SALEM, Va.—Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia L.L.C. announced the indefinite layoffs of 31 hourly employees represented by United Steelworkers Local 1023.
The positions make up less than five percent of the union workforce at the Salem plant. Yokohama said. The plant produces passenger and light truck tires, and currently has 910 employees, of which 718 are union workers.
“The positions are being phased out to more effectively streamline YTMV's current production schedule and inventory capacity,” Tetsuro “Tex” Murakami, president of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia L.L.C. said in a statement.
“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.”
USW Local 1023 and Yokohama reached a four-year collective bargaining agreement in June 2014.