22 August, 2008Workers demand better deal, following the announced closure of Siemens Prague facility.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Workers held a warning strike, August 20, at Siemens SKV plant in Prague, following the company's announcement to close the facility. All employees of SKV Prague took part in the action which was organised by The Czech Metalworkers´ Federation (OS KOVO), an IMF affiliate, and started at 12:00 and continued until 14:00.
The announced closure follows Siemens AG's earlier statement that it plans to cut 16,750 jobs, or about four per cent, of its workforce worldwide.
OS KOVO believes the offer presented by the Siemens management to the workers facing job losses are inadequate. The union is scheduled to meet with the company again on August 25 and has threatened to escalate its action if no progress is made in these talks.
In a show of international support, representatives from IG Metall, Germany and OZ KOVO Slovakia, and members of the European Metalworkers' Federation's (EMF) Siemens co-ordination group from FIOM-CGIL and CFE/CGC, France attended the strike.