Huge economic hit in West Tn....

#1
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Vol_til_I_die

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#1
....and western Ky. The GoodYear plant in Union City, TN, will be closing down by the end of the year. This will affect approximately 1900 employees, not to mention the families of these people and the surrounding businesses. My dad retired from there after working there 36 years. My heart goes out to those who will lose their job. GoodYear has been an economic shot in the arm to this area for around 4 decades. I've heard that tire machines are already being stripped out of the plant and sent to the Texas plant. This is making a difficult economic situation even more dire for this part of the state.

If this is in the wrong forum, mods, please move. Figured that since the UC plant was left unprotected in the latest negotiations that this was a political issue.
 
#3
#3
Gonna be houses, cars, boats, etc for sale cheap. I worry about the banks because there's a strong likelihood of numerous foreclosures and vehicle repossessions. I predict mass panic here in the next few months with angry employees losing their minds.
 
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how many of the employees at the current location were offered opportunities to transfer to the new facility in Texas?

It's definitely going to be an economic hit for the local community in W. TN but to say there's going to be a workers' revolt is a little strong.
 
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superdave1984 said:
Gonna be houses, cars, boats, etc for sale cheap. I worry about the banks because there's a strong likelihood of numerous foreclosures and vehicle repossessions. I predict mass panic here in the next few months with angry employees losing their minds.
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Bingo! Several years ago there were rumors that the plant would be shut down and overtime pay was cut out, you could drive around this area and see numerous boats and motorcycles for sale. You could pretty much bank on that those people were Goodyear employees. The ramifications of this will be felt by many surrounding industries.
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MG1968 said:
how many of the employees at the current location were offered opportunities to transfer to the new facility in Texas?

It's definitely going to be an economic hit for the local community in W. TN but to say there's going to be a workers' revolt is a little strong.
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Personally, I haven't heard anything about transfer opportunities. I don't know if they've been given an opportunity to transfer but if so, the most likely destinations would be Gadsden, AL, Tyler, TX, or Akron, OH, imo. I wouldn't count on those plants being open long-term.
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#8
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I heard about this about a year ago (just chatter at the time) here in Memphis. That plant is a big time deal for that area, it will hurt the area no doubt, sadly.
 
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Vol_til_I_die said:
Personally, I haven't heard anything about transfer opportunities. I don't know if they've been given an opportunity to transfer but if so, the most likely destinations would be Gadsden, AL, Tyler, TX, or Akron, OH, imo. I wouldn't count on those plants being open long-term.
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I seriously doubt anyone other but the "professional" employees will be given an opportunity to transfer.

No doubt about it, that sucks.
 
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tigervol9802 said:
I seriously doubt anyone other but the "professional" employees will be given an opportunity to transfer.

No doubt about it, that sucks.
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I wondered about that, as well. We'll definately learn more in the days to come. Goodyear is trying to cut it's losses and with the UC plant being the biggest in N America, many felt this day was coming for a long time. Unless the other plants are enormously profitable, I can't see many of the 1900 transferring where there is no work. It's very sad but I expect, by this time next year, to be dodging tumbleweed as I drive through and around UC.
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MG1968 said:
how many of the employees at the current location were offered opportunities to transfer to the new facility in Texas?

It's definitely going to be an economic hit for the local community in W. TN but to say there's going to be a workers' revolt is a little strong.
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You've never been here huh? The folks that have been employed there for 15-20+ years will be fine. They likely have their homes paid off or close to it. It's the rest that will go nuts. They are the ones (typically) that live well beyond their means because drawing a Goodyear paycheck means instant credit to buy whatever you want around here. And I would say nearly all of the ones losing jobs have no skills, no degree, no backup plan. These people are not skilled labor, they are factory workers. There won't be other factories eager to hire them because they will want Goodyear USW union money. Going to be a big reality check for someone making $30/hr (or more) to go to an $8/hr job. I feel bad for the families. It's gonna be really hard.
 
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superdave1984 said:
You've never been here huh? The folks that have been employed there for 15-20+ years will be fine. They likely have their homes paid off or close to it. It's the rest that will go nuts. They are the ones (typically) that live well beyond their means because drawing a Goodyear paycheck means instant credit to buy whatever you want around here. And I would say nearly all of the ones losing jobs have no skills, no degree, no backup plan. These people are not skilled labor, they are factory workers. There won't be other factories eager to hire them because they will want Goodyear USW union money. Going to be a big reality check for someone making $30/hr (or more) to go to an $8/hr job. I feel bad for the families. It's gonna be really hard.
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so, are you disagreeing with me or what?
 
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I'm saying there will be hundreds of very angry former employees that will be very vocal and visible protesting their "unfair treatment". Revolt? Maybe not in the classic sense, but there will be problems with many people. I bet there will be many arrests.
 
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superdave1984 said:
And I would say nearly all of the ones losing jobs have no skills, no degree, no backup plan. These people are not skilled labor, they are factory workers. There won't be other factories eager to hire them because they will want Goodyear USW union money. Going to be a big reality check for someone making $30/hr (or more) to go to an $8/hr job. I feel bad for the families. It's gonna be really hard.
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call me a jerk but this part really doesn't help their case at all- "no skills, no degree, no backup plan" but making $30/hr? Sorry but $8/hr sounds about right
 
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Wow, that is a huge hit to NW Tennessee. It was a huge part of the economy. I remember when the workers went on strike a few years back the people went into a panic over the possibility of it shutting down.
 
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utvolpj said:
call me a jerk but this part really doesn't help their case at all- "no skills, no degree, no backup plan" but making $30/hr? Sorry but $8/hr sounds about right
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I wouldn't have put it the way he did, but I think I realize the point he was trying to make. In a sense, the skills that they do have are used in an industry that not many people want to do. It's rather hard labor. It's kind of like coal-mining imo. People work there because their fathers did. It was a good job with great money and benefits for a kid coming out of high school. I'm telling you, if you've ever worked as a tirebuilder or in some other pit of hell there, then you'd know that these people do have skills. It just may not be skills that translate to another industry.
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#21
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utvolpj said:
call me a jerk but this part really doesn't help their case at all- "no skills, no degree, no backup plan" but making $30/hr? Sorry but $8/hr sounds about right
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If someone would actually wake up and realize that they might be grossly overpaid, I think alot less plants would be closing down. The 30 per hour was probably costing 40 per hour once taxes and Union health care was thrown in. A company can not have a labor force of 1900 employees selling tires at 130 when the average tire last 60K miles and pay out the kind of PDR.
 
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Vol_til_I_die said:
I wouldn't have put it the way he did, but I think I realize the point he was trying to make. In a sense, the skills that they do have are used in an industry that not many people want to do. It's rather hard labor. It's kind of like coal-mining imo. People work there because their fathers did. It was a good job with great money and benefits for a kid coming out of high school. I'm telling you, if you've ever worked as a tirebuilder or in some other pit of hell there, then you'd know that these people do have skills. It just may not be skills that translate to another industry.
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it seems their plant is closing because their skill is not truly worth $30/hr. I'm sorry the people are losing their jobs but there is a reason behind it whether they see it or not
 
#24
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utvolpj said:
it seems their plant is closing because their skill is not truly worth $30/hr. I'm sorry the people are losing their jobs but there is a reason behind it whether they see it or not
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Yeah it couldn't be that sales are down. And I don't necessarily agree that what they do is worth $30/hour either. But it's worth more than $8/hour.
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#25
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Vol_til_I_die said:
Yeah it couldn't be that sales are down. And I don't necessarily agree that what they do is worth $30/hour either. But it's worth more than $8/hour.
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expenses are high and sales are down. Have to pick one to fix quickly so the work force is cut. Now if the expenses were already low how many lose their jobs? If everyone at the plant was making $10/hr are they still working? Is that better than being unemployed?
 
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