A spokeswoman at Michelin said she had no comment to make on Le Monde report but added that the company hoped to be able to say more about the situation following a meeting with trade unions on Wednesday June 17.
Le Monde cited no sources.
"On June 9, during a group committee, we have asked whether a layoff scheme was being prepared and the management did not provide any denial," Le Monde quoted Sakir Ali Mandjee, a representative at the SUD union at Michelin, as saying.
Michelin’s rival Continental AG, which is also struggling with a sharp drop in orders from the auto industry, has already announced the closure of plants in France and Germany, resulting in the layoff of hundreds of workers.
Tyre and equipment makers have suffered along with automakers, which have been forced to slash production to reduce costly inventories of unsold vehicles as the recession has dried up demand for new cars. (Tire Review/Akron)