Production schedule changes at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'s Danville, Va., plant could lead to the elimination of 400 jobs at the facility.
Yesterday, Feb. 19, members of the United Steelworkers Local 83, which represents workers at the factory, voted to support a tentative agreement that would change the plant's production schedule, effective March 30.
"The change is in response to current economic conditions and continued lower demand for commercial truck tires," Goodyear officials said in a statement released earlier today, Feb. 20.
"The plant -- which currently operates seven days a week, 24 hours a day in most of its medium radial truck production departments and maintenance -- will see its schedule in medium radial truck tire production realigned to three shifts, five days a week, Monday through Friday.
"The bias and radial aircraft tire production areas of the plant, which currently operate five days a week on three eight-hour shifts, will continue with the current schedule."
Andrew Harper, who manages the Danville plant, says changes mean "fewer production team members will be needed. Several options exist for reducing the number of employees," including buy-outs, optional layoffs, voluntary layoffs and involuntary layoffs.
The 43-year-old plant currently employs 2,400 people. It can build 11,200 medium truck tire units per day at full capacity, according to Modern Tire Dealer's 2009 Facts Issue.
