5 October, 2010ACV-CSC METEA protests against the carmaker who announced that the potential buyers do not meet the requirements to take over the Antwerp plant.
BELGIUM: "This shows how shamefully General Motors has thrown dust in the eyes of the Antwerp workers," says Belgian IMF affiliate ACV-CSC METEA in a statement released on October 5, after GM's announcement.
The union says with this announced rejection of a potential buyer for the plant the workers of Opel and its suppliers have received a fatal blow. ACV-CSC METEA believe that since GM announced on January 21, 2010 its intention to close down the plant in Noorderlaan, it was immediately clear the company would do everything to wreck a takeover deal.
It took until May 17 to set up a working party with trade unions on the potential sale of the plant. This working party was supposed to find a buyer by September 30, 2010 at the latest, in order to effectively take over the plant in 2011. Negotiating a serious deal within four months was clearly not likely.
Antwerp is a region which has already been badly hit by the crisis and where thousands of jobs have disappeared. Because of this, the union proposes GM gives the plant to the region and its workers for a symbolic Euro.
Metalworkers want to help the local Government to launch a new industrial project based in the industry and anchored in industrial employment. "We call upon the Flemish Government to suit the action to the word and help us start a real reconversion project with a real team," says the union.