In Malaysia, tire maker Goodyear accused of unpaid wages, threats

Foreign workers say the US company made wrongful salary deductions, excessive long hours & held onto workers’ passports.

American tire manufacturer Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co is facing accusations of unpaid wages, unlawful overtime and threats to foreign workers at its Malaysian factory, according to court documents and complaints filed by workers. In interviews with Reuters, six current and former foreign workers, as well as officials in Malaysia’s labour department, say Goodyear made wrongful salary deductions, required excessive hours and denied workers full access to their passports. The department confirmed it had fined Goodyear in 2020 for overworking and underpaying foreign employees. One former worker said the company illegally kept his passport, showing Reuters an acknowledgement letter he signed in January 2020 upon getting it back eight years after he started working at Goodyear.