Both cases show quite clearly that GM Management in Europe has been leaving the track of cooperation with the workers and workers representatives. Wether the take out of the 3rd shift was necessary nor the closure of the Azambuja plant. In both cases the European Employee Forum of General Motors made alternative proposals which were refused by GM Management in a very arrogant way. Especially the closure of Azambuja shows us how worse GM Management is treating workers. Our colleagues in Azambuja suffered in 2006 a treatment which is the far the worst we ever had at General Motors Europe. Over months GM management tried to break the resistance in the plant by spreading news in the media that a plant closure was likely, but at the same time the official information given to the union and the workers was that a decision were not been made. Now we all know GM Management was playing on time and some days before the plant vacation started they announced the closure. Despite that the GM European Employee Forum (EEF) and the European unions represented at GM started unique actions over weeks in all GM plants in Europe the closure could not be avoided. Why could this happen? One of the reasons is for sure that the EEF and the European unions hoped for a joint solution and serious efforts of GM Management to avoid the closure, because they had a tradition of working together to get win-win situations for the company and the workers. But GM Management left this track in both cases: in the Ellesmere Port case as well as in the Azambuja case. As the members of the EEF Steering Committee visited the azambuja plant to talk with the works council and the unions and attended an all-employee meeting it was clear that this solidarity and closely working together to defend the plant never happened before. The unions at the plant of Zaragoza in Spain which should benefit of the closure (relocation of model Combo from Azambuja to Zaragoza) declared their solidarity with the Azambuja workers and refused to accept the relocation (and the increase of jobs) at their plant to avoid the closure of Azambuja.

But one thing is clear. The unions and the EEF were not going to far. They avoided to destroy seriously the business of General Motors Europe hoping that there would be a chance to work seriously on an alternative solution. After the announcement of the closure the EEF worked together with the Azambuja works council to get the maximum of a benefit and security for the workers who would loose their job. The main objective was not reached but the buy-outs for the Azambuja workers were still the highest in the history of Portugal. Nobody who took part in the actions for Azambuja will ever forget what GM Management did and what great and proud resistance the Azambuja workers and their unions were able to organize in connection with the overwhelming solidarity given by the European GM workers and their unions. But the scar still hurts. Maybe GM Management is not aware of this, but we can tell you that the EEF and the European unions won’t accept this strategy and behavious a third time. Our debt to the workers of Ellesmere Port and Azambuja is it to fight against any plant closure in the future. This is a crucial commitment of any GM plant and union in Europe. That means if GM Management tries to close down an Astra plant as Mr Forster indicated the result will be another battle than in the Azambuja case. Mr Forster and his Management representatives should have a clear understanding of that commitment. No union, no works council at General Motors Europe is willing to allow GM Management to beat them a third time. If cooperations is not given by GM Management which means excluding of plant closures and a future for all GM plants in Europe the result will be a fight to the end. Everybody is aware what would happen if the next closure of a big plant in Europe would happen. The unions know that in this battle there will be no victory wether for Management nor for the unions. Therefore, they ask or working on a win-win solution but in case Management insists on a closure there will be nothing to talk about.Then the European unions won’t have another choice as to act in another way as in the Azambuja case. Is GM Management really willing to risk the future of General Motors and its workers? We will see. Don’t forget Azambuja and Ellesmere Port. Stay united to keep the plants open! Please make comments to this article.

Solidarity-Action in Kaiserslautern (Germany)

Plenum in Azambuja where the employees voted for strike