AKRON (April 7, 2005) — Goodyear is recalling about 160 employees at its Union City, Tenn., plant to help handle an increase in demand for replacement tires, fill vacancies created by retirements and provide coverage during peak vacation periods.
The callback will boost the plant's work force to about 2,400. In September 2002, more than 3,200 worked at the factory before the company began to lay off employees, according to a Goodyear spokeswoman.
The Union City plant makes radial passenger and light truck tires for the replacement market.
It probably will take the company about two weeks to complete the callback, the spokeswoman said. The Akron-based tire maker laid off about 900 hourly and salaried employees at the 36-year-old factory in the latter part of 2002 in response to weak economic conditions.
Reduced demand in the aftermarket in particular affected Goodyear shipments negatively at that time.
The spokeswoman said the company hopes an increased production schedule will keep the plant operating at its present level for the rest of 2005 and beyond.
Goodyear likely will evaluate the supply-demand situation at the end of the summer and figure out its staffing needs at that time, a spokesman said.