Yokohama Tire Corp.’s manufacturing facility in Salem, Va., has announced “indefinite layoffs” of 31 hourly employees represented by United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1023. According to the tiremaker, the positions make up less than 5% of the workforce at the plant.
Tetsuro Murakami, president of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia stated that “the positions are being phased out to more effectively streamline YTMV’s current production schedule and inventory capacity.”
Murakami also noted that the layoffs are in accordance with the company and the union’s collective bargaining agreement, which runs through May 16, 2018. The tenure of the 31 employees was 14 months or less, stated the company official.