Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s Gadsden plant on Friday laid off 105 workers, according to a local media report.
The Gadsden Times reported that the plant’s workforce is now down to 411 total employees. Per United Steelworkers Local 12 president Mickey Williams, the plant is only producing 2,000 tires per day now. This is down from approximately 17,000 tires per day this time in 2019.
Williams also referred to the latest layoffs as a surprise. He advised that those laid off will get union-negotiated sub pay and sub benefits. This comes after 740 Goodyear employees in December took voluntary buyouts offered by the company.
Barbara Hatala, Goodyear’s Americas operations and non-wired communications manager, told The Gadsden Times in an email, “The Goodyear-Gadsden plant is rightsizing staffing levels to accommodate an adjusted production schedule, following recent voluntary buyouts for union associates.”
There are reportedly 393 protected union employees left working at the plant. The current contract between the union and the company ensures that the plant will be in operation through at least 2022.
While Williams does not know what Goodyear has in plan for the Gadsden plant moving forward, he did express hope that production could once again be increased, which would in turn likely lead to an increase in labor force.
“We’re not a distressed plant,” Williams told The Gadsden Times. “There nothing to prevent the company from putting in a ticket [for increased production].”
“There’s nothing to stop them from turning it around,” he added.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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