Lawsuit: Les Schwab store pushed unneeded tires on customers

MULTNOMAH COUNTY, Ore. (AP) — Three former employees at Les Schwab are seeking an additional $15 million in punitive damages in a lawsuit claiming the tire chain pushed unneeded tires, wipers and other vehicle supplies on customers.

The Oregonian reports (http://goo.gl/WnuiFd ) two people in the suit say a manager at the Clackamas Les Schwab demanded they up-sell every customer or tell them they needed services such as windshield wipers, brakes or shocks, even if they didn't.

Vincent Finzer, Tracie Lee Udey and Synthea Russell filed an amended suit filed last week in Multnomah County Circuit Court. Documents say they worked at the Clackamas store between 2010 and 2015. All three claim they were yelled at, threatened or grabbed by a manager.

A spokesman for Les Schwab, which is headquartered in Bend, declined comment to The Oregonian, citing the pending litigation.

But late Friday night, Les Schwab sent this statement to Q13 News:

“We cannot comment on any pending lawsuit, but we’re deeply concerned by any claim that questions our dedication to providing superior value and service to our customers. For more than 60 years, Les Schwab Tire Centers has taken pride in performance, value and honesty – and we believe in building customers for life.

"If you live in a town with a Les Schwab Tire Center, or you’ve been to one of our stores, you know we don’t just sell tires; we take pride in doing the right thing. We would never condone or encourage behaviors that could damage the history of world-class customer service we’ve built in the communities where we live and work.”