23 January, 2008Thousands of people marched on January 22 protesting against the announced closure of a Nokia mobile phone production plant in Bochum, Germany.
GERMANY: More than 15,000 people demonstrated in front of a Nokia mobile phone production plant in Bochum yesterday, January 22, protesting against its announced closure. The workers, unions, European Works Council and supervisory board were all surprised and angered by Nokia management's announcement that the plant is to close by end of June 2008, with production shifting to Hungary and Romania.
Closure of the plant will affect 2,300 permanent and 1,000 temporary workers. Counting local suppliers and subcontractors, the total job loss will amount to around 4,000 jobs. Speaking at the rally, IG Metall president Berthold Huber called on Nokia to abandon plans to shut down the site, warning the decision to close the plant would damage Nokia's brand and business.
Workers and unions are particularly angered by the decision as Nokia received subsidies of nearly 100 million euros from the North Rhine Westphalia federal state, the federal government of Germany and the European Union. Nokia was bound by law to guarantee the jobs until December 31, 2007. Only 14 days after this date, Nokia declared the closure.
The International Metalworkers' Federation joins IG Metall and the European Metalworkers' Federation in the protest and calls on its affiliates to send letters of solidarity to the works council of the Nokia plant in Bochum and IG Metall Bochum.
Send letters to the following email addresses:
IG Metall: [email protected]
Nokia works council: [email protected]
With copies to the following email addresses:
EMF: [email protected]
IMF: [email protected]