BIRMINGHAM, England (May 23, 2000)—Trade unions representing workers at Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe B.V.´s plant in Birmingham claim Goodyear reneged on earlier promises to keep passenger and light truck tire production at the Fort Dunlop plant.
Goodyear announced May 18 plans to phase out car and light truck tire production by year-end. Officials of the trade unions representing most of the 600 workers facing the loss of their jobs, claim they received company commitments in January—when Goodyear announced the closure of truck tire plant at the site with the loss of 650 job—that passenger tire operations would continue at Fort Dunlop.
Union officials also believe there is "a serious question mark" over the future of the remaining operations at Fort Dunlop. Around 500 continue to be employed at the site—200 in the motor sport division, which also is being reviewed, and the remainder mostly in computer, administration, sales and marketing roles.