Thousands of Workers at Ford's Cologne Plant Down Tools in Protest
Workers at Ford's Cologne facility have launched a massive walkout - Workers at Ford's Cologne facilities engage in a massive strike action
Gear up for some industrial turmoil! Thousands of employees at Ford's plant in Cologne, Germany are marching in a historic strike, demanding better terms as part of Ford's cost-cutting measures.
It all started when Ford announced it would slash around 4,000 jobs around Europe, including 2,900 in Germany, by 2027. This move has been met with fierce resistance from the workers, leading to the first ever strike at the Cologne site.
David Luedtke, a key player in the chaos, reports that pickets have been stationed at the gates since the early hours. Approximately 11,500 employees, working in areas like production, development, and spare parts, are involved in this standoff. Some employees have managed to break through the pickets and make it to work, but Luedtke and his colleagues make sure to persuade them otherwise.
There are also a limited number of employees who are still granted access to the site on certain nights. Their purpose? To operate facilities that, without their presence, would grind to a halt. This group amounts to a mere "not even three-digit number," according to Luedtke.
The vote on the strike demonstrated an impressive level of participation, with 95.7% of the workers casting their vote and 93.5% of them voting in favor of the strike. This is a significant escalation from previous warning strikes, where employees didn't even receive strike pay.
Earlier this year, Ford's American parent company made another controversial move by announcing the cancellation of a patronage declaration that had been in effect since 2006. This decision leaves the door open for Ford to potentially file for bankruptcy in the near future. Benjamin Gruschka, chairman of the general works council of the Ford plants, has warned of a "short-term bankruptcy."
Left party leader Ines Schwerdtner labeled this situation a "slap in the face" for the employees, arguing that Ford is in deep crisis due to its slow response to the transformation towards electromobility. She accused the management of snoozing while the opportunity to transition to electric vehicles and future-proof production passed them by.
While the two sides continue their negotiations, with the employer side providing new solution proposals for the union to consider, it remains to be seen how this tense standoff will unfold. The strike, which began on Wednesday and is scheduled to end early Thursday morning, is already making waves in the auto industry.
Cologne, GermanyFord MotorStrikeDavid LuedtkeIndustrial ActionIG MetallGermanyAuto Industry
Sources:
- Ford to Slash 14% of European Workforce in Cost-cutting Measures
- Slower-than-expected demand for electric vehicles, weak economic situation, and a highly competitive market contributing to Ford's losses
- Strike Details and Union Demands
- Potential Bankruptcy Concerns
- Ford sensitive to Competition from emerging electric vehicle players
- The historic strike at Ford's Cologne plant, involving thousands of employees, is a call for better terms amidst Ford's restructuring plan that aims to cut 4,000 jobs across Europe by 2027.
- The auto industry buzzes as the consequences of Ford's cost-cutting measures, which also include the cancellation of a patronage declaration, threaten to push the company towards potential bankruptcy, as warned by Benjamin Gruschka.
- With the ongoing negotiations between Ford and IG Metall, consensus on new industry aid for restructuring, instigated by the strike, might influence the transformation towards electromobility and Ford's future prospects in the general-news landscape.
