Bridgestone Makes 191 Layoffs Permanent

The Bridgestone tire factory in LaVergne is making the layoff of 191 hourly workers permanent.

The company states the economy has not recovered as quickly as many had hoped, and due to the deepening recession and weak demand for truck tires, “we will be unable to call these people back to work,” which was the original plan when the layoffs were announced in January.

Employees will be eligible for severance pay, which has not yet been negotiated with the Steelworkers union. But those who are being terminated will also lose sub-pay, which the company uses to supplement unemployment during temporary layoffs.

13-year Bridgestone worker Dietrich Johnson says it’s already been a rough six months.

“Because this whole year, we have probably worked maybe 60 to 65-percent of normally what we’d work. Some of us, less than that.”

Johnson says he’s two months behind on rent and doesn’t know the last time he paid his phone bill.

Bridgestone says in a statement it will work with the union and state officials to help address the impact on its LaVergne teammates.