Good news for joint European negotiations. Local negotiations at Bochum plant delayed until European Future Contract until 2016 is concluded

Fact is that a European Future Contract until 2016 is absolutely crucial for all Delta plants. The European unions and the plant representatives of the Delta plants have only a chance to got this substantial contract when nobody negotiates and concludes agreements in advance locally. That was also the joint commitment of the “European Solidarity Pledge” of the Delta Group which was signed by all plant representatives and unions of the Delta Group. Furthermore, the year 2007 ends on December 31. The Delta Group and the European Works Council of GM needs 1-2 months to conclude this framework with management which means that local negotiations can continue in 2007. Beside that, it is wrong that the local works councils have no say regarding spin-offs and outsourcing after 2007. The European Frameworks Olympia and Restructuring and the German contract of the General Works Council based on them gives the works council a right to deal with that on behalf of the workers. GM cannot easily outsource without negotiations with unions and works councils. Trollhättan unions refuse at this point of time any outsourcing because a European Future contract has not been signed yet. Ellesmere Port is doing the same as well as Antwerp. The Gliwice union has no co-determination right according to Polish law but asks strongly for the appliance of the European Frameworks. So you can see the whole picture is quite different than you told us in your comment.

That’s not good news. On the contrary the workers councils of the Astra Plants have been taken the chance to arrange the outsourcings in cooperation with management socially acceptable.
This period of time runs out of the end of the year. That means beginning next year GM/Opel will be able to undertake outsourcings without the workers council having a say.
All of us can imagine what this means. Outsourcings will no more be conducted in a socially acceptable way. Someone who says this as a success doesn’t mean well with Astra staffs.
Quit contrary to that he/she is on the side of management.