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18 November, 2007
Three retired workers from Continental AG in the US visited Germany with their union, the United Steelworkers (USW), in early November to protest the company’s cut-off of medical benefits when it closed two tyre plants. Hosted by ICEM German affiliate IGBCE, the trade unionists, B.A. Hodges, Larry Little, and Jerry McChellan had several meetings with IGBCE shop stewards of the Hanover-based company and handbilled a tyre plant in Aachen.
The IGBCE arranged a regional press briefing for the Americans, and they also met with Werner Bischoff, board member of IGBCE and vice chairman of Continental AG’s Supervisory Board. The USW members met with IGBCE shop stewards at Continental’s technical centre in Northeim, and also explained the US situation of the company to shop stewards and others at IGBCE’s training centre outside of Hanover.
The three USW retirees come from closed Continental North America tyre plants in Mayfield, state of Kentucky, and Charlotte, North Carolina. They were accompanied by USW staff member Shawn Gilchrist.
Retired USW members B.A. Hodges, Larry Little, and Jerry McChellan
Continental closed three US operations in 2006, including the Mayfield and Charlotte plants, as well as one in Byron, Ohio. Some 2,000 retirees were left without company-paid medical benefits, and, strongly supported from the USW, filed a class action lawsuit against the company.
In late July 2007, a US federal court judge ruled in a summary judgment that the company had improperly reduced the benefit levels for retirees and their spouses. The judge’s decision stated that since the company was unable to force its terms with the USW during contract talks, it unilaterally and illegally began implementing the cuts. Continental has said it will appeal the judge’s ruling.