Swiss trade union UNIA has achieved significant steps in the campaign to save the jobs of 470 workers at Swissmetal, a company on the verge of bankruptcy. The first victory was ensuring all staff received salary payments for the month of July. This was achieved through pressure on Switzerland’s Secretary of State for the Economy, and on the cantonal governments of Soleure and Berne.
The federal, cantonal governments and UNIA provided the CHF 2 million to meet July’s payroll. Swissmetal no longer has the liquidity to pay wages. UNIA provided the majority of the payment, approximately 70%.
This payment means that the possibility still exists that the two Swiss operations of the company still might be purchased by French-based Le Bronze Industriel SA, a manufacturer of bronze and copper electrodes.
UNIA Occupy BNP Paribas Branch
Another major step UNIA in trying to save Swissmetal jobs came when the Swiss national union succeeded in pressuring bank BNP Paribas – a creditor of Swissmetal that is owed CHF 20 million – to release the company’s metal inventories, which the bank blocked at the two sites.
On 8 August, UNIA and workers at the main facility in Dornach held a symbolic manifestation at the Basle branch of BNP Paribas, urging the bank to lift the blockade of raw metal stock. Hundreds of workers rallied under the slogan, “You occupy our warehouse, we occupy your bank!” The occupation of the bank proved successful.
While work did re-start at the other plant, in Reconvilier, on 8 August, all attention today is on the Dornach site, where production must restart immediately. This depends on Swissmetal agreeing to operate and deal with pending orders before buyers look elsewhere. Reopening of operations in the immediate term would ensure Swissmetal’s ability to pay wages for August.
As sale negotiations continue, redundancies are not necessary at this stage, and will be bitterly opposed.
UNIA underlines the vital importance that the cantonal governments of Soleure and Bern have. They have a duty to prevent the massive dismantling of operations and stop closure of the factories.
