International Solidarity and corporation-wide Struggle against the closure of the Opel plant in Eisenach/Germany
Shortly after the federal government elections, Opel has decided to stop production at its Eisenach plant in Eastern Germany until the end of the year. The reason given is a lack of semiconductor chips. However, the measure is directly related to crisis symptoms with declining sales and strategic restructuring plans starting from the parent company Stellantis. The assembly lines in Eisenach will be completely emptied, and the 1300 employees will be put on short-time work. Contrary to Opel's statements to the public, there are indications that this is in preparation for a final plant closure in Eisenach from 2022. With the production stop of the Grandland X, warehouses will be emptied and material will be sent to other plants. The facelift of the Grandland is now to be produced at the plant in Sochaux, France. Extra shifts are already planned there. So why the short-time working in Eisenach?
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Indonesian Translation
The attack on the workforce in Eisenach joins the attacks on the entire Opel and Stellantis workforce. In Bochum, the workforce is resisting plans to increase working hours to 37.5 hours a week without pay compensation. Newly hired colleagues are to be paid at the lower contract logistics rate. Opel plans to eliminate another 2,000 jobs in Rüsselsheim. The new orientation and restructuring in the entire group at Stellantis include the elimination of up to 40,000 jobs worldwide.
Now all workforces worldwide are challenged to take up the corporate-wide struggle against the closure of Opel in Eisenach and all further attacks.
On June 22, delegations from Opel plants in Germany participated in a day of action by their colleagues in Sochaux, France. In our solidarity statement we had written: "Internationally, the car corporations are trying to pass on to the workers the burdens of the global crisis due to the conversion to electric mobility and general overproduction, exacerbated by the corona pandemic: Layoffs, wage cuts, flexibilization, agency work, increasing piece rates are their measures to secure their profits. To this end, they try to play workforces off against each other and optimize international production in their interest of profit. In doing so, they unscrupulously disregard our interests, fought-for rights and achievements of the workers*."
If you attack one workforce, you attack them all. It is therefore an important sign that a declaration of solidarity was immediately sent from Sochaux to the Eisenach workforce. A solidarity group was founded in Eisenach and a warning vigil was organized.
International solidarity and the corporate-wide struggle are on the agenda and must be organized with resoluteness.
Fight for every job and apprenticeship! For the 30-hour week with full wage compensation! We fight for jobs and the preservation of the natural basis of life. For a full legal right to strike in all matters!
Long live the international unity of workers and trade unions!
Long live international solidarity!
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