Rio Tinto workers express grave concern over the future of 20,000 jobs
Action Day 23 April 2008 in Strasbourg (European Parliament)
Today, the workers of the Rio Tinto group in Europe are organising an Action Day in front of the European Parliament to demand a revision of the proposals issued by Rio Tinto with regards to the sell-out of large parts of its activities.
The employees of the group fear for the future of 20,000 jobs in their industry so workers at all the sites in Europe will also be expressing their concern with regard to the current plan.
Past experiences of take-overs in the sector have shown that in the end, it is the whole sector that is likely to disappear from our continent, endangering the jobs of more than 300,000 metalworkers in Europe. Activities like packaging and engineered products are particularly under threat. Rio Tinto is trying to split off several of these divisions. This will inevitably mean a downsizing of jobs and the offshoring of activities will occur in the near future.
The EMF and the trade unions involved in the company therefore call on the European Commission to:
- Take into consideration the consequences of the current merger of jobs and the European industry
- Meet and hear the workers’ representatives, and consider their legitimate concerns
In the end, the future of large sectors of European industry is under threat as a consequence of the hostile take-over of Alcan by Rio Tinto:
- Technology-intensive products of the aluminium sector will disappear and Europe will become dependent on imports
- Due to the high cost of the operation, huge parts of both companies will be sold off to the best financial offer. This does not ensure continuity of the industrial know-how and activities.
- Especially in the packaging sector, Europe is about to lose its independence.
The EMF rejects the job cuts, disinvestments and restructuring that will result from this takeover and its subsequent hive off of essential divisions. They are calling as of now for guarantees in respect of safeguarding industrial sites and R&D centres, industrial coherence and employment in order to maintain a vital component of the aluminium industry in Europe.
Peter Scherrer, the General Secretary of the EMF stated, “The EMF strongly demands that Europe safeguards and develops its aluminium industry and by this provides sustainable and quality employment. The packaging industry too can and does already generate thousands of jobs which are indispensable for our local food production and for maintaining a high standard of hygiene and public health.”
The EMF demands:
- Continued investment in research and development in the sector in Europe;
- The setting-up of a European aluminium centre of excellence based on conversion activities and backed by primary metal production capacity in order to ensure secure supplies of metal
- A European energy policy, which secures a stable supply of energy at affordable prices both for the public and for the industry
- Guarantees for the long-term future of a competitive European packaging industry protected from the risk of relocation
- That the management of the company not only takes into consideration the demands of shareholders, but also shoulders its responsibilities with regard to the employees
- That it is not up to the employees to bear the consequences of this takeover.
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Press 13/2008
For further information please contact:
Editor, Peter Scherrer, EMF General Secretary
Wolf Jacklein, Policy Adviser, 0232.2.2271010
The EMF is the representative body defending the interests of workers in the European metal industry. The EMF has a mandate for the external representation and coordination of the metalworkers' unions and a mandate to engage in bargaining at European level.
