AMIENS, France — Goodyear is reviewing a recent ruling by a French court that found the company at fault for the unfair dismissal of more than 800 employees in 2014.
In May 28 decision, the Amiens labor court ruled that Goodyear fired 832 employees at its factory in the northern French city in 2014 "without a valid economic motive."
In a written statement to European Rubber Journal, Goodyear said the closure was required to safeguard the group's competitiveness.
"The company reminds that it had established a robust support plan for its associates as taken into account by the court which limited the amount of damages to six months of salaries (legal minimum)," the statement added.
Goodyear said it will review the decision before considering an appeal, but did not comment further.
The Akron-based tire maker shut the passenger and farm tire factory in 2014 after four years of disputes with workers and management there, reaching a severance agreement in January 2014 with the labor union covering the plant's workers.
The closure of the plant was tied to Goodyear's decision in 2013 to exit the farm tire business in Europe and the Middle East after trying unsuccessfully for four years to find a buyer for the business.