Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and the United Steelworkers union representing 15,000 striking tire makers have agreed to resume negotiations on a new labor deal, both sides announced Friday.

Talks are scheduled to begin Monday in Pittsburgh, the union said in a statement.

The Akron, Ohio-based tiremaker confirmed the meeting on its Web site dedicated to the strike, which began Oct. 5.

Negotiations had been on hold since the most recent talks broke off Nov. 17 after a four-day resumption.

The union and the world’s third-largest tiremaker have disagreed on a number of issues, especially health care insurance proposals for retirees and plans to close a Tyler, Texas, tire factory.

USW spokesman Wayne Ranick said that since the union has no plans to budge on its positions on those two issues, it was his understanding the company might be ready to do so.

“I would assume so, because our position with them has been very clear,” he said.  “We’ll find out Monday morning.”

Gary Schaefer, vice president of Steelworkers Local 286, which represents more than 500 people working at Goodyear’s belt plant in Lincoln, said he was “cautiously optimistic” about the resumption of talks.

“I’m feeling just a tad bit upbeat,” he said.

The announcement of the resumption of negotiations came a few hours after USW international president Leo Gerard and AFL-CIO president John Sweeney had a conference call with reporters to discuss plans for protests on Saturday at 150 stores that sell Goodyear tires in the United States and Canada, including the Lincoln Sears store.

“We would not be surprised that if as a result of our actions, Goodyear would come to its senses and come back to the bargaining table,” Gerard said during the call.

Goodyear’s statement offered no comment other than saying negotiations were back on. “We see this as a necessary and positive step in the process,” Goodyear spokesman Ed Markey said.

The union’s statement said the protests would continue as scheduled. Gerard said between 50,000 and 75,000 people had signed up.

Since the strike began, Goodyear has kept production running at some of its North American plants with nonunion and temporary workers as well as some managers. The company is counting on production at its international plants to help supply North American customers.

Goodyear has said it intends to close its Tyler, Texas, tire plant by next year because the company is ending production of low-profit private-label tires. The union wants all plants to remain open. The USW also strongly objected to a company proposal for creating a retirees’ health care trust, which the union argues shortchanges retirees.

Goodyear executives have said they are seeking a contract that will help the company be competitive globally. The company has said its offer protects wages, proposes upgrades to union plants and offers a plan to provide health care coverage for retirees.

Journal Star reporter Matt Olberding and the Associated Press contributed to this report.