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19 September, 2005ICEM News Release No. 33
Global tyremaker Continental faces a new worldwide cybercampaign on the Web over an eight-month unfair labour practice strike at its US subsidiary.
The cybercampaign in support of strikers at Continental's General Tire plant in Charlotte, USA, was launched today by their union, the United Steelworkers of America (USWA), and by the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM).
The ICEM, to which the USWA is affiliated, is known for its innovative global trade union campaigning on the Web.
Last Friday in Brussels, leaders of ICEM unions worldwide backed the USWA and pledged full support for their fight to gain justice from the company.
The new cybercampaign lets Web users pump up the pressure on Continental. As well as giving background on the dispute, it enables anyone to send electronic messages to top Continental management in Charlotte and at the company's world headquarters in Hanover, Germany.
Cybercampaigners can also e-mail German government officials in Bonn and in Germany's Washington embassy at the click of a mouse.
For US and Canadian shoppers, the website gives the toll-free numbers on which they can phone the company's customer relations department and major tyre retailers Sam's Club and Wal-Mart Stores. In this way, customers can register their feelings about the ongoing dispute.
Supporters can also download handbills for distribution at dealers which market Continental's tyres.
At issue in the dispute is Continental's refusal to pay its Charlotte workers the going rate among leading US tyremakers, even though the company now has the fastest-growing profits of any tire company in the world. The American workers accuse Conti of failing to bargain in good faith and of trying to break the Charlotte local of the USWA. After provoking a strike, the company drafted in "permanent replacement" workers last September, a practice illegal in Germany.
In 1995, after Continental bought General Tire, the workers bailed out the Charlotte plant by "giving back" about 90 million US dollars in pay and benefits cuts. Charlotte is now showing a healthy profit, but the company is still refusing to bring its pay and conditions up to standard.
On 30 April, the Region 11 director of the US National Labour Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint against Continental, charging the company with five counts of violations of US federal labour laws.
Continental stands accused of further violating US law, and more particularly of engaging in other "unfair labour practices" - a charge which could lead to the compulsory rehiring of the striking workers and could also make the company liable for millions of US dollars in back-pay and compensation.
"Continental made a serious error in judgement in trying to bust the Steelworkers' union in Charlotte," said USWA Vice-President John Sellers. "It won't work, and through our actions on the ground and in cyberspace we will continue to hold Continental accountable for its actions and let the public around the world know what a bad corporate citizen this company is until a just agreement is reached."
"No global corporation should be allowed to get away with double standards," agreed ICEM General Secretary Vic Thorpe. "Continental is trying to do in America what it would not be allowed to do in Germany and in most of Europe. When another global tyremaker, Bridgestone, was embroiled in a dispute with the USWA, the ICEM launched a worldwide cybercampaign to back the American workers. Industrial action and cyberaction together ensured that the Bridgestone dispute was resolved in the American workers' favour. Continental should take warning from
that."
The cybercampaign is part of a global ICEM-USWA drive for justice at Continental. Action so far has also included protests at Continental facilities, tyre trade shows and tyre dealers in several countries.
In addition, the USWA and ICEM have filed a complaint with the UN's International Labour Organisation, detailing the company's violations of the worldwide labour standards set by the ILO.
And in cooperation with the ICEM-affiliated German union IG BCE, USWA representatives attended Continental's annual meeting in Germany last week and warned shareholders there of the possible financial consequences of the Charlotte dispute.