Automotive workers are fighting against mass layoffs internationally
Rode Morgen from Netherlands: The automobile workers are at the forefront of the international working class struggle. This was evident, for example, in Brazil, where an indefinite strike at Renault in July resulted in 747 colleagues not being fired. And at Nissan in Barcelona, where a strike lasting nearly 100 days prevented the plant from closing. In Germany, colleagues at Daimler are currently fighting against announced mass layoffs. Daimler (Mercedes) wants to close factories in Germany with 2500 workers in Berlin and 4000 in Stuttgart and have production done elsewhere for lower wages.
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International car companies are trying to shift the burden of the economic crisis onto workers through mass layoffs and wage cuts. The workers at VDL / Nedcar must prepare for the end of BMW production in Born as of 2023. This means that the jobs of 4,500 colleagues there are at stake.
Dieter Schweizer of the International Coordination Group of the International Automotive Workes Coordination informed the "Rode Morgen" on October 16: “Last week there were several major protests in Germany with thousands of participants against layoffs and job losses. On October 8 at Daimler, then several break meetings at different Daimler factories, at Opel and Ford. The latter in solidarity with the struggle of the Daimler colleagues, there were union protests in Bavaria in various centers at MAN, Schäffler, SKF, and so on. Today 3000 steel workers demonstrated in Düsseldorf. ”
Automotive workers are organizing internationally in a conference of automotive workers. There, experiences are exchanged and agreements are made to support each other across borders in the fight against mass redundancies - for a reduction in working hours and an improvement of income, working conditions and the perspective of a just society. In February of this year, the 2nd International Automotive Workers' Conference (IAC) was held in South Africa.
De Rode Morgen sent a greeting message to the German delegates at the meeting of the IAC on October 18 in Gelsenkirchen: “The big concerns want to pass the crisis burden on to the workers. A good requirement against this is the 30-hour working week with pay. International unity and joint struggle of all workers - for jobs and against the passing of crisis burdens: that's what makes us strong! " For more info: automotiveworkers.org/en
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