According to the LCGB trade union, fewer than 100 jobs are at risk at Goodyear’s Luxembourg site in Colmar-Berg as a result of the tyre maker’s planned EMEA reorganisation. The OGBL trade union put the number of employees at 55. Photo: Goodyear

According to the LCGB trade union, fewer than 100 jobs are at risk at Goodyear’s Luxembourg site in Colmar-Berg as a result of the tyre maker’s planned EMEA reorganisation. The OGBL trade union put the number of employees at 55. Photo: Goodyear

1,200 jobs are under threat at Goodyear in the EMEA region, the company has said. According to unions, around 55 jobs in Luxembourg will be affected, solely in administrative and commercial functions.

The tyre giant Goodyear is planning a “transformation plan”, the LCGB trade union in a press release. “There was an internal announcement to all European workers”, stated LCGB deputy general secretary Robert Fornieri. As a result, 1,200 jobs are under threat in Europe, the Middle East and Africa--950 if 250 vacant positions are not counted, he added.

“Luxembourg jobs will also be affected by this reorganisation”, said the union. How many jobs? “Less than 100,” said Fornieri. The exact figure has not yet been given to the LCGB, which has requested an emergency meeting with management on Wednesday 6 September.

“It would appear that production activities in Luxembourg are not being called into question”, said the union. Its deputy general secretary cited “administrative and commercial” positions instead. He added that the company had reaffirmed its intention to consolidate research and development in Luxembourg. “What does that mean?” asked Fornieri. That is a question he also intends to put to management at a meeting he hopes to be able to hold as soon as possible, in September.

“Whatever happens, jobs are going to be threatened, and we’re going to have to find appropriate measures to ensure that no-one is left out in the cold.”

55 jobs, according to the OGBL

In a separate press release, issued after the LCGB’s statement, the OGBL 55 jobs. “Management has indicated that it will invite the unions in the next few days to discuss the situation. According to management, all options are on the table. For the OGBL, it is clear that the situation calls for the implementation of a plan to maintain jobs.”

When contacted, management was unable to confirm any figures on the number of jobs threatened in the grand duchy. It simply sent its official statement: “We can confirm that Goodyear has announced its intention to restructure its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region to become a simpler, more efficient and customer-focused organisation. The proposed changes include streamlining EMEA around two product business units (Consumer EMEA and Commercial EMEA), simplifying customer-facing teams with fewer levels of decision-making, centralising corporate functions and consolidating R&D activities in EMEA. These actions, which are still subject to consultation with the required stakeholders, would result in a reduction of around 1,200 positions in the region. In addition, approximately 500 new positions would be created, primarily within Goodyear’s Global Business Services organisation. In total, this represents an overall reduction of approximately 15% in the EMEA workforce.”

3,540 employees in Luxembourg

This is not the first announcement of its kind. In 2020, the US-based company announced a of its teams at Colmar-Berg following the redeployment of low-volume car tyre production to other sites in Europe. At the beginning of the year, Goodyear announced that it would be cutting , without giving details by country.

On 1 January 2023, Goodyear Luxembourg , according to the Statec, the same number as in 2022, slightly fewer than in 2021 (3,570 people), but slightly more than in 2020 (3,450) and 2019 (3,430).

At the time of writing, the ministry of economy had not replied to a request for comment.

Originally published in French by and translated for Delano

Related articles