AKRON, Ohio — One of Akron's largest employers, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, responded Wednesday to President Donald Trump's tweet calling on the public not to buy tires after an image circulated of a policy asking employees not to wear any political attire, including MAGA gear, to the workplace.
Trump tweeted Wednesday: “Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES - They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS. Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!).”
Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES - They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS. Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!).
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2020
WIBW, a television station in Topeka, Kansas, published a story of a slide, purportedly from the company's diversity training, showing what’s acceptable and what isn’t as part of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company’s zero-tolerance policy.
Goodyear has released a statement after an employee said the slide presented in a training was discriminatory. https://t.co/H9B1gRu2r7
— WIBW (@wibw) August 18, 2020
On Wednesday, Goodyear tire released a statement addressing the misconceptions about its policies and company. The company said the widely circulated image was not part of any diversity training class.
Yesterday, Goodyear became the focus of a conversation that created some misconceptions about our policies and our company. Goodyear has always wholeheartedly supported both equality and law enforcement and will continue to do so. pic.twitter.com/oO6jUg2rTR
— Goodyear (@goodyear) August 19, 2020
"We ask associates refrain from workplace expressions in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party, as well as similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of racial justice and equity issues."
Goodyear responded to anyone who believed it's anti-police, saying "nothing could be further from the truth, and we have the utmost appreciation for the vital work police do on behalf of our shared communities. This can't be said strongly enough."
The City of Akron released a statement on Twitter, reaffirming its support for Goodyear.
Goodyear has believed in this community for generations, investing in the power, tenacity and honest people of the heartland, which is more than we can say for this president. #WeStandWithGoodyear pic.twitter.com/0bM8Xax018
— City of Akron, Ohio (@AkronOhioMayor) August 19, 2020
During the president's Wednesday afternoon press conference, reiterated that he was unhappy with the company.
"What they're doing is playing politics. The people who work for Goodyear, I can tell that I poll very well with them," Trump said.
In 2019, Goodyear ranked as the 93rd largest employer in the state with 3,300 employees, according to News 5 media partner at Ohio.com.
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