GADSDEN, Ala. (Aug. 3, 2000)—Goodyear has started to lay off between 100 to 125 workers at its Gadsden passenger tire plant, a downsizing that will last up to Sept. 1.
The company announced in June it was laying off the production employees to keep its inventories in balance because tire shipments during the first half of 2000 didn´t meet expectations. United Steelworkers Local 12, which staffs the facility, expects most of those layoffs will come from positions being vacated by retiring members.
But those potential retirees are waiting for mid-contract master talks between the USWA and Goodyear to possibly produce a new, higher pension multiplier, currently at $41 per month per year of service, the union said.