15 August, 2005ICEM news release No. 07/2005
On the 100th day of a bitter strike by Belgian unions at a glass factory in Fleurus, the 20-million-member International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM) has demanded that the Japanese parent company reverse course and seek a just solution. The strike at Asahi Glass Company’s Glaverbel auto-glass plant began in December and is over an unreasonable restructuring plan that would sack nearly a third of the plant’s 800-member workforce.
Several unions are striking the plant, AGC Automotive Fleurus, including major ICEM Belgian affiliate La Centrale Generale FGTB (CG-FGTB), whose shop-floor leaders have specifically been singled out for redundancy. A vast majority of workers in the plant hold CG-FGTB membership.
In a letter sent yesterday to Masahiro Kadomatsu, president and CEO of the world’s second largest glass maker, ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs stated: “Your company’s European management unilaterally announced this restructuring without consultation or dialogue with representative trade unions in Fleurus, against the European labour relations culture.
“What is worse, management has turned vindictive and ruthless toward legitimate trade union delegates by discrediting their efforts to reach a compromise on this matter, and even targeting them for redundancy (blacklisting).”
Higgs said he was appalled to learn that Glaverbel managers openly and publicly described these sackings as “blacklisting.” Of 18 elected trade union representatives in the plant, ten CG-FGTB delegates have been singled out for redundancy. Managers have applied selective criteria for the job cuts without conducting dialogue with the unions.
The restructuring would cut 260 jobs, close one whole production line at the factory, force a flexibility plan in which agency labour would be used rather than full-time workers, and rationalize both production and maintenance workers.
Because of the strike and a cumulative vote last week by members of all unions to again reject the harsh terms of the restructuring, Japanese executives did order European management to resume negotiations but with specific instructions not to move from Asahi’s announced plans. Management and the unions were given one week to reach a settlement, or face eventual shutdown of the entire plant. That deadline expires tomorrow.
Higgs said in his letter to Kadomatsu: “I must stress that this dispute, and your company’s clear anti-union actions will result in both serious political and industrial escalation in opposition to your actions.”
If Asahi makes no movement in the final days of its self-imposed deadline, the ICEM will call on affiliated unions worldwide to take direct action against all subsidiaries of the Japanese company, as well as to bring the dispute before automotive unions in the metal working industry for their action.
Several unions are striking the plant, AGC Automotive Fleurus, including major ICEM Belgian affiliate La Centrale Generale FGTB (CG-FGTB), whose shop-floor leaders have specifically been singled out for redundancy. A vast majority of workers in the plant hold CG-FGTB membership.
In a letter sent yesterday to Masahiro Kadomatsu, president and CEO of the world’s second largest glass maker, ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs stated: “Your company’s European management unilaterally announced this restructuring without consultation or dialogue with representative trade unions in Fleurus, against the European labour relations culture.
“What is worse, management has turned vindictive and ruthless toward legitimate trade union delegates by discrediting their efforts to reach a compromise on this matter, and even targeting them for redundancy (blacklisting).”
Higgs said he was appalled to learn that Glaverbel managers openly and publicly described these sackings as “blacklisting.” Of 18 elected trade union representatives in the plant, ten CG-FGTB delegates have been singled out for redundancy. Managers have applied selective criteria for the job cuts without conducting dialogue with the unions.
The restructuring would cut 260 jobs, close one whole production line at the factory, force a flexibility plan in which agency labour would be used rather than full-time workers, and rationalize both production and maintenance workers.
Because of the strike and a cumulative vote last week by members of all unions to again reject the harsh terms of the restructuring, Japanese executives did order European management to resume negotiations but with specific instructions not to move from Asahi’s announced plans. Management and the unions were given one week to reach a settlement, or face eventual shutdown of the entire plant. That deadline expires tomorrow.
Higgs said in his letter to Kadomatsu: “I must stress that this dispute, and your company’s clear anti-union actions will result in both serious political and industrial escalation in opposition to your actions.”
If Asahi makes no movement in the final days of its self-imposed deadline, the ICEM will call on affiliated unions worldwide to take direct action against all subsidiaries of the Japanese company, as well as to bring the dispute before automotive unions in the metal working industry for their action.