The IG Metall trade union is criticizing Continental's planned plant closures in the plastics technology division Contitech. "This is not a strategy, it is negligent and does not reflect well on the company's other plans," said IG Metall Chairwoman Christiane Benner in a statement. "The future is being saved here at the expense of the employees."
The automotive supplier had announced plans to close five Contitech sites in four federal states. A total of around 580 jobs are affected. The plan is to discontinue production in Bad Blankenburg (Thuringia), Stolzenau (Lower Saxony) and Moers (North Rhine-Westphalia) as well as toolmaking at the twin sites in Frohburg and Geithain (Saxony).
In the interests of those affected, IG Metall is calling for a viable and financially secure support concept. There should be no first or second-class workforces, it said. The closure plans had previously also been criticized by the chemical union IGBCE. Unlike in the group as a whole, the IGBCE is the dominant union at Contitech.
