After the violent argument between trade unions and management about further plant closings at Continental, both sides are trying a new attempt to get as many jobs as possible.

According to IG BCE, the group should declare its willingness to strengthen the majority of the remaining German locations in the tire and mechanical engineering business “with additional tasks and responsibilities” and also to secure “investments for modernization”. It is about 20 works and 20. 000 Employees in the Federal Republic.

In return, the way will be cleared for Conti to use flexible instruments “such as working hours and The union said it can use the pay corridor. Head of Human Resources Ariane Reinhart explained: “This can be, for example, a reduction in working hours, in which the time released must always be used for one’s own qualification. Temporary job security at the location level is also possible under certain conditions.” Tomorrow’s car world There is no final result yet, but this should still be 2020. For IG BCE, negotiator Francesco Grioli said that the “goal of avoiding redundancies for operational reasons and making employees fit for the automotive world of tomorrow” remains. Sensor technology and electronics, worldwide this could hit up to 30. 000 jobs. The fact that production sites of the profitable tire business such as the Aachen plant are to be closed recently triggered sharp criticism from the works council and politicians. Grioli affirmed: “The transformation is not organized with clear cuts, but with intelligent concepts that open up new perspectives.”

Double crisis The framework agreement sought with the Conti management should ensure a common approach in the search for alternatives, after the group recently went it alone with its closure plans from the point of view of workforce representatives. In the Aachen case, the capital side had overruled the employee side on the supervisory board. In addition, there should be further ideas for qualification. Wherever possible, employees are retrained by Conti. IG BCE added, for example: “For example, working hours lost due to short-time work should be used for qualification.”

Reinhart assured that in the double crisis of corona sales declines and structural change, solutions would be worked out together: “In solidarity with For our social partners we are looking for models to cope with the crisis and to set a sustainable course for competitiveness and future viability. ” However, one must also keep an eye on the location of individual plants. “Since every location faces different challenges, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.”

One of the union’s main goals is to implement necessary cuts in the “most socially acceptable” way possible, including layoffs should be avoided and excluded for a limited time.

(kbe)