Goodyear raid: Union leader says drug use not tolerated

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: Fayetteville observer

Six more Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. workers were arrested on drug charges Wednesday, while the leader of the local United Steelworkers chapter said the union will not tolerate drug use at the Ramsey Street plant.

"The union's position is that there is no place for drugs in the work force," said Darryl Jackson, president of Local 959.

"We have zero tolerance in the plant, but we also believe individuals are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law," Jackson said.

Sixteen people face 74 felony drug charges as a result of the investigation at the plant, according to a Cumberland County Sheriff's Office release.

All but one of those charged work at the plant, which has about 3,000 employees.

A raid Tuesday turned up marijuana, cocaine and Ecstasy in employees' belongings, lockers and cars, and it resulted in nine arrests.


Read more: http://www.fayobserver.com/Articles/2010/03/31/987667

[LiberalFighter]

1. Were any management arrested?

I bet they gave cover to any in management.

[jmowreader]

14. Two of the people arrested were shift supervisors

The paper the next day had a list of the arrested workers and what they had been charged with, and none of it was simple possession. (And I don't remember anyone getting busted for grass, either; there was cocaine, opiates and ecstasy.) You had drug dealing charges, possession with intent to distribute, maintaining dwellings or vehicles for the purpose of dealing, conspiracy...if the charges are true, we're looking at a major hard-drug ring that is no more.

But no, they didn't "give cover to any in management." That place is inherently dangerous, and it's unionized. (In fact, it's one of the few unionized companies in Fayetteville. Everyone down here says they hate unions, but everyone wants to work for Goodyear.) The union won't put up with a drug ring in one of its shops.

[Mugweed]

2. But the alcoholics that come in hung over every day are tolerated.

No probelm if I come in still drunk from last night and drink coffee and smoke cigarettes all day. No problem if my bloodstream is filled with prescription drugs for pain and depression that end up making me into a functional zombie.

[pasto76]

4. nothing better than having a terribly hung over partner all day

[Moosepoop]

5. I agree, hung over employees are problematic.

But these arrests weren't due to drug testing or accusations of impairment, so that's apples and oranges. The employees involved were caught with illegal drugs on the premises -- in their clothing, in their lockers, and in their cars. That was incredibly stupid on their parts, if the charges turn out to be true. Since alcohol is legal, nobody would be arrested for having it in their pocket or locker (not sure about cars if talking about open containers), but I'm willing to bet that a bottle of booze found in a locker or pocket would result in firing of an employee by the company.

Bottom line, it's one thing what a person does on their time off, another thing whether the effects carry over to work time, and yet another thing to knowingly bring illegal items onto workplace property.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

6. +1 But the alcoholics that come in hung over every day are tolerated.

[Ozymanithrax]

3. Union is right. Drugs do not belong in the workplace.

[Winterblues]

7. Found in their cars....

:shrug: I think it is dumb to carry drugs around in your car but it is not the work place....

[Tunkamerica]

8. There were allegedly deals going down on company property

[Ozymanithrax]

11. In a lot of places I worked people often went out to their cars for lunch...

to smoke. It is accessable in the same way an open container in a car is accessable.

[Gman2]

9. Wrong, how about med marijuana? Oh, sorry, you cant work, so, no medicine for you.

[Ozymanithrax]

10. Yes, even medical marijuana should not be allowed in the work place...

In some cases, it just takes one person whose mind isn't all there to kill a lot of people. I've seen it happen. There are many drugs that prevent the user from safely operating heavy machinery. It if impairs judgment, then nobody should use it where other people might be affected.

I think people should be able to have medical Marijuana, but from I read, this was not the case. These were users by choice. I would not accept alcohol in such an environment.

I don't give a damn what people do in private life, but when they walk into a workplace, they should be clean and sober.

[Gman2]

12. Do you give a damn whether or not the ill are able to eat? Take care of themselves?

I guess we patients must consign ourselves to die slowly, of starvation, and freezing.

[jmowreader]

15. This has nothing to do with medical marijuana. Calm down.

The paper (I don't post links from the local paper, sorry) listed the drugs being dealt--not used, DEALT--by the people who were arrested. Most of them were busted for "opium," which the paper pointed out is NC's legal description for everything from codeine cough syrup to black tar heroin. Quite a few were busted for cocaine, and some for MDMA.

In this case, the issue isn't whether the ill are able to eat but whether you want your daughter and grandchildren riding around on tires made by a heroin addict or a crackhead.

[MattBaggins]

17. No one ever in the entire history of the universe

has ever gone postal on MJ.

[Tunkamerica]

13. well, this is NC so no medical marijuana,

[jberryhill]

16. There are a lot of legal medications that are not compatible with industrial work

Yes, if you are a pilot, and you take Nyquil for a cold, you aren't going to fly, either.