Goodyear mulling ‘partial unemployment’ in Luxembourg

In the absence of specific information regarding Goodyear’s plans to cut five per cent of its salaried workforce worldwide, uncertainty exists as to where the axe will fall. But it appears Luxembourg has been spared the worst. Media firm RTL Luxembourg reports that Goodyear has “no official plans” to make staff redundant there. But this doesn’t mean they’ll be entirely unaffected by the tyre maker’s belt-tightening.

According to information from RTL (last updated on 3 February 2023), Goodyear has not yet informed Luxembourgish trade unions OGBL and LCGB about potential lay-offs, which it is required to do in order for negotiations to take place. RTL adds that the Grand Duchy’s Ministry of the Economy confirmed being “unaware of redundancy plans” affecting Goodyear staff.

Yet some Goodyear staff members in Luxembourg may face what RTL describes as “partial unemployment.” The media provider explains that Goodyear intends to “slow down research and development activities” and that the Ministry of the Economy has accepted related job changes “in principle”.

According to RTL, the OGBL union estimated that around a hundred Goodyear employees in Luxembourg would be affected. It is not clear whether partial unemployment in the form of reduced hours or any other measure is being counted pro rata within Goodyear’s planned job cuts.