1,400 people walked silently in Béthune, in Pas-de-Calais, on Sunday morning, to protest against the announced closure of the tire plant which employs more than 860 people.

Europe 1 collected the testimony of Céline, an employee of the procession. 

TESTIMONY

Between anger and hope, around 1,400 Bridgestone employees and their families, elected officials and residents of Béthune, in Pas-de-Calais, silently marched on Sunday against the announced closure of the tire factory which employs more than 860 people.

"It's huge, it's nice," testified at the microphone of Europe 1 Céline, an employee in the procession. 

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"I still believe in it"

"It shows that we are supported and that we are not alone," continues the mother.

"I would never have believed to be one day in this situation there, and to see that the people, the people of Bethune, the workers, the elected officials, all are mobilizing for us", assures the one whose spouse was also employee of Bridgestone.

"We will both find ourselves unemployed. If we cannot find a solution or an alternative, with two children, it will be complicated ...."

However, Celine wants to "keep hope".

"In my head, it's not over and it's not going to close," she says.

"I still believe in it and I tell myself it won't close. We will."

A new meeting scheduled for the week of October 12

Mid-September, Bridgestone had suddenly announced the "final cessation" of the activity of the site, which employs more than 860 people, by 2021, citing an overcapacity of production in Europe and competition from low-cost Asian brands.

On September 21, a meeting was held on site with the ministers of labor and industry, the group's management and local elected officials.

The Minister for Industry, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, had declared that the leaders of Bridgestone had said "to examine a certain number of scenarios", which the government intended "to cross-assess".

The management of Bridgestone had indicated that the closure of the Béthune site was "the only option" but also that it was considering "alternative projects for reconversion of the site, with and without Bridgestone".

According to the mayor of Béthune, a new meeting must be held with one or more ministers the week of October 12.

The first negotiation meeting for the job protection plan (PSE), which is to last five months, will take place on Tuesday.