Labor leaders from 12 countries gathered Wednesday to press demands that Bridgestone-Firestone Inc. rehire more than 700 workers not recalled after a 10-month strike.

“Give them their damn jobs back. That’s what we want,” said George Becker, president of the United Steelworkers of America.

With that message, he kicked off the World Conference on Bridgestone-Firestone - a gathering called solely to focus attention on the union’s problems with the Japanese tire maker.

The USWA and Bridgestone-Firestone have been unable to reach agreement on a contract since July 1994, when 4,000 workers walked off the job.

Strikers voluntarily returned to work after 10 months and Bridgestone-Firestone’s hiring of 2,300 replacement workers.