PARIS (March 7, 2013) — A European news website reported angry mob scenes outside the France headquarters of Goodyear this week over the impending closure of the company's tire factory in Amiens.
"Staff clashed with police outside the offices near Paris as a workers' committee held a series of meetings to discuss the closure of the Amiens factory in the north of the country," euronews.com reported.
In late January Goodyear announced plans to close its Amiens North farm and car tire plant and exit the farm tire business in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, ending five years of negotiations to save at least the farm tire portion of the business there.
Euronews.com said the meetings outside Paris "are to hear the findings of an independent report that has looked at the economic and social impact of the closure and the possibilities of redeployment of workers."
According to the website, riot police lined up to keep protesters out of the building where the meeting was being held and "were faced with burning tires and other makeshift missiles, and responded with tear-gas."
Goodyear has presented plans to local labor representatives to wind up production at the 54-year-old plant and shut it. At stake are 1,173 jobs.
Tire Business reported earlier that Goodyear said the move to close the plant remains subject to consultation with the European Central Works Council and relevant countries' employee representative bodies where required.
Closing Amiens North will eliminate approximately 6 million units of high-cost annual capacity, Goodyear said, although production there last year was only 1.3 million units.
The tire maker said it reached the decision to close the facility, in part, after five years of negotiations with the union at the plant proved unsuccessful in reaching any agreement.