given to Anan in writing is that he had given misleading information about his absence on June 19 2006 when he had been given permission to attend a union meeting. On this date his mother’s doctor called him and said that his mother had gotten worse and might not survive the day. Anan went to visit his mother in the hospital, but first called the union meeting and told them he would not be able to attend the meeting.

To the ADTU it seems clear that this is not reason enough to fire an employee who has worked for the company for over ten year and for the last five years in a row been rewarded “perfect performer”.

Furthermore the 18 warehouse workers who were dismissed in November last year still have not been reinstated, this although the Industrial Relations Committee in April ruled that they should be reinstated. Many of these employees had worked for Goodyear for over ten year. Tragically, two of them have passed away while waiting for Goodyear to give them back their jobs.

I'm contacting you today to ask you to tell management at the factory that this is unacceptable and that the dismissed workers should be reinstated !

The ADTU demands that the management of Goodyear Thailand Ltd.:

Reinstates Anan and the 16 dismissed warehouse workers and compensate them for loss of income from the date of dismissal to reinstatement.

Management had no legal basis for dismissing these workers. We call for these workers to be immediately reinstated and for management to make a serious effort to improve industrial relations in this workplace.

I understand from Goodyear’s Business Conduct Manual that you aim to “ treat all associates and their ideas with dignity and respect”. Now is the time to stand up for your values and take action!

Please keep me informed of how Goodyear will ensure that workers' rights are respected at Goodyear Thailand Ltd .

Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions regarding this case.

Yours faithfully,

Somyot Pruksakasemsuk

President of the Alliance of Democratic Trade Unions

Phone: +66 1 822 94 77

Email: adtu06@yahoo.com

A copy of this letter has also been sent to the Managing Director of Goodyear Thailand Ltd. Mr Justin Foley.