New taskforce established to convince Goodyear not to abandon Wolverhampton

POLITICIANS and business representatives in Wolverhampton have agreed to establish a new taskforce in the hope of persuading tyre manufacturer Goodyear not to close its factory in the city.

City council representatives have joined MP Emma Reynolds and delegates from Job Centre Plus, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, Local Enterprise Partnership, Black Country Chamber of Commerce, Black Country Consortium, and UK Trade & Investment in the taskforce.

Its ultimate aim is to persuade the manufacturer to retain the Stafford Road factory or failing that, help with securing an alternative operator for the plant.

In the meantime, the city council is also working to secure the future of the workers threatened with redundancy.

The council has put forward an action plan which would see the taskforce co-ordinate a single package of support for affected employees in the event the plant closure goes ahead.

The constituent members of the taskforce will meet again next month to discuss how to move forward following the outcome of the workers’ legal consultation process, which ends on September 23.

At this point workers’ union Unite will also be invited to join the discussions.

Cllr John Reynolds, cabinet member for City Economy, said the meeting had helped to clarify what was required of everyone involved in the process.

“Goodyear are in no doubt of our desire to keep the plant open, but should the worst happen, it is good to know they are on the same page as us when it comes to securing the best future possible for each individual worker,” he said.

Ms Reynolds, who represents the Wolverhampton North East constituency, said was pleased Goodyear had agreed with her request and that of Unite to commission an independent review of their business case.
 
“If however the company goes ahead with their proposals for closure, the taskforce will work tirelessly to ensure all Goodyear’s employees affected would have all possible support to move on to alternative employment,” she said.