Now the Chairman/Pres/CEO has issued a letter that says pretty much what the press release yesterday said, only in slightly different words.
https://www.facebook.com/GoodyearNorthAmerica/photos/a.1744229989151091/2850579448516134/?type=3&theaterHe tries to gloss over the slide's origins, attempting to make it appear as an employee's simple mistake rather than the fact that it was in an official HR training presentation. He mentions it was a "plant employee trying to explain what is acceptable to wear in the workplace". This infers it was some low-level functionary who didn't know better and misspoke (mis-typed?). Yet, in audio from the meeting they specifically state that an HR rep is standing by to answer questions. That strongly indicates the slide was developed, approved, and inserted into a presentation by their HR dept, a corporate entity both intimately familiar with, and a proponent of, corporate policy and ethos. Keep in mind that yesterday they plainly stated that the slide was not part of their training in any way shape or form. Now, they're admitting it was part of their training, but only because some unknowing employee had poor communication skills. Frankly, I believe both positions are straight-up bull feces, overt attempts at spinning their way out of getting caught red-handed.
He also says "We have clarified our policy to make it clear associates can express support for law enforcement through apparel at Goodyear facilities". Note the obvious omission of Blue Lives Matter. Given they are specifically named in the original slide, my guess is that employees are free to use expressions of support on apparel so long as it
isn't Blue Lives Matter. He states again in the next paragraph that Goodyear supports law enforcement but, again, is careful to not use Blue Lives Matter in the wording. Hopefully someone posts the "clarification" all over the interwebs. It's sure to be a doozy.
Finally, and most telling, in the first sentence of the third paragraph, which essentially begins the meat of the entire letter, he expressly states Goodyear does not endorse a political organization. Yet neither this letter nor the previous press release mentions scrubbing BLM from acceptance due to their patently political base organizational function. They realized they chainsawed their own crank with real customers and are trying to backpedal, but in a way which doesn't address (or offend) the single biggest part of the problem.
Same song and dance, just a different band playing. Too bad their annual stockholders meeting is usually in April. I have the feeling if it were to happen now, Goodyear might find itself with a completely new set of senior executives.
Brad
