Read this article in:
25 January, 2001Forty thousand GM employees throughout Europe show their support and solidarity with Vauxhall workers in Luton.
EUROPE: The European Metalworkers' Federation reports that the Europe-wide Action Day they organised in support of General Motors' European locations was virtually the first event of this kind in the history of the European car industry. Over 40,000 employees in Europe stopped work to take part in the protest and demonstration. Some 16,000 workers in Germany (Rüsselsheim, Bochum, Kaiserlautern and Eisenach), 7,000 in Belgium (Antwerp), 11,000 in the UK (Luton and Ellesmere Port), 1,000 in Portugal and 5,000 in Spain took part in this European Action Day.
The EMF's general secretary, Reinhard Kuhlmann, addressing the 7,000 workers assembled at the Opel AG plant in Rüsselsheim, declared that "this striking example of European solidarity cannot fail to impress GM management."
The protests of the GM employees at European level demonstrate their refusal to allow themselves to be played off one against the other. Mass redundancies and plant closures are not a suitable response to losses of marketshare resulting from continual mismanagement.
The Europe-wide protests will give added weight to the European Works Council negotiating team in its talks with GM management in Zurich. Protest action will continue in various forms in the event that GM will not be willing to negotiate. The aim is to conclude a framework agreement which will result in suspension of the plant closures and mass redundancies and support for an innovatory offensive for GM products in Europe.
Source: European Metalworkers' Federation
The EMF's general secretary, Reinhard Kuhlmann, addressing the 7,000 workers assembled at the Opel AG plant in Rüsselsheim, declared that "this striking example of European solidarity cannot fail to impress GM management."
The protests of the GM employees at European level demonstrate their refusal to allow themselves to be played off one against the other. Mass redundancies and plant closures are not a suitable response to losses of marketshare resulting from continual mismanagement.
The Europe-wide protests will give added weight to the European Works Council negotiating team in its talks with GM management in Zurich. Protest action will continue in various forms in the event that GM will not be willing to negotiate. The aim is to conclude a framework agreement which will result in suspension of the plant closures and mass redundancies and support for an innovatory offensive for GM products in Europe.
Source: European Metalworkers' Federation