Yokohama starts layoff of 31 employees

Salem, Virginia — Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia LLC has begun the indefinite layoffs of 31 hourly employees at its Salem tire plant, announced the company 9 Jan.

The positions make up less than 5 percent of the union workforce at the Salem plant. Yokohama said. The factory produces passenger and light truck tires, and has 910 employees, 718 of whom are union workers.

“The layoffs are in accordance with the company and the union’s collective bargaining agreement, which runs through 16 May 2018. The tenure of the 31 employees was 14 months or less,” said Tetsuro “Tex” Murakami, president of the company.