Nokian Tyres consulting on up to 90-day factory lay-offs

Nokian Tyres plc has entered into “employee cooperation negotiations” regarding planned temporary lay-offs affecting Nokian Tyres plc personnel based in Finland.

The negotiations relate to approximately 1,630 people. According to the company, the plan is to achieve the necessary level of adjustment by using temporary lay-offs of at most 90 days per employee. The exact number of people being temporarily laid off, and the duration and form of the temporary lay-offs will be determined during the course of the negotiations.

The employee cooperation negotiations concern all personnel based in Finland at Nokian Tyres plc, Nokian Heavy Tyres ltd, Vianor Holding Oy and Vianor Oy. Similar cooperation negotiations have already been concluded at the company’s Levypyörä Oy and NT Tyre Machinery Oy.

The talks have been called due to “the decrease in the demand in the European car and tyre market…due to the COVID-19 outbreak”. But Nokian executives also pointed to the impact of social distancing on work: “According to our assessment, the mobility limitations caused by the COVID-19 situation also affect the amount of work in certain functions.”

The negotiations will begin on March 18, 2020, and last for two weeks, unless agreed otherwise in said negotiations.