BFS Venezuela Plant Back on Stream

(Akron/Tire Review) The union feud that forced Bridgestone/Firestone to twice close its Valencia, Venezuela, plant has apparently ended and the plant has restarted production. Tires were rolling off the line late on 6 December, according to a company spokesman.

Feuding factions of the labour union representing workers at the Valencia tyre plant caused the three-day shutdown of the facility in late November. The plant was restarted last week, but shutdown again after the dispute flared up.

“This disagreement was over union leadership issues and is not a dispute between the union and the company,” the company said in a statement. “It’s now in the best interests of all parties for the plant to resume production while the union works with the appropriate government agencies to resolve its internal issues.”