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7 May, 2007
Spanish and Portuguese workers of Compagnie Saint-Gobain will join French workers in strike action on 11 May, as called by four unions at all French plants of the major global glass and materials producer.
The strike has the united support of the CGT, CFDT, FO, and CFTC, and the four unions have called 60,000 Saint-Gobain workers to strike in protest to the Paris-based company’s industrial decisions.
Central among issues is Saint-Gobain’s uncertainty over its Desjonquères glass business. Saint-Gobain is exploring either a sale or a spin-off of this business.
The workers’ representatives in France, which called for the 11 May action, say the company has made strategic choices that have adversely affected employment. They cite the acquisition of British Plasterboard as one example of a non-strategic business decision.
Trade union representatives from France met with Spanish and Portuguese glass-union leaders in Lisbon on 17 April to plan next week’s action.
The one-hour strike this coming Friday is just another in a series of escalating protests to Paris managers of Saint-Gobain. In February, the four unions already brought hundreds of workers from four factories to a manifestation outside the company’s headquarters at La Défense near Paris.
Saint-Gobain workers demonstrating early 2007
Saint-Gobain faces labour turmoil in other sectors in France as well. On 6 March, 100 workers took strike action at an abrasives factory in Nazelles-Négron. The CGT called that strike over stalled wage negotiations. Another recent strike at a Saint-Gobain plant in Châteaubernard tells the level of discontent inside the company. A spontaneous monetary collection by workers at another operation netted €7,788 for the Châteaubernard strikers.