Goodyear workers' fury as firm signs Bayern Munich FC sponsorship deal as staff face axe
Goodyear workers are up in arms after discovering the firm has signed a sponsorship deal with Bayern Munich FC beginning on January 1 - the day the first wave of Wolverhampton staff will be made redundant.
More than 300 jobs will be axed at the Bushbury Lane plant and staff are furious the firm has signed the new deal in light of the planned closure.
Bayern Munich stars Philipp Lahm and Franck Ribéry were pictured holding shirts printed with the Goodyear name following the announcement of the deal last week.
Wayne Devaney, who has worked at the tyre plant for 28 years, said: "Goodyear do it again, not content to close a world class plant in Wolverhampton, they sign a deal with Bayern Munich Football Club. You couldn't write it could you?
"For weeks, our union fought Goodyear tooth and nail, it struggled to get a fair deal for the workforce when all hope had gone to save the plant due to the sham talks, but when it comes to Goodyear throwing money at a football club and its stars who haven't contributed one iota to Goodyear's profits, they couldn't wait to throw it Bayern's way.
"It is what we have come to expect of them in the last five months unfortunately."
Goodyear confirmed the closure in October. The plant will shut completely by January 2017 with the loss of more than 300 jobs, bringing an end to 90 years in the city.
The sponsorship partnership with Bayern Munich will start on January 1 next year.
The multi-year agreement includes perimeter advertising at all Bundesliga home games and a range of other advertising rights.
Darren Wells, president of Goodyear EMEA, said: "Both Goodyear and Bayern Munich brands share a long and successful heritage, a passion for winning, and a commitment to innovation.
"This partnership will play a key role in Goodyear's brand strategy with integrated marketing and sales communications.
"In addition, the players' private cars and the team's bus have already been equipped with our tires. I am very excited about the opportunities this partnership offers for building stronger awareness of our brand across multiple markets."
Bayern Munich has some of the world's biggest names in football in its team including Philipp Lahm, Franck Ribéry, Thomas Müller and Manuel Neuer.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Executive Board Chairman of the football club, said: "We are very pleased to team up Goodyear, a leading international company.
"Goodyear is a premium tire manufacturer committed to the highest quality, and we are very pleased that they are joining the Bayern Munich family."
Around 300 Goodyear workers attended a jobs fair in Wolverhampton last week, organised by the Goodyear taskforce with Wolverhampton council, the Black Country LEP and Job Centre Plus. A total of 33 companies were offering 150 jobs at the event at Wolverhampton Racecourse.
Kate Macnamara, Goodyear communications manager said: "The partnership with Bayern Munich, which is a marketing initiative of the German, Austrian and Swiss markets, will further raise the profile of the Goodyear brand and strengthen its competitiveness. Locally, we continue to provide every support to our affected associates in Wolverhampton.
"Together with the taskforce, last Wednesday the company hosted a very successful recruitment fair, with more than 150 vacancies on offer. The feedback from both our associates and exhibitors has been very positive and we will host a second free recruitment fair next year."
