
French workers have held a demonstration in the northern city of Amiens against the impending closure of a troubled tire plant in the city.
The workers at Goodyear Dunlop Tires France have been trying to save their jobs for more than five years, but in a last-ditch effort, they decided to burn tires outside the factory on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.
They are trying to prevent owners from moving the plant to China.
Efforts to find a new buyer have failed, and the plant is scheduled to be closed next year.
Industrial sites across France are struggling in Europe’s financial downturn, and Amiens suffers from an unemployment rate of 12.5 percent.
According to an opinion poll conducted by the French research company IPSOS in January, more than half of the people in the country are worried about unemployment and job security.
The survey also showed that 41 percent of those surveyed are concerned about a decrease in their purchasing power.
In November 2012, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded France’s credit rating from AAA to AA1 and gave a negative outlook for the French economy, indicating it could be downgraded again.
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