Cologne Ford Workers Take a Stand Against Thousands of Layoffs
Striking labor force of thousands at Ford's Cologne facility - Workers at Ford's Cologne facility stage a walkout involving numerous employees
Ford is sweeping through Germany, aiming to slash 4,000 jobs across the continent by 2027. This move is part of their austere plans, and Cologne's workers are feeling the blow in their gut.
The picket lines are thick since the crack of dawn, says David Luedtke. A whopping 11,500 employees reside in Cologne, working across production, development, and spare parts. Only a handful tried to make their way through the crowds, all met with heartfelt persuasion from Luedtke and his team.
However, some employees have limited access to the premises for specific nighttime operations to prevent installations from breaking down. Surprisingly, this group is a mere handful, not even hitting triple digits.
The call for the strike garnered remarkable support. An impressive 95.7% turned out to vote, with 93.5% echoing a resounding yes. This is the first time TV-style action has rocked the Cologne site, as previous strikes only amounted to warning shots that didn't offer employees their strike pay.
Ford's US-based mothership delivered another stinging jab earlier this year by annulling the patronage agreement that had been in place since 2006. This unceremonious cancellation could pave the way for a potential bankruptcy filing in the not-too-distant future.
"A slap in the face for employees" is how Ines Schwerdtner, Head of the Left party, put it, accusing Ford's management of snoozing through the technological revolution and delaying the switch to electric vehicles.
The CFM (Commission for the Future of the Automotive Industry) has suggested that the cancellation of the patronage agreement could compel Ford to temporarily halt production, a move that could accelerate the need for a bankruptcy declaration.
Meste retirees are particularly concerned about their pension funds and are rallying behind the union to ensure justice. Meanwhile, the negotiations between union and company are still underway. Company reps contacted the IG Metall union recently, proposing new solutions, but the union is yet to decide whether talks can continue this week.
Come early Thursday morning, the strike at Niehl and Merkenich will conclude, but the demands for substantial severance packages and financial security for the 2,900 workers facing layoffs will continue to echo through the factory halls.
mb/oer
- Ford Motor
- Cologne
- Strike
- David Luedtke
- Strike call
- Industrial action
- Germany
- IG Metall
- Layoffs
- Pension funds
- Ford
- AFP
- Automobile industry
- Bankruptcy
- Dismantling patronage agreement
Enrichment Insights:The heart of the negotiations between Ford and IG Metall centers around securing financial security for the 2,900 workers facing layoffs. To achieve this, the union is focusing on a social contract, which could provide for substantial severance packages and safeguard the wellbeing of affected personnel. However, expectations are high within the workforce, and the negotiations are strained, as the union balances the need for concessions from Ford against the demands of the workers.
- Amid the fierce strike in Cologne, Ford workers are demanding substantial severance packages and financial security for the 2,900 employees facing layoffs.
- The ongoing negotiations between Ford and IG Metall revolve around securing a social contract to provide financial security and substantial severance packages to the workers.
- Support for the strike in Cologne was overwhelming, with 93.5% of workers voting in favor, marking the first time a full-scale strike has taken place at the site.
- Ford's decision to dismantle the patronage agreement that had been in place since 2006 has raised concerns within the retiree community about their pension funds.
- The cancellation of the patronage agreement could potentially pressure Ford to temporarily halt production, hastening the need for a possible bankruptcy filing, according to the Commission for the Future of the Automotive Industry.
