GM strike - Tues 19 October - European day of solidarity action!
Tory Blair | 17.10.2004 13:37 | World
GM Europe Works Council declares day of action for 19 October as reaction to threatening job cuts in GM car factories in Europe.
worker´s families and citizens of Bochum rally to the factory gates
waiting for you solidarity
As some participants of the ESF in London concentrate on infighting - or on kissing Labour´s bum, German car workers opted for unofficial industrial action. They now wait for your solidarity.
Following GM Europe chairman Fritz Henderson’s announcement of 12,000 planned job cuts in the whole of Europe - including Britain, on Thursday shifts at Opel’s Bochum plant occupeid their workplaces, layed down work, or gather outside the plant instead, or occupying the gates.
The strikers will not be payed! Of course not by the bosses - but since the union refuses to make this wild cat action into an official strike - neither will they receive "industrial action wage" from the union!
General Motor's central works council declared next Tuesday as ‘European action day’, in which GM workers in Germany, Britain and Sweden will all be asked to participate.
As the time of writing this section the wild cat strikers voted to continue action until Monday morning shift. Then a new decision will be voted for. The strike has so far support from citizens and workers from other industry. The traditional sunday afternoon stroll took many to the factory gates. Local shops donated food. Money is collected.
The union bosses - behind curtain - want the strike to end - as production losses are not only costing the bosses many millions a day - but also the strike undermines the governing German labour party which has lost credit amongst population as it is trying to push through a package of severe cuts in dole, health and what not.
All gates in Bochum plant are picketed. No material can leave to other GM factories. Beginning this monday morning shift this will lead to shortages in European plants of the GM groop, thus production will fall short or stop comletely.
Also supliers of Opel like Johnson Controlls have stopped production - as Bochum no longer asks for parts.
White collar managent men have been prevebted so far from transporting parts out of the factory. Police have been seen near the plant but have stated they will "keep out" of the conflict.
German metall industrial workers´ union IG Metall threatened industrial action on a scale last seen at GM in 1998, when a several weeks-long strike at its Flint, Michigan plant, the most severe industrial action in the US in 30 years, halted production at 26 of GM’s 29 US production facilities.
Following GM Europe chairman Fritz Henderson’s announcement of 12,000 planned job cuts in the whole of Europe - including Britain, on Thursday shifts at Opel’s Bochum plant occupeid their workplaces, layed down work, or gather outside the plant instead, or occupying the gates.
The strikers will not be payed! Of course not by the bosses - but since the union refuses to make this wild cat action into an official strike - neither will they receive "industrial action wage" from the union!
General Motor's central works council declared next Tuesday as ‘European action day’, in which GM workers in Germany, Britain and Sweden will all be asked to participate.
As the time of writing this section the wild cat strikers voted to continue action until Monday morning shift. Then a new decision will be voted for. The strike has so far support from citizens and workers from other industry. The traditional sunday afternoon stroll took many to the factory gates. Local shops donated food. Money is collected.
The union bosses - behind curtain - want the strike to end - as production losses are not only costing the bosses many millions a day - but also the strike undermines the governing German labour party which has lost credit amongst population as it is trying to push through a package of severe cuts in dole, health and what not.
All gates in Bochum plant are picketed. No material can leave to other GM factories. Beginning this monday morning shift this will lead to shortages in European plants of the GM groop, thus production will fall short or stop comletely.
Also supliers of Opel like Johnson Controlls have stopped production - as Bochum no longer asks for parts.
White collar managent men have been prevebted so far from transporting parts out of the factory. Police have been seen near the plant but have stated they will "keep out" of the conflict.
German metall industrial workers´ union IG Metall threatened industrial action on a scale last seen at GM in 1998, when a several weeks-long strike at its Flint, Michigan plant, the most severe industrial action in the US in 30 years, halted production at 26 of GM’s 29 US production facilities.
Tory Blair
Comments
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Less cars - hooray
17.10.2004 15:16
Gedda Pushbike
industrial action set to continue!
18.10.2004 09:52
I we have to go down - we will go with a bang!
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung sunday edition - which could be described as the German Times on Sunday, writes: "The union seems to have lost control over the workforce in Bochum. The rank and file are being agitated by left-wing radicals who had been kicked out of the union." (It seems some lefties in Germany had better thngs to do than to travel to the ESF.)
Number two of the national exec of the Metall Workers Union, Huber, want´s strike action to stop, start talking about to GM softening down joblosses and postpone them for two years. A worker told a newspaper, he an his striking mates would rather go down with a bang than having the workforce cut down by the bosses salami tactics. "If we have to loose everything anyway - let´s loose it fighting!"
Supply in European GM plants is falling short. Saragossa plant, Spain, has closed for a holiday, Antwerp has been slowing down production since Friday.
The strikers hope for support action In Spain, Sweden, Britain, Belgium and Poland. GM want to sack 12.000 in Europe - 10.000 in Germany alone.
tzu
TUC did not inform Vauxhal workers about strike
18.10.2004 13:46
Bochum local football team and fans with solidarity banners
Meanwhile in Bochum the afternoon shift voted to continue the wild cat strike.
Production is still slowing down in Antwerp and Eisenach, Germany. Another Opel GM plant in Germany will come out in solidarity on Tuesday.
sa