Goodyear's Lincoln Distribution Center is Closing

By: Laura Cole

Updated: Wed 7:25 PM, Apr 14, 2004

Goodyear made the announcement Wednesday morning that the center will close by the end of the year. John Prochaska has worked at the Distribution Center for 10 years. He can't believe that he will have to start looking for a new job. Prochaska says, "I'm very upset. You know, what can you do. The big corporation like this one is eliminating so many jobs you know. The big people are getting richer, and we are getting poorer."

Goodyear officials say they are relocating this Global Distribution Center but won't say where. The company says it wants to move the Center to a location that will better handle its shipping needs. Still, the closure of the Distribution Center has some wondering about the jobs of manufacturing plant workers. Steve Braunsroth who is a worker at the Center says, "I think they should be very nervous right now. Eventually it will affect them, too."

But Plant Manager Todd Turner says the closing of the Distribution Center will not affect the manufacturing plant. Turner says, "The GDC in terms of relocating to another location will have no impact on the manufacturing plant itself. Those are two separate issues and nobody should connect the two and believe that because we are doing something to the one that it will in any way impact the other."

Gary Schaefer with Local 286 says the union will do whatever it can to help workers find new jobs. The union will most likely call on the Workforce Development Center to help. Dan Cain with the Workforce Development Center says it can help people figure out their options and what is best for them. Some of those options include retraining, looking for a new job, and help with resumes. If you would like more information about Workforce Development you can call 471-2275 or log onto www.dol.state.ne.us.

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